Would You Have Helped This Skunk?

[Perknose]

Not strictly advisable, was it? And yet, I just couldn't have driven on, doing nothing. I wouldn't have been thrilled to be risking a skunking, but I couldn't have turned my back, either. I just couldn't have.

Coming to the aid of people or animals in peril or distress . . . it isn't a matter of wanting to be a hero, it's a matter of living with myself if I didn't.

It comes down to this: I refuse to live in fear, and I refuse to turn my back on those in peril, even a skunk.

You?

"A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once."

-- William Shakespeare

 

[lxskllr]

Yea, I'd help it. The really sharp parts were covered up, so the worst thing that would happen is you stink for awhile, and have a fun story to tell people.

 

[DaTT]

I would have helped, I highly doubt he would have sprayed.

 

[skyking]

I'd have to as well. I also put animals out of their misery if confronted with that. It is just part of my nature.

 

[jagec]

Reminds me of this.

 

[KeithTalent]

it's a matter of living with myself if I didn't

Totally this. I definitely would have helped; poor little guy.

KT

 

[DaTT]

A related video.

A little gross

 

[blackdogdeek]

I'd like to think I would help him. I don't know if I could drive away and leave him like that.

 

[Linflas]

Yes. Going to work one morning there was a Canada Goose just sitting in the middle of the left lane so I stopped my truck and turned on the flashers. It had obviously been hit by a car but was still alive and just sitting there so I called my wife who had worked as a volunteer on a wildlife hotline for a few years and she got in touch with a rehabber. Meanwhile a cop came up and I explained what was going on and he waited for my wife to arrive to take it to meet the rehabber at a vet. Sadly it died on the way but at least we tried.

 

[clamum]

I'll be honest: hell no.

 

[SandEagle]

i'm afraid of skunks.
also, see sig.

 

[SMOGZINN]

I don't know. Skunks are carriers of rabies. So, when I see a skunk doing something strange I tend to avoid it. I could not tell if there was something in the video that the skunk was after, or if it was just walking in circles in the road.

If there was something obvious it was after, then yea, I might help it. If it was just walking in circles I would call animal control to handle it properly.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Nope, sorry.

Skunks, armadillos and 'possums are pests that are meant to be picked off with a .22 at at a distance (as far away as you can with with a skunk) before they get into the henhouse or feed.

 

[blackdogdeek]

I don't know. Skunks are carriers of rabies. So, when I see a skunk doing something strange I tend to avoid it. I could not tell if there was something in the video that the skunk was after, or if it was just walking in circles in the road.

If there was something obvious it was after, then yea, I might help it. If it was just walking in circles I would call animal control to handle it properly.

It had a cup on its head so it couldn't see where it was going.

 

[Schmide]

Question. Do i have to act like a sissy when I help?

 

[KidNiki1]

i probably would have tried to help it.

 

[Perknose]

Question. Do i have to act like a sissy when I help?

Heh, yeah, that guy wasn't the perfect poster boy for manly assistance. But it does show dweebs everywhere that even they can help!

 

[DrPizza]

I've gotta say, my first response was going to be, "I'd shoot the skunk" - that was before I saw the video. And, I answered almost the exact same question 10 years ago on this forum; my answer is the same today. Near my farm, I'd shoot it. I don't need skunks killing my chickens. But, if I were driving in the city and saw that, of course I'd rescue it:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=7845694&postcount=17

Funniest thing I ever saw... I was out hunting and right at dusk, a woodchuck came at me, with his head stuck in a can. I couldn't figure out what it was as it weaved its way toward me. Badger, I thought? There aren't badgers around here?? Then I figured out what it was... tried to knock the can off its head. Stupid thing ran into a tree. (clunk). Shotgun in hand, I managed to set the poor little guy free.
But, if I run into him on a farm where I'm allowed to hunt.... different ending for him.

It's not somehow without fate that I posted that 10 years ago, just a year or so before I moved out into the country and bought a farm. Just shot a fox a couple weeks ago - stop it from suffering. Not sure what was wrong with it that made it think that it could go in the pasture with the dogs.

edit: I would have just walked up to it & pulled the cup off; blanket not required. City skunks really aren't that prone to spraying unless they feel threatened. It would take it a few moments to even figure out what was going on once it could see again.

 

[LTC8K6]

I don't know. Skunks are carriers of rabies. So, when I see a skunk doing something strange I tend to avoid it. I could not tell if there was something in the video that the skunk was after, or if it was just walking in circles in the road.

If there was something obvious it was after, then yea, I might help it. If it was just walking in circles I would call animal control to handle it properly.

You couldn't see that it got it's head stuck in a cup?

 

[SMOGZINN]

You couldn't see that it got it's head stuck in a cup?

No, I had it opened in a window at work.

 

[tHa ShIzNiT]

You couldn't see that it got it's head stuck in a cup?

I couldn't tell either. It was small and the video was filmed vertically. I was like "wtf is wrong with this skunk"

edit: oh, and I'd save it. I have a soft spot for animals. Probably will be to my detriment some day.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would, but one thing I would also do is make sure it's being recorded properly.

I think if you hold a skunk's tail down it is physically impossible for it to spray. I guess it's kind of like how you can't pee if you have a woody.

I would have tried to get it off the street faster though, at one point it nearly got run over. People just don't care and keep driving fast even if they see an animal on the road and someone tried to help it.

 

[werepossum]

I would, but one thing I would also do is make sure it's being recorded properly.

I think if you hold a skunk's tail down it is physically impossible for it to spray. I guess it's kind of like how you can't pee if you have a woody.

I would have tried to get it off the street faster though, at one point it nearly got run over. People just don't care and keep driving fast even if they see an animal on the road and someone tried to help it.

Also physically impossible to let go of a skunk while holding down it's tail.

I very seriously doubt it, but I suppose I've done dumber things. I once stopped to help a fox which had apparently been struck by a car and was on its side running, which made it turn in circles. Stopped my bike in the road to make people go around. Luckily while I was trying to figure out how one picks up a spinning fox without getting bitten it came to its senses, stood up, shook itself and trotted off without a backward glance. On the other hand, I've been sprayed and it's not an experience I've ever want to repeat, so maybe not.

 

[fralexandr]

I helped a skunk once. There are a few that run through my backyard.
It was dark out, and there was a weird clunking noise. I was likely to be eaten by a grue. Grabbing a flashlight, I went to investigate. A skunk managed to get a plastic mouse trap stuck on its foot. It was trying to get through the bottom of the gate to the backyard. I removed the mouse trap and the skunk sauntered off.

 

[Stifko]

I helped a skunk once too and would have helped this one.
I got skunks in the backyard and used to have a Shar Pei named Midnight. One night the dog caught the skunk in his mouth. He wasn't biting down on the skunk but he wasn't letting go either. I had to go out here and get the skunk out of the dog's mouth. In the end the skunk was fine but the dog and I got sprayed all over. He did not want to let the skunk go.