You obviously are a sensitive soul. Welcome back.
For whatever reason I am one of those people that finds strays and injured animals fairly regularly. It can be heart breaking. I have found a bird refuge that takes injured ducks and other birds, a possum refuge and no kill shelters for dogs and cats in my area. Maybe the next time you find an animal in need, look for shelters or talk to your local vet. They may be able to take the burden off of you so you don't have to suffer that kind of loss. And they are simply better equipped to handle them.