The critter appeared confused as she stepped into oncoming traffic. Too far away to warn, I held my breath as the little furry cuteness began her trip across the busy residential street. A few drivers braked, but not all. For sure not everyone could see her. In my mind I braced for the scream and blood and crunch of cars and more screams ... and did I mention blood?
She made it. How on earth, I don't know.
This scenario happens almost every day with squirrels. I wonder what the stats are on squirrel pedestrian deaths. I mean it seems this time of year the slaughter multiplies in numbers. No kidding it's not unusual to walk our lovely neighborhood with the dogs and have to navigate squirrel carcass.
When my Jenny, now 33, was about 9 years old, she actually marched outside our home with a sign that read "Slow down you're killing the squirrels." Adorable, right? And she swears it worked.
Jenny is still that adorable, but it would be difficult to tell her the "success" likely is owed more to a couple of neighbors (that we know about and likely many more) who regularly shoot to kill. For them squirrel season starts when one of the buggers steps foot in their backyard.
Over the years we often think about our sweet Jenny's campaign to save the squirrel - and all animals really. She once drew a picture for a school assignment of her pet graveyard at the house: snakes, lizards, mice, fish, and I don't remember them all. There were a lot. I thought, as a mom, there must be no other child so kind hearted. Until now.
I just found out through my neighborhood social media site that there exists multiple places in my city called squirrel sanctuaries. Squirrel Sanctuaries!!! Imagine, if you can, how soft of heart a person/persons must have to nurture such places. They provide instructions on how to humanely catch them and where to take them. Squirrels!
Going forward I now have a new measure for kindness. The litmus test will be whether one is pro-squirrel life or anti-squirrel life. Indeed I will respect all views. I just will give more points to those who, like my Jenny, believe squirrel lives matter.
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