[IowaFarmGal]

Why do I feel so guilty for killing these destructive, disease spreading vermin? My parents had me bash their little heads in with a bat when I was a little girl. They said the mice were suffering because they were poisoned and I had to help them. It was like a sporting event for the rest of the family.

Thank you splitimage for adding the trigger icon. I should have thought. I really love animals. They are better to me than people. Maybe I should just leave, I'm not doing anything good here.

[IowaFarmGal]

Some of them are just tiny babies. They were just trying to get something to eat. Not even sure they got a taste before they died. Better than those glue traps where they chew off their feet trying to get away and die miserably. Better than poison because it's quick.

[Vibe]

Yeah, I'd rather break their necks than overload them with warfarin. Not pleasant. I don't blame you for feeling bad about it.

[pachyderm]

Originally Posted by IowaFarmGal

Why do I feel so guilty for killing these destructive, disease spreading vermin? My parents had me bash their little heads in with a bat when I was a little girl.

It was not really under your control as a child, was it? Now you are more grown and can choose more what you do. You can feel sad for these little creatures, and for yourself, but do not blame yourself.

[Perna]

Originally Posted by IowaFarmGal

My parents had me bash their little heads in with a bat when I was a little girl.

That's why. An ugly thing for a parent to require of a child!

It is confusing as not all mice are disease ridden, they sell them in pet stores and labs use them, etc. It speaks well of you that you have not hardened your heart toward living animals just because, growing up on a farm, it may be necessary to kill them.

We had a mouse in our wall a couple months ago (I have two cats) and it came out and startled me and I got my husband working with the broom to get it outside but, by the time he was able to, he'd bashed it pretty badly so it probably did not live and I think there were babies in the wall (the cats started listening again intently in a couple days).

[lizardlady]

Originally Posted by IowaFarmGal

Why do I feel so guilty for killing these destructive, disease spreading vermin? My parents had me bash their little heads in with a bat when I was a little girl. They said the mice were suffering because they were poisoned and I had to help them. It was like a sporting event for the rest of the family.

Thank you splitimage for adding the trigger icon. I should have thought. I really love animals. They are better to me than people. Maybe I should just leave, I'm not doing anything good here.

IowaFarmGal, I live on a farm so understand the need to keep the vermin under control. We get rats in the barn as big as possums! I love animals, but am not willing to put up with giant rats!

"sporting event for the rest of the family" - Country life is different than life in the city or suburbs, but this is just plain gross. It's one thing to take care of vermin. Making sport of it is disturbing. Hon, you were a child. You were not in control. You did what the adults told you that you had to do.

As for you leaving because you are not doing any good here. That's just not true. Your posts are helpful and supportive to other members. You make a positive contribution at PC!