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I feel just awful. I know I killed the one goat and injured at least one other. The injured one ran away and I couldn't get anywhere near it to help as it went up into the hills. The one I hit died pretty much instantly.
In more than 30 years of driving, I've never hit any living thing ... and its a very upsetting event. I can't stop shaking! I feel so badly and just don't know what I am supposed to do at this point.
I know I should call the police and report it, but to be perfectly honest, I am afraid. Killing someone's goat here is tantamount to killing their child. Well maybe its not quite that bad ... but its pretty bad!
I hate to think of myself as a coward ... but there you go ... apparently I am. I am too afraid to do what I know is the right thing and that's it in a nutshell!
I know that many of you who live in the "real" world will be laughing hysterically by now ... but this is a very real problem with very real repercussions if I am found out.
OK ... calling the police now. I can't stand the guilt!
Glad you're calling to report it though Liane. One thing I can tell you about these situations is however stiff the legal penalties might be... they are inevitably a lot easier to bear than the local justice that can be metted out if people don't feel the law has done their bit.
and of course, even the legal side is a lot less worse if you come forward rather than having to be tracked down.
Will be keeping my fingers crossed for you.
I have no idea what is ahead, but at least I don't feel quite as badly now.
dvduval ... I am also a vegetarian and have been for the better part of 40 years. Having said that ... being a vegetarian does not protect anyone from running over an animal in the street and I do not wish to be challenged in any way ... let alone being invited to a slaughter house!
Thanks anyway for the sentiment. :(
Will be keeping my fingers crossed for you.
[edited by: Liane at 5:49 am (utc) on Sep. 22, 2003]
I'm an animal lover myself and can understand how you feel.
[edited by: martinibuster at 6:24 am (utc) on Sep. 22, 2003]
I am now in a full blown state of shock/panic and appreciate your support.
I can't tell you how awful it feels to know you have just killed another living being. I can't stop crying and my entire body is now shaking uncontrollably.
I've been having a few physical problems lately which precluded the use of alcoholic beverages ... but I think I will make an exception just now.
Its just short of 2:00 in the morning here and I am expecting a knock at the door soon. The worst part is knowing that I killed something and the next worst thing is not knowing what the consequences will be.
Sincerely, Jim
Call your embassy or consulate. If they can't do anything, just tell them you'd like your call to be on the record in case the justice system there is arbitrary.
Best,
Jim
dont feel too bad.it was only a mistake.
stop eating meat for a year.... I don't eat meat!
To free an animal in the BVI is to allow it to run all over the island and the roads which is where I killed the goat.
We have no zoos and the Humane Society is no day at the beach for the animals sent there.
Not everywhere in the world is as "civilized" as some of you may expect. The BVI is hanging in there and getting better all the time ... but it is still hanging somewhere around 1900 or 1910 by most standards. This is the Caribbean guys ... not downtown New York City!
Goats, cows, horses, pigs, chickens, donkeys and what have you roam the roads here freely and every day! Most are owned by farmers without a lot of land and it is an accepted practice to allow farm animals to "graze" on "public" land.
Drivers are the ones at risk and will be for some time to come! I see no real solution to this particular problem.
[edited by: Liane at 6:39 am (utc) on Sep. 22, 2003]
relax!
[edited by: lawman at 6:47 am (utc) on Sep. 22, 2003]
[edit reason] spelling [/edit]
Anyone with another agenda, please post it in the appropriate forum.
lawman
The police say I have to pay $250.00 for the goat I killed and unless the injured goat can be found ... another $250.00.
If the injured goat is found, I will be held responsible for 100% of its veterinary bill. Lord only knows how much that might be.
I now understand why people don't report these things. Live and learn.
After speaking to the police, I admit to getting a little angry. I now feel as though the farmer owes me for repairs to my car! There is probably $500.00 to $600.00 damage to the front end!
Aside from the emotional trauma of killing another living creature... this has been an expensive lesson in "is it worth telling the truth?"
The front end of my car is screwed up and I have no idea what the cost will be to fix it.
I will have to pay at least $250.00 and possibly $500.00 or more for the injured goat.
Yeah ... honesty is the best policy!
Happy birthday to me ... happy birthday to me ... happy birthday dear Liane (you jerk ... shut your humungous bloody mouth) ... happy birthday to me! :)
BTW, do goats really cost $250 apiece?
[edited by: lawman at 7:05 am (utc) on Sep. 22, 2003]
Even if it ends up correct that Liane ends up liable.. a lawyer might be able to limit the damage on the injured animal to not more than replacement cost.
Yep ... that's what they told me.
Of course you should be able to research to local laws yourself.
Another thought, how do they determine that the goat could reproduce. Is that considered prima facia because of its age, or because it's reproduced in the past, or is a postmortem conducted to prove it?
It's past my bedtime. I'm off.
lawman
[edited by: lawman at 7:19 am (utc) on Sep. 22, 2003]
I only momentarily saw this animal standing right in front of my car, I felt the impact and then it was over. It was that fast!
