Irwin The Paralysed Kangaroo

[SkySoaringMagpie]

This deserves a whole row of

http://www.news.com.au/world/ill-die-if-i-...i-1226041925039

WITH a wardrobe full of designer suits, a cupboard packed with treats and a car booster seat, Irwin the kangaroo is not your average household pet.

To American owner Christie Carr of Broken Arrow Oklahoma, he's more like a child, worthy of 24/7 care and snacks of cheese puffs and popcorn, reported The Daily Telegraph.

The 15-month-old red kangaroo was paralysed after suffering a broken neck and brain damage in a wildlife sanctuary accident a year ago.

Since then Ms Carr has been devoted to Irwin - named after wildlife crusader Steve Irwin - taking him everywhere she goes. He even rides in the back of the car, watching life whiz by from a children's booster seat modified to fit his tail.

The 39-year-old said yesterday her beloved boy would die if taken from her care and has vowed to uproot her life and move away, just to keep Irwin in her possession.

Among their outings, the pair regularly visit people in nursing homes. "He really enjoys going on his visits. That is his calling," Mrs Carr said.

"He snuggles them, he kisses them and he gets very excited."

Ms Carr said Irwin had helped her recover from a serious bout of depression. "He's my therapy," she said.

However, wildlife experts said dressing a paralysed animal and treating it like a human was "totally inappropriate".

Australian Reptile Park macropod expert Tim Faulkner said Irwin's quality of life needed to be the No. 1 priority.

Broken Arrow City Council is due to debate the issue today.

[WreckitWhippet]

How sad for that poor Roo.

A bullet would have been appropriate, when the accident happened.

What a shame that the poor thing will never recover and is not capable of administering the swift kick to the head, that the nutter deserves

Edited April 20, 2011 by ReadySetGo

[Leelaa17]

This is really sad. That poor roo. I dont think ANY animal - let alone a red kangaroo should be dressed up and fed popcorn and cheesey puffs!! I wouldnt have wanted him put down but i certainly wouldnt want him treated like that either.

[WreckitWhippet]

This is really sad. That poor roo. I dont think ANY animal - let alone a red kangaroo should be dressed up and fed popcorn and cheesey puffs!! I wouldnt have wanted him put down but i certainly wouldnt want him treated like that either.

Dear god, the poor bloody thing can't stand up and you'd want to keep it alive.

[Little Gifts]

What do they call those people who feed up their partners till they are so obese they are totally reliant on them for everything? I think Ms Carr is going to turn Irwin into the fattest, unhealthiest and immobile child she can because it suits her needs to care for something helpless. Maybe she needs a lesson in what kangaroos eat in the wild because I'm pretty sure chees puffs aren't on the list. I don't understand how any animal can be happy with being permanently paralysed.

Go and buy yourself a stuffed toy you stupid human.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

I think Ms Carr is going to turn Irwin into the fattest, unhealthiest and immobile child she can because it suits her needs to care for something helpless.

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that misguided "caring" by people who are emotionally not all that competent is a much more significant animal welfare issue than I previously recognised. That's partly why I posted it. It reminded me of the posts we've had recently about the partially paralysed dog and the chis with no front legs.

[poodlefan]

Bizarre, just bizarre.

[WreckitWhippet]

I think Ms Carr is going to turn Irwin into the fattest, unhealthiest and immobile child she can because it suits her needs to care for something helpless.

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that misguided "caring" by people who are emotionally not all that competent is a much more significant animal welfare issue than I previously recognised. That's partly why I posted it. It reminded me of the posts we've had recently about the partially paralysed dog and the chis with no front legs.

I shudder at the thought of all of the animals out there that we don't know about.

[poodlefan]

I think Ms Carr is going to turn Irwin into the fattest, unhealthiest and immobile child she can because it suits her needs to care for something helpless.

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that misguided "caring" by people who are emotionally not all that competent is a much more significant animal welfare issue than I previously recognised. That's partly why I posted it. It reminded me of the posts we've had recently about the partially paralysed dog and the chis with no front legs.

I shudder at the thought of all of the animals out there that we don't know about.

There are certain kinds of mental health condition that feed on the need to be perceived as a "saviour" of someone or something. Unfortunately, those being saved don't always get a good deal in the bargain. Criticise or question that perception of being a saviour iin someone suffering from such a condition and all hell tends to break loose.

Ms Carr sounds like she needs help IMO.

Edited April 20, 2011 by poodlefan

[Bartok]

I have no issue with the Roo being saved at all

I have more of an issue with it being a Red Kangaroo

If so then he is going to be bloody huge and they can

be aggressive.

Not saying this little guy will be, but maybe he needs to be moved

to some kind of animal Sanctuary where he will be with other Kangaroo's

or humans who know how to look after him medically and dietry

[Leelaa17]

This is really sad. That poor roo. I dont think ANY animal - let alone a red kangaroo should be dressed up and fed popcorn and cheesey puffs!! I wouldnt have wanted him put down but i certainly wouldnt want him treated like that either.

Dear god, the poor bloody thing can't stand up and you'd want to keep it alive.

I am against euthanizing any animal for any reason unless it is dying or in severe pain. This animal could live a perfectly happy life if it was in the right care IMO. Would you kill a person because they couldn't feel anything from the neck down? No - so why do it to an animal.

I see where you are coming from and I think the humane thing to do was to put it down but I just couldn't bring myself to agree with that if it was capable of living a happy life.

If it WASNT capable of living a happy life according to PROFESSIONAL opinion then yes, I would say PTS. But if it can live a happy life then I would say let it live.

