What do you do with roadkill? It’s a pretty common sight in today’s world with most of us not giving it a second thought. Well, I do something a little different.
What do you do when you see “roadkill”? It’s a pretty common site in our world, one many of us become numb to by necessity or simply lack of awareness. In this final vlog from my move up the coast from Florida to Massachusetts, I show you what I do with roadkill, as well as hang out with some of you in a seedy motel room, and finally make it to my new home. Come along with me!
For the full adventure be sure to watch the video above. But here are some select nuggets, and all the videos referenced in this one are linked below:
About “roadkill”:
I like to acknowledge them in some sense. If we saw a dead human on the side of the road, everyone would stop and make sure the person was OK or at least call the police. But we don’t give that attention to animals. I don’t expect people to pull over every time they see an animal, but I feel like the very least I can do is acknowledge them in some way.
When I was really young, if I found a squirrel or an animal that had been hit by a car in my neighborhood, I would get them, and bring them home, and bury them in my backyard because I’ve always said I want to give them a proper funeral. So, we had a little animal cemetery anywhere I’ve lived because I would always go and get the animals that had been hit by cars, and take them home to bury them.
That’s a life that has gone. That animal had thoughts, desires, and a family. They didn’t want to die and their life was taken too soon, and that deserves to be acknowledged.
What others think about my actions:
If people will say I am the freak who moves roadkill–I’m all right with that. I honestly don’t worry too much about what people think about me. I worry about what people do and what their actions are. I worry about how they think about the lives of animals, how they think about the food on their plate. That’s what concerns me. You can think whatever you want about me, but my hope is that when faced with the realities and faced with the facts of what goes on in this world and what the animals go through…how people react to that- that concerns me. [tweet this- v1 or v2]
The Patreon hangout
I hung out with my patrons last night which was really fun. I love getting to hang-out with my viewers. So many of you are really awesome. I think all of you are awesome actually. I haven’t met all of you but I’m pretty sure you’re really cool. I mean, if you’re watching me, you’re pretty cool. Or totally like a nerd, but I’m into that so it’s good.
I hope you enjoyed coming along with me on this trip. I’d love to hear from you on this: Do you have any reaction to “roadkill”? Or is it something that seems to fly under the radar? Let me know in the comments!
And if you want to hang out with me every month, check out the Nugget Army! You can get other cool perks and rewards as well!
— Emily Moran Barwick
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Dear Emily,
I am so glad you said you acknowledge animals that were killed on the road.
I feel so bad and I say to each one “I am sorry for your pain”. I did read once a man that said a prayer to each dead animal. So at least acknowledging an animals death seems to be universal among some people.
Glad to you and Oodie got to your destination safety.
Kind Regards,
Sally Anne
thanks so much Sally Anne. good to hear you give them acknowledgement too. who knows if it does anything…but it seems meaningful.
Hi Emily, I thought I was the only one who did this kind of thing. I like walking and in my area (just a regular suburb) I often find dead birds, possums, even kittens on the side of the road. It breaks my heart each time and I actually can’t walk past without at least moving them from the kerb/road and placing them under some kind of bush. It feels so disrespectful and uncaring to just let them rot there while we all walk or drive by…
We wouldn’t let a human lie there with maggots and ants all over them!
I used to be embarrassed but now I don’t really care if I’m the freak who does it!
you’re not the only one ;) and i’m glad you do this too- and who cares what others think about it ;)
not weirdo at all emily.. i do the same. not like you though, i simply raise and stretch my right hand and bow my head a little.. kinda like, this is the very minimum you can do, like japanese people..
good to know i’m not alone in acknowledging them.
I always say a prayer when I see one. I didn’t know other people felt the same way I do.
glad to know you do this too, Kellie- very sweet of you.
Hi Emily.
I’m so glad to hear that you (and others posting comments here) cannot simply ignore another being who’s hurt/dying/dead on the street or curb or wherever we may come across them. I don’t want to call them “roadkill” — which seems utterly disrespectful, IMHO, but choose rather to call them “carkill” or even “humankill”, which is more accurate. Accidents on the road (or elsewhere) can happen; I understand that. But, as you said, if we came upon a human being who had been “accidentally” hurt and then died, we would (without hesitation or apology, I would hope) exhibit a form of recognition and reverence for that beautiful life lost… and show respect by moving the lifeless body to a place where it poses no harm to others. (Few people realize that so-called “roadkill” attracts animals who might want to inspect the body or pick at it/eat it… who then may be in danger of getting hit themselves — or causing a car to dangerously swerve so as to avoid hitting that animal.)
A veterinarian tech friend of mine told me to always keep things in my car to assist injured or dead animals I might come across, as needed; things like a small shovel, blanket, water bottle, gloves, a carrier, etc. (Please note: Loving caution must be exercised anytime an injured animal is approached!) Upon her advice, I chose some bright neon green gloves, so people can spot me easily. This is for my safety, of course, but is also because I like to be an example of loving kindness and WANT people to see me in action. Wearing protective gloves (as you do), I gently move dead animals I spot on the road to a less perilous zone, such as under some bushes or in dense grass, away from the road/curb. Sometimes I lay flowers over their bodies, if there are flowers nearby. I cry. Always, I cry. And I don’t try to hide the tears.
On one rare occasion, I contacted the city to report the death of an animal, asking them to send someone who respected animals to come and remove the broken body. If I come across a dead cat or dog, I call the police to report the death — in case they’ve been reported as lost by a worried human caretaker. Applying The Golden Rule is essential. I ask, “How would I want to be treated, if I was in their place? While driving, be it in the city or country, I often see deer who have been hit. Sometimes it is not obvious that the deer is dead. In these instances, I contact the police and ask them to send a caring officer to the scene right away to determine if the injured deer is still alive and suffering in some manner. In referring to the deer, I purposely use words like he or she… never calling the deer an “it”. And if I catch the police officer calling the deer an “it”, I make a clear, stern correction, saying, “they are NOT an “it”. They are a someone.” You’d be surprised how many police officers I’ve spoken with (in regards to injured deer and other animals) have responded to that simple education about correct language in a positive way.
Lastly, please allow me to share this story with you —
Not long ago, I was driving down a busy road and saw a seemingly lifeless deer lying at the curb lane of the street, her body halfway on the grass. The deer was too big for me to move completely onto the grass and away from the street, and yet I was compelled to pull over in a nearby church parking lot, park the car, and go over to the body. I was horrified to see that the deer was a she… and a mommy! Her swollen teats were visible. Her eyes were open wide, with a hazy cloud growing withing. She had the longest eyelashes I had ever seen. I fell to my knees, utterly heartbroken, and concerned for her little one(s) left without a mama now. A small whisper of a wind seemed to tell me, “Sit with her”. And so I did. For what seemed like forever, I sat right next to her body on the grassy curb, crying and softly stroking her. I do know that people saw me as they drove by in their cars, going to and fro, with other things on their mind. But what I don’t know is what they were thinking when they saw me with the dead mama deer. I can only hope — and believe — that at least ONE person was affected in a profound manner that day.
Keep up the impressive vegan work, Emily and Ooby! You are LOVED and admired.
-v
thank you so much for sharing this Victoria. how sweet of you to sit with her in her last moments.