I must share this sad story that came about on a cold August night as we drove into town.
My son Lachie was driving down a winding country road when we came across a dead wombat in the middle of the road. Being left in the middle of the road is a clear indication that the driver hasn't stopped to check it, check the pouch or bothered to move it to make the road safe for others. So, as usual I ask Lachie to turn the car around an go back.
As we approach I see the wombat move, its not dead . Aidan and Lachie stay in the car and I get out to see its jaw smashed in and its gurgling blood. Poor sweet creature, so we wrap it in a blanket but I can't lift it without hurting it.
I believe we as humans and the so called most advanced animal species are duty bound to protect not only each other but other creatures less evolved and able as ourselves and I hold others accountable for this also , so I call the emergency vet (really meant to call wires but who is gonna come out to the middle of nowhere?). With a very heavy heart I tell the vet he must come and euthanise the wombat to ease its suffering
In the meantime a car passes and a farmer gets out and tells us we will get cleaned up if we stay on the road as we are on a bend. He says lets move the wombat and before I can insist we do a double lift to protect its spine (too much first aid training me thinks), the wombat is roughly placed at the side and the farmer leaves.
The vet eventually arrives and says the wombat is too injured to survive and he rolls it over to check her pouch and to my surprise is a pink fuzzy baby inside ( I hadn't checked as too caught up in helping mum) . Together the vet and I carefully stretch her pouch and wrap bub in a towel as mumma wombat convulses into a deep sleep. I turned to see Aidan the aspiring vet, had disappeared and sat in the car with silent tears in his eyes so I showed him the bubby wombat.
I know its a fact life but I am still pissed about the arsehole that hit and run and left a mother and baby to potentially die in pain and that my baby had to help me be responsible for fixing it.
(NB: pic is of another baby we saved)