This is my opinion so dont judge me on what I would prefer to see happen.

I don't think that lady should be doing what she is doing - I would say someone who is willing to care for this animal full time and give it a relatively normal life should take care of it not her.

Edited April 20, 2011 by Leelaa17

[Leelaa17]

I have no issue with the Roo being saved at all

I have more of an issue with it being a Red Kangaroo

If so then he is going to be bloody huge and they can

be aggressive.

Not saying this little guy will be, but maybe he needs to be moved

to some kind of animal Sanctuary where he will be with other Kangaroo's

or humans who know how to look after him medically and dietry

Thank you - that's EXACTLY what I was trying to say!!

[megan_]

I have no issue with the Roo being saved at all

I have more of an issue with it being a Red Kangaroo

If so then he is going to be bloody huge and they can

be aggressive.

Not saying this little guy will be, but maybe he needs to be moved

to some kind of animal Sanctuary where he will be with other Kangaroo's

or humans who know how to look after him medically and dietry

He is totally paralysed.

ETA: If my dog was paralysed from the neck down and could never walk, run, do zoomies, and couldn't even go to the toilet I'd send him over the rainbow bridge - nicest thing to do IMO. I'd afford the kangaroo the same care.

Edited April 20, 2011 by megan_

[Bartok]

She has depresssion and if anyone has suffered with depression it isnt nice.

This little guy probably gave her something to live for

Regardless if right or wrong, I dont think she has meant anyone any harm and

she probably loves him

I know if I saw something injured or hurt my first thought would be to save it

I think that is a natural thought process.

You can't change what is. Steve Irwin the Roo is alive, so now it should be

how to best care for him. Especially if he isnt in pain

[poodlefan]

This is really sad. That poor roo. I dont think ANY animal - let alone a red kangaroo should be dressed up and fed popcorn and cheesey puffs!! I wouldnt have wanted him put down but i certainly wouldnt want him treated like that either.

Dear god, the poor bloody thing can't stand up and you'd want to keep it alive.

I am against euthanizing any animal for any reason unless it is dying or in severe pain. This animal could live a perfectly happy life if it was in the right care IMO. Would you kill a person because they couldn't feel anything from the neck down? No - so why do it to an animal.

Because as as a prey animal it knows its helpless. Anyone who's had horses knows that they don't deal at all well with serious injury. Unlike carnivores who know they need to move or die, prey animals know how vulnerable they are.

As an animal it cant' reason that being totally paralysed is better than being dead.

And because its totally at the mercy of someone who's clearly not dealing with a full deck.

[Leelaa17]

She has depresssion and if anyone has suffered with depression it isnt nice.

This little guy probably gave her something to live for

Regardless if right or wrong, I dont think she has meant anyone any harm and

she probably loves him

I know if I saw something injured or hurt my first thought would be to save it

I think that is a natural thought process.

You can't change what is. Steve Irwin the Roo is alive, so now it should be

how to best care for him. Especially if he isnt in pain

No depression isn't nice - but I am the first person to say that you CANNOT use an animal to get you out of it - you rely too much on that animal and what if something were to happen to it? It would send you over the edge.

Yes, I am sure she does love the kangaroo but she isn\'t thinking about what is best for him. This is the problem.

I agree that the kangaroo should've been saved and should have a good life with lots of care - but I don't think that is with her.

[Leelaa17]

This is really sad. That poor roo. I dont think ANY animal - let alone a red kangaroo should be dressed up and fed popcorn and cheesey puffs!! I wouldnt have wanted him put down but i certainly wouldnt want him treated like that either.

Dear god, the poor bloody thing can't stand up and you'd want to keep it alive.

I am against euthanizing any animal for any reason unless it is dying or in severe pain. This animal could live a perfectly happy life if it was in the right care IMO. Would you kill a person because they couldn't feel anything from the neck down? No - so why do it to an animal.

Because as as a prey animal it knows its helpless. Anyone who's had horses knows that they don't deal at all well with serious injury. Unlike carnivores who know they need to move or die, prey animals know how vulnerable they are.

As an animal it cant' reason that being totally paralysed is better than being dead.

And because its totally at the mercy of someone who's clearly not dealing with a full deck.

I understand that. IMO I think it was right to be saved

but I think everyone on here thinks that this woman isn't the right person to have Irwin (let alone any other animal) in her care. We might not all agree that Irwin should be alive - but now that he is - lets hope he gets the PROPER care he needs to live a happy life.

[Diva]

It really bothers me when people think animals deal the same way with permanent severe disability or pain the same way people do, or even that all non-human species have the same thresholds and view of the world. They don't.

The quality of life of the particular animal is all that matters. How a human in the same situation might cope is completely irrelevant.

Saying you'd euth an animal in a given situation is not the same as saying you'd do the same to a person - it's just simply not.

Poor roo. Poor bizarre woman.

[Lhok]

I don't understand the whole save a life at any cost mentality. More to the point I really don't understand why it is justified as more humane when questioned.

Not having a go at anyone, it's just something I have seen at vet clinics I have worked at as well as reading articles like this one.

It has always been my understanding that there are worse things for animals and humans alike then dying.

--Lhok

edited to add, what happens when the animal grows to full maturity? can't red kangaroos grow taller then most 6ft men and weigh around 100kgs?

Edited April 20, 2011 by Lhok

[Staranais]

I very much doubt this is a happy kangaroo. And if it's not, then it's not kind to keep it alive.

Either way, I think the woman needs help.