Pixabay License – Photographer ELG21

I want to address our human indifference to all the animals that are killed every year by automobiles.

For decades, this has been an agonizing issue. I’ve never understood why humanity became so immune to it. When we engineered our modern world, the wild creatures we share this planet with were tragically left out of the plan. This disregard established a horrifying norm, reducing sacred lives to the regrettable term: “road kill.”

As anyone can see from my blog entries, I am passionate about bringing awareness to this issue.

Every time I drive by an animal that has been hit by an automobile, I always say a prayer for that animal, and I look to see if the animal shows any signs of life. I do that by slowing down, and if necessary, when it is safe, pull over to check on the animal. When we created our modern world the wild creatures were left out of the plan. Too often domestic animals like cats and dogs, as well as wild animals are seen as “road kill”. This regrettably became a horrifying norm the world over.

Today I drove by a deer lying on the side of the road on Route 522 in Culpeper, VA. She was probably hit today.  After seeing her mangled body, eyes glazed over, and with crumpled legs, I thought it was time for people to recognize that animals have very important lives! They are not just in our way as we hurry down the road. If people would slow down and honor life as much as they do speeding – far fewer wild animals and people would be killed on our roads.

Please share this message to spread the word that animal’s lives are sacred. But beyond prayer and spreading awareness, there are concrete ways we can—and must—change this horrifying norm.

There are a number of effective things you can do as a driver to reduce the chances of hitting animals while driving.

Be extra vigilant during dawn and dusk. Most collisions with deer and other large mammals happen during twilight hours when these animals are most active and visibility is lowest. A simple, personal commitment to slow down significantly along with scanning of the roadside during these times could save countless lives.

When you see forest habitat – you are more likely to encounter animals. Drivers should be trained to recognize and react to signs of wildlife habitat near the road. For example, when driving through a densely wooded area, near a river, or past open fields, drivers should slow down and be prepared for animals in need of crossing.

If you see one deer, or even a single raccoon or opossum – prepare for more to cross. Don’t assume that because you see one wild animal, there aren’t more coming to cross the road.

Recently we have seen exciting news stories about wildlife over passes that are built over huge highways. Many species of animals have been seen safely using these amazing over passes. The Greenland Wildlife Overpass will be one of the world’s largest wildlife overpasses. This link takes you to an article published by Colorado Public Radio – https://www.cpr.org/2025/07/09/i-25-wildlife-overpass-bridge/. This overpass is located between the towns of Larkspur and Monument in Colorado.

There is another major wildlife crossing being built – this one is in California.  The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Overpass, which is currently under construction, will also be one of the world’s largest wildlife crossings. Here is a link to information about the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing – https://annenberg.org/initiatives/wallis-annenberg-wildlife-crossing/. It is located at Liberty Canyon and the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills.

These monumental projects, like the new crossings in Colorado and California, represent a huge progressive step in the right direction. They prove that we can correct our past oversights and engineer safe passage for our wild neighbors. But infrastructure alone is not enough. The best thing we can do—the thing that requires no legislature, only heart—is to remain vigilant and slow down when we are driving. Our entire perception of who we are on this planet must change to a much broader concept of living with other species. Let’s make it a global priority: Drive with compassion, invest in coexistence, and ensure every animal’s life is treated as sacred.

What ideas do you have for making the world a safer place for animals? Let’s move forward with new humane technologies and driving.

Copyright Oct. 2025 edited version – (originally posted Dec. 2020)

I am sorry that I have not written a post in so long. My journey of writing my first book Mystical Animals of Ancient Oak is really the story of my life. It is a story of finding healing with a mother who recovered from years of alcoholism, and the great awakening into nature that soon blossomed. How thosetwilight walks around South Valley Park brought great joy and inspiration to my soul. Why was that flightless duck I came to name Mr. Drake so important? He symbolized the essence of what people so often tread over in their daily lives. I had not visited South Valley Park in years and recently had an emotional visit there. No matter how old I get those days will always be the most important times of transition. Everyone needs to stop and re-connect with a special place in nature. Take time to unplug from all the fear around the Covid Virus. Find somewhere to honor and protect so that it will be there for future generations.

This evening I have a happy animal story to share. My friend Beth Kaufman (comedienne and book author), was at a shopping center when she saw cars stopped in the parking lot. She got out to see if there was an accident. It turned out that there was a pond in the parking lot and a mother duck was parading her ducklings across the parking lot. Fortunately, no one honked! And the ducks made there way safely! This is a great example of the importance of slowing down and stopping for wildlife. Thanks to the drivers who all care enough to stop.

