A Sad Reality Of Life.

An injured deer lay down to rest.

Bob saw it first as we drove past our hedge. A deer was lying down in our meadow and clearly had been injured. Bob stopped the car, I got out to go and see while my heart was sad as can be. A deer still staying supine while I approached didn't bode well.

It's eyes were glazed with endured pain, the ears twitched slightly as it saw me and the stomach was moving in tandem with the slow breaths taken. This deer was pregnant but was beyond pain and help. What to do? I phoned a friend of mine whose husband is a hunter and she must have heard my sadness because they quickly drove over to see what could be done.

The whole time I stayed not more than a meter from this exhausted animal and talked to it. My friends came but soon established that this deer was beyond help and I needed to phone the local hunter, who would have to come and put it down.

My heart was heavy with sadness at witnessing this animal's pain. The hunter came equipped for the deed that had to be done and as much as I wanted to walk away, I thought I owed it to this deer to stay all the way. The shot when it thundered next to me was unexpected and horrid but it had to be done as the animal needed to have an end to its suffering.

The hunter later told me that he'd had phone calls of an injured deer close to our house yesterday afternoon, but when he looked for it he couldn't find it which only meant that this poor animal had been in pain all night long. I know that this is what happens in nature and especially in a heavily wooded area but it still is a sad part of life to witness.

All along I felt like a huge hypocrite...my heart bled for this deer yet my whole life I thought and felt nothing for all those animals who lost their lives because I felt like having a steak, sausage or ham sandwich.

Biggi