Bye-bye Birdie

On my very 2nd post, I told you about the little sparrows that live under our back door awning. When winter finally got pretty cold I assumed they flew south, so I stopped looking. Well, a few evenings ago I saw a sparrow struggling with his feet thumping and scratching on the awning and his head partly stuck through a small rusty hole in the corner. I stood on a lawn chair and gently pulled on his back end, hoping to maneuver his head out. It startled me when his tail feathers popped out. I couldn't just leave him there, I knew I needed to get him out even if he died in the process, so I had to continue. As his head came through the little rusty jagged hole both eyes were bloody.
I was anxious, thinking he must be in pain with his eyes gouged, so after I found a container for him, washed his eyes and put some antibiotic ointment on, I called a couple of emergency vets. A veterinary college said they would check him over for free and put him down if need be. In the meantime I had clipped one of his wings (bad decision) because whenever I'd take him out to put more ointment on he'd get away and fly into the walls, and Scooby would try to get him which I'm sure scared him to death.

Through the night he ate some whole grain cereal and took water from a dropper, but still seemed like he couldn't see, still bloody eyes. The next day, the head vet dr said he can see fine and only has some scratches around his temples. Even though I would have been okay with him being put out of his misery, I was happy that his Creator still has use for his little life. But I did feel that when the vet questioned me about my reasoning for clipping his wing she was somewhat scolding me, because she said for that reason the bird will have to live in a bird sanctuary for 6 weeks until it grows out.
So I couldn't take him back to our home, but he'll find a new place to finish his life. That college Vet is kinda far, but I might wonder if the next sparrow I see living under my awning is my little friend.