COPYRIGHT JUNE 2020 – CYNTHIA FAIN

Last week we had another cat abandonment on our property. One of the tenants here saw a small white pick up truck stop and drop off a grey cat and two white kittens at the base of our driveway. The tenant who lives here ran to get the license tag and hopefully report this to the police but the car sped off too fast. I am keeping my eyes out for the cats. They ran towards our neighbor’s house right on Route 522 at the corner of the highway. This is a criminal and sadistic act. People need to STOP acting like cats are exependalbe and can be thrown out on the road. I hope the cat and her kittens don’t get hit on the highway. I am praying I see the cats and can get some food and water to them before they perish. And I would like to thank the cat rescue organization Rapp Cats! They are one of the cat rescue groups that contributes major humane support to Rappahannock County’s lost and abandoned cats. Panda the cat that was abandoned here last fall was on the list for Rapp Cats and he is now in their shelter awaiting an adoption family!

COPYRIGHT MARCH 2019 – CYNTHIA FAIN

I want to address our human indifference to all the animals that are killed every year by automobiles. Every time that I drive by any animal that has been hit and killed by a car or truck – I always say a prayer for that animal. Today I drove by a deer lying on the side of the road on Route 522 in Culpeper, VA. She was probably hit today. I looked at her glazed eyes and crumpled legs and thought that is time for people to recognize that these animals have very important lives! They are not just in our way as we hurry down the road. If people would slow down and honor life as much as they do speeding – far less wildlife and people would be hit and killed on our roads. I really hope that people will learn to see these animals that die on our roads as something much more important than “road kill”. So please share this message to spread the word that animals lives are sacred.

COPYRIGHT JANUARY 2019 – CYNTHIA FAIN

Tonight I am writing about the issue that I have worked on for years – the severe violence and mistreatment of deer. Why are the deer blamed for being over populated? Isn’t it humans that are over running the planet and causing most of the environmental crisis that we face? Why is it ok that people take over the meadows and forests, and then push out wildlif?. And then when deer show up in their yard – they want them killed! I am afraid that we are becoming .a very materialistic – techno enthusiastic species that is tragically losing our ability to truly understand nature. Nature is not something to kill in order to control to human’s satisfaction. Every time I see a wild animal killed on the road I take a moment to remember that that animal’s life held meaning. So the next time someone complains about the deer – stop and ask them about all the things humans do to make deer and other wild animals miserable. Maybe it is time to do something to honor the deer.

COPYRIGHT JANUARY 2019 – CYNTHIA FAIN

Tonight I want to discuss the importance of slowing down for wildlife, and of course people, when driving. It seems we live in a time when people are super aggressive and oblivious when driving. Animals hit and killed on the road are not just a normal casualty of our driving. The carnage we leave on the roads is ignorant and unacceptable. So often people tell me that there is nothing they can do to avoid wildlife. That is definitely NOT true. The first thing you have to do is make a top priority of staying alert, especially at night driving through wooded areas. Make it a priority to drive with the attitude of saving a life. Often I see families of raccoons that have all been hit when traveling together. And far too often I have seen injured deer dragging themselves off the road. We have to change our attitudes and hearts about wildife road fatalities and make a much stronger effort to make the road a safe place for people as well as animals. I don’t know how or why it became an acceptable part of driving that we ignore the needs and rights of other species that need to cross the road. We also could do a lot better by building more under passes that provide safe passage for animals. What suggestions do you have for creating a more humane world?

COPYRIGHT JANAURY 2019 – CYNTHIA FAIN

Opening the Heart

Through
The Sacred Path of Animals & Nature

 “Mystical Animals of Ancient Oak” Workshop

Presented By Cynthia Fain

Author of Mystical Animals of Ancient Oak

http://www.MysticalAnimalsofAncientOak.com

Saturday September 22nd, 2018

2pm -6pm

Sugar Loaf Unitarian Church

Class is held in the Meadow Room

16913 Germantown Road Germantown, MD 20874

Pre Registration is Required

Call – 301-807-7384

Email – CynthiaAFain@aol.com

Sliding Scale Fee – $25.00 – $35.00

Class Description –

• An exploration of the healing powers of animals and nature. How nature helps us emotionally heal.
• Powers of Observation of nature and how they are being lost in the era of technology.
• Building a non- violent and compassionate world for wildlife.
• Nature Walk and capturing nature spirits on camera.
• Animals as unexpected teachers – Wally Magician
• Closing Circle