The Earthy Life
Published: November 29, 2012
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*Editor's Note: The Earthy Life is a new, monthly column by the Indraloka Animal Sanctuary that will offer readers assistance on their animal-related questions. If you have a question, please email it to suburbanweekly@timesshamrock.com with "The Earthy Life" in the subject line.
Question: I found a hurt bird on the street. I can't take her home, but I hate to see her suffer. What should I do?
Answer: Thank you for noticing and caring about this bird. I recently got a similar call.
"I just saw a pigeon laying on the road. She is alive but looks hurt," the caller told me.
I tried to contact multiple wildlife rehabilitators, but was not able to reach anyone. In the meantime, the caller went back to check on the pigeon and discovered she had been thrown into an alley and was now laying helplessly in a cold puddle.
This little pigeon was suffering, so we rushed her to the Dunmore Vet Clinic where Dr. Ramsi Chaudhari examined her. He ran his hands along her protruding breastbone and commented that the pigeon had been suffering for a while. He lifted her wing and exposed bugs, explaining that if she felt better, she would have been able to groom herself and would not have bugs on her. After a thorough examination, Dr. Ramsi told us the pigeon did not have hope of recovery. We decided the kindest course of action would be to euthanize her.
Of course, we had hoped to release the pigeon to live happily ever after. However, we do not view this rescue as a failure. This bird had the chance to experience kindness and was given the gentlest death that we could give her. Every act of kindness changes the world.
Compassionate action is never in vain.
About
this column
Since relocating to northeastern Pennsylvania in 2007, the non-profit Indraloka Animal Sanctuary has been caring for hundreds of rescued animals for years and has learned much about them and from them about caring for ourselves and the environment.
Email your questions on holistic care for animals, ourselves and the environment to suburbanweekly@timesshamrock.com with "The Earthy Life" in the subject line. We will answer with stories of mistakes made, lessons learned and blessings shared.
For more information, visit www.indraloka.org.
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