About 30 years ago when I had my "sooped" up Mk1 escort I was returning from Yorkshire over the Pennines (Blackstone edge) late one evening. The road was de-restricted at the time with a long straight past a dam, quick(open) "s" bend and a long up hill straight, about a mile and half in all. Having traveled this road many times, if clear, I always would hit the main beam, switch on the "Cibie's", drop to 2nd at the de-restricted sign and give it the boot, up past the dam in 3rd through the "s" into 4th and up to the top of the hill. Such fun

.
On this particular evening as I got to the dam a rabbit ran out from the near side and "bump" under the car. I hit the brakes, stop and reverse up.
There in the dim light from my car I see this rabbit "thrutching and twitching" in the gutter

. What should I do, drive off or put it out of it's misery. Decide the latter and go to look in the boot for an implement. Find the only possible solution is the tire lever, grab it, and turn to do the dirty deed. Then I notice there is a police car pulled up on the opposite side of the road, "
alright lad" says the driver. (good job i'd had to stop

)
"
OK" I say, "
i've hit this rabbit and I am going to put it out of it's misery". So he gets out and comes over, takes one look at the animal and say's "
sorry lad but cant let you do that. This is a Hare and out of season so if you do that I will have to arrest you. You will have to safely transport this to a vet and have it treated."
"
What, you have got to be kidding. It's eleven at night." i say.
Just then the passenger get's out and and opens the boot. "
I've got the solution here somewhere" he says and starts "rummaging" around all the cones & lights and other stuff in there. "
Found it" he shout's and walks over with a spray can. He then leans down to the animal, gives a long spray on the back of it's neck and stands back, his mate stands back and therefore I do.
After a couple of seconds the animal stops twitching, stands up, looks at me, looks at the coppers then bolts off back into the bushes.
Absolutely amazing to watch