Adoption: A GIFT Not a Right

 Have you ever rescued a horse? I mean really rescued a horse? You know, where YOU find it starving or injured or both, YOU talk to the abuser and convince them to surrender it, or God forbid, you have to buy it, then YOU haul it home, YOU pay all the vet and farrier bills, then YOU feed it and handle it and pay to get it trained?

I did. Once*. That was Annie. I don't even want to try to calculate the amount of time and money it all cost to rehab her. It was totally worth it, but I just might have to go throw up a little bit if I actually looked at the numbers.


ANyway, because of that experience I have a deep respect for horse rescues that really rescue horses not once, but dozens or hundreds of times a year. The time, money and physical effort spent could make these rescuers rich(ish) if they used their resource differently. Instead, they pour their hearts into helping horses. And yeah, sometimes horse rescues get help from wonderful volunteers... but it's the rescue operators that are at the barn every single morning and evening, 365 days a year, and it's their bank accounts on the line for the vet bills.

So when people act like they are doing a horse rescue a "huge favor" by considering adopting, and they go on and on about being a "rescuer," and a "savior," or worse, when people demand that they be allowed to adopt, like it's their God-given right to have any animal they want, I get PISSED.

And I JUST GOT PISSED.

Some bitch is harassing Saint Francis Horse Rescue here in Wisconsin because her adoption application was not approved. Saint Francis put a mare "on hold" for her, pending a visit and approval, and apparently this lady took that to mean she was going to be served that mare on a golden platter. So why wasn't her application approved?

1) She didn't answer all the questions on the application. And it's quite a reasonable one-- a couple pages, no financial info necessary, a few references asked for.
2) Some of her answers and comments were pretty sketchy.
3) She LIED about having a place to board. The barn she listed had never heard from her, much less received the deposit she claimed to have made there.

This lady's response to being denied? One hundred and fifteen text messages, each one delusional and threatening. Here are a couple of highlights:

"I am an approved adopter. I am the one to save her [the horse]. You won't take her from me. We had an appointment and we are coming. She is mine." Saint Francis saved this horse, bitch, not you. Getting a cheap horse after all the rehab work has been done is NOT RESCUING. And the only thing you've been approved for is a whuppin' if you do actually show up.

"You are rude and are being reported."  
To whom? The internet police?!

"You promised me this and I work for a vet and I am the best person for this poor horse. I am going to save her."  Isn't it funny how the worst people are always the ones who assume they've been "promised" or are "owed" things? And if this woman works for an actual vet, I will eat my helmet. Then I will find that vet, pull a jagged shard of helmet out of my ass, and stab that vet in the fucking heart with it, because clearly this woman should not be allowed to work with animals.

So right now, Saint Francis is expecting a visit from an insane woman with a horse trailer and a grudge. This lady is not just on the crazy train, she's the conductor, and for the sake of us all, I hope she gets in an actual train wreck.

It sickens me that such good people have to deal with this kind of crap. This incident has made me even more grateful for everything good horse rescues do, and especially grateful for Saint Francis and the mule I adopted from them. I am incredibly lucky to have been given the gift of a gorgeous equine in good health. If you have an adopted pet, take some time to appreciate that gift today... and consider donating some cash back to the rescue. Chances are your pet cost them much more to rehab than whatever adoption fee you may have paid. Did I mention Saint Francis has often waived adoption fees? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I morally owe them like $2,000.

Speaking of donating, Saint Francis will shortly be holding their annual hay drive, and on October 26th, they're having a fantastic fundraiser called Cowboys in the Kitchen in Stevens Point WI. There's going to be food and entertainment and handsome cowboys serving you. Sweeeet. Please consider donating towards hay and attending the event. You can find more info on their website.



*Maybe twice, if you count that llama. He's doing well, by the way.