"Linda" wrote in message
...
This morning my cat attacked a dove, the wing had been destroyed, I
believed the dove was dead. so I put it in a plastic bag.
Later in the morning my daughter went to put it in the bin! Unfortunately
it was alive. She screamed out to me.
I (deep breath) tried to wring it's neck, didn't work, so I hit it's neck
with a spade the sand was too soft. Finally on the paving it was over.
I can't stop crying. I just wish I could have done a quick job.
What's the quickest way to humanely do this?
I don't have a man in my life so I have to face this on my own...
Thankyou for your help
Linda Perth WA

i'm very sorry you are upset about this (i would be too - there is nothing
worse than a killing that just doesn't work - it just makes you feel worse.
also, i think killing comes more easily to men [generally speaking] for
longstanding biological reasons, so you have my sympathy [i ask dh to do the
killing round here, & i do most of the growing & don't consider that's
unfair exactly].)

in the situation above, i would firstly say neck-wringing can go wrong even
if it goes right (the whole head can come off in your hand). cutting its
head off with a spade is a good idea under the circumstances & now you know
you need a hard surface to do it on, so you won't make that mistake again.

with a small animal/bird, you could always drown it in a bucket (holding
wings/legs closely to body). i do not, and have never, felt that drowning is
cruel. it is quick & more peaceful for everyone.

i hope you are feeling better about it today. what you did was NOT wrong, it
just didn't go well this time.
kylie