Yet ... I see it as if it were a snapshot! Its so damned clear. The goat just looked at me. There was no fear ... it had no idea what was about to happen to it.
If I were an artist, I could draw it standing in the road, chewing on something (grass presumably) and completely oblivious to the inherent danger of standing in the middle of the bloody road!
WELL DAMN. I am going to pour myself a stiff drink and go to bed. I have never, ever felt like the biggest creep in the whole wide world ... but now I do. I killed an innocent goat while it was having a midnight snack. It never stood a chance.
Damn!
[edited by: lawman at 7:20 am (utc) on Sep. 22, 2003]
[edit reason] Spelling [/edit]
There was a possum living in the apartment building here for a while a few years ago and I'd put food out for him on my patio every night. He LOVED pastafazool. It took a while to get over it when he disappeared, I just knew he'd run out on the main street here with the heavy fast traffic.
Anyone who's a pet lover has a feeling for creatures of any kind.
I'm not being facetious in the least, but in some places where there are leash laws, damage to a car by a dog left running loose on the road are the responsibility of the dog's owner.
I know it's awful, but my first thought is always to call and talk to a lawyer. I love lawyers. No joke.
Is that considered prima facia
Yes. For all reasons stated above and it doesn't need to be proven by the owner. It is simply assumed. After all, ... its the BVI and a stud is a stud! :)
I'm going to bed too!
Too bad that's what it always comes down to, especially hard for the people in this world with feelings. Reality is a bitter pill to swallow sometimes.
:)
Extending large amounts of compassion and empathy towards living things taxes ones emotional strengths and leaves you drained. Give yourself a bit of a break, treat yourself in some special way and focus on your vehicle after the new day arrives.
On the brigher side....
When I lived in the North East United States, they had little gizmoes you could attach to your bumber to scare off Whitetail Deer at night while you were driving down dark country roads.When driving down the road the wind whistled thru a little opening which was supposed to have some 'alertive ultra-sonic only Deer can hear it affect' and cause 'dem der critters to take flight, thus avoiding those collisions for which that region of the U.S. is so famous.
Perhaps you should set about inventing such a thing specifically for, uh, goats? Whaddaya think?
Just a small 'incentive fee' for me is all, Thanks. :D
Pendanticist.
He called me a few unflattering names which had to do with both gender and colour of my skin. He then presented me with a hand written bill for $900.00 US. Seems the price has gone up!
I am so tired! It is nearly 3:40 "something" am and this guy and his friend are still standing in my driveway talking animatidly and loudly. I have called the police again and have asked that they remove them from my property.
This just sucks!
I am so sorry for killing the goat.
Have a Paypal account? I don't have much right now (grrr, fickle search engines), but if I can donate a little to help buy new goats, I will.
I once hit a cat that ran across a six lane road. I can still remember the thump under the car. It was awful, but the cat was black and ran away, so there was nothing I could do. I was happy that at least I didn't kill it, but those sounds from at least fifteen years ago are still fresh in my mind.
One of my dogs was suddenly limping tonight and we were going to have to take her to the vet for x-rays tomorrow. It was so sad, she was holding her little paw in the air. :( Anyway, on her last trip out for the night, she heard the dreaded motorcycle noises she hates so much and ran after it. Her leg seemed to get miraculously better, so I'm thinking that maybe she had a charley-horse (sp?). Whew. Anyway, sticky me with a Paypal account if you have one. It sucks to have to go into debt for an accident that wasn't your fault and probably hurt you almost as much as the farmer.
BVI Daily EnquirerLemming Goats Baffle Scientists
An influx of intelligentsia has lent an unlikely boost to BVI’s accommodation industry of late. Scientists are flocking from around the world to assist colleagues baffled by behaviour of the island’s goats.
Over recent months, herds of goats have exhibited lemming like behaviour, with hundreds of animals suddenly fleeing in unison. It is not clear what they are running from, but their determination to escape is not dampened even when they run out of island – the goats take to the sea and keep swimming in a straight line away from the land. Only hunger and excessive pelt-prune can tempt the animals back to land – until the next time.
Curiously, the goats seem to leave the island in a ‘mexican wave’ formation, frequently vacating the island from east to west around 8 am, and again from west to east around 5 pm Monday to Friday.
Scientists say the goats welfare does not seem to be compromised by their bizarre behaviour, but instead are visiting at the behest of the BVI Trade Commission who are considering whether the goats could be fitted with harnesses and self-deploying fishing nets, thereby expanding island commerce with a twice-a-day catch.
errr... pedanticist... better make sure them goat scarers are real short-range.
Yes, get them off the property and get some sleep. The bill is just ridiculous, and a pretty clear indication that they're just looking for an opportunity.
Don't let them phase you. Do your homework tomorrow.. find out what goats are really worth, and how this can be mediated. You can handle this.
This is a separate issue, Liane. Get an estimate and send him a bill for the car repair for negligently allowing his goats to run around loose on the road, allowing them to be at risk.
That's animal endangerment on his part from a humane POV.
