In a not-so-amazing coincidence, right after my conformation post talking about cheap young chestnut horses, I got an email asking for help finding a home for a cheap young chestnut horse.
Susan Wellman, of ASAP rescue here in Wisconsin, is in contact with an Amish family that owns a neglected mare. You can read her blog post about it here. Trudy Mara, part-time horse rescuer, is willing to pay the $50 the Amish want for her, but doesn't have a place to put her. I am totally willing to give her a free ride to a new home, but I don't think I can take her myself. Saint Francis Horse Rescue is also full.
Do you have space for a young mare with trust issues? Her description:
"2 year old pretty wild 14.1 HH grade QH filly, chestnut with
white. She is on an Amish farm near Hillsboro, tied to a corncrib with
a metal cable, with rope wounds to legs. She is fearful and would do
best in a stall or a little larger space with daily work- life has not
been good to her. She is also thin." Sorry, no pictures available.
You can contact Susan of ASAP at 608-689-2399 or asapinc@mwt.net.
Showing posts with label neglect. Show all posts
Showing posts with label neglect. Show all posts
Monday, October 15, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Hey there Delilah
"Hey There Delialah"
a musical parody inspired by this Craigslist ad
(screenshot below-- click to enlarge)
Hey there Delilah what's it like with owner Shitty
I'm a hundred miles away
But horse today you have my pity, yes you do
You're not worth 2,000 dollars even though you're blue, I swear it's true
Hey there Delilah don't you worry your name's spelled wrong
'Cause anyway most people have only heard of it in song
Close your eyes, listen to my frustrated sighs
I'm on your side
Oh the crap they do to you Oh the crap they do to you Oh the crap they do to you Oh the crap they do to you What should I do
Hey there Delilah, I know times are getting hard
But if your owner thinks a greenbroke horse will pay her bills then she's a 'tard
This isn't good, I wish you had the life you really should
Wish you understood
Hey there Delilah, I've got so much left to say
Like even though you were mom at two
I wish I could take you away,
I'd buy you now
Even more in love with you I'd fall, I just wanna bawl
Oh the crap they do to you Oh the crap they do to you Oh the crap they do to you Oh the crap they do to you
A hundred miles seems pretty far
But they've got planes and trains and cars
I'd walk to you if I had no other way
But our paths were never meant to cross
The best I can do for you is write this silly song
And hope it gets my point across
Delilah I can promise you
Without more facts no one will buy you
No height no health and misspelled name
And your owner's all to blame
Hey there Delilah
Are you broke English or is it Western
One more thing I need to know and then
I swear I'll be done with questions
You'll know it's all because of you
I write this blog for gals like you
Dear Delilah here's to you
But what else can I do?
Oh the hurt this does to me Oh the hurt this does to me Oh the hurt this does to me Oh the hurt this does to me What I see I can't unsee...
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Richland Center Rescues: sketchy RAR vs quality Ocooch
First, a few brief news bulletins.
Another case of EEE was confirmed in Wisconsin. Remember to vaccinate!
A Dane County judge has ruled that dogs cannot be used to hunt wolves in Wisconsin. The DNR will uphold the ruling, but hasn't re-written any rules yet, and is planning on going ahead with the wolf hunt in October.
There was a neat article for horse lovers and Packer fans alike in a Milwaukee paper recently; click here to read it.
Now then, on to the part where I rant:
Richland Area Rescue worries me. Nay, angers me.
Although they don't appear to be actively breeding animals, their behavior raises several red flags.
-Not all animals are spayed/neutered/gelded
-Not all animals appear to have basic vaccinations
-Until recently, the kennels were primitive, with dirt floors
-Some animals don't have minimal basic training
...and other sketchy stuff.
Let me give you an example. I was tipped off about RAR when a watchful horse rescuer emailed this Petfinder ad to me:
1) Why is this pony not gelded?! Especially when they admit "he should be gelded?!" RAR, you're a rescue, do your damn job!
2) He's been "sat on" but "isn't broke." Okay, who sat on an unbroke mini? A kid? Great, awesome child endangerment. An adult? Awesome, great way to permanently damage an animal. Let's skip straight past my usual argument of "two year old horses should NOT be made to carry weight," and go on to a rant about minis and "being broke."
Minis aren't really meant to be ridden. Like pot-bellied pigs, their main purpose is to look adorable and possibly to pull tiny carts. Can they be ridden? Sure. But they probably shouldn't be. Unless you have a midget volunteer, you're either breaking a horse to ride with a child as its trainer/rider, OR you're using the crushing weight of an adult. Either way, you suck. Are there ways to train a mini without endangering a child or squishing said equine? Well... yes. Effective ones? Ehhh.... maybe. That's a debate for another time.
Let's take a look at some other sketchy stuff at RAR:
This horse isn't guaranteed sound-- she has problems in her whole back end. RAR doesn't know what's wrong with her, because apparently they don't want to pay a real vet to find out, but after a cursory look from a vet tech, they guess she'll be okay for light riding with a light rider. This sounds totally safe.
This mare looks a bit too ribby in her pictures, and her colt is 5 months old, but "hasn't had anything done with him." Yikes, when do they plant to start halter breaking? When he's big enough to really hurt someone?
This pony is unbroke, but is being advertised as, "she could make a great birthday present for a little kid." I shall now repeat the obligatory mantra: "Animals should not be given as presents." Shouldn't a rescue know not to use this as a selling point?
...and there not-fixed puppies up for adoption without all their shots, unclear adoption prices, no mention of a return-to-shelter requirement when a pet doesn't work out, etc etc.
I think the argument could be made that I'm mostly nit-picking here. By themselves, each of these complaints might be petty. And even put together, they don't add up to actual abuse. It might be a little rough-and-ready, back-woods, poor quality type of rescue, but they're trying, right? And there are certainly camps of people who believe that rescues who help many animals a little are just as good as rescues who help a few animals a lot.
However, I cannot and will not forgive any "rescue" or "shelter" for not spaying/neutering/gelding animals in their care. Animals wind up in shelters because they are unwanted. How do we have unwanted animals? Largely, because we've allowed too many of them to breed.And sending an unfixed animal out the door is an invitation for it to breed.
Richland Area Rescue does say, "We are working towards having all dogs and cats spayed and or neutered before adoption." They also have a one-page contract, part of which states that any animal adopted needs to be spayed/neutered/gelded within 30 days of adoption. But to me, these are flimsy mechanisms. RAR should just act responsibly, dammit.
Interestingly, there is another rescue in Richland Center: Ocooch Mountain Humane Society. They have a much nicer website, a bimonthly low-cost spay-and-neuter program, regular fundraising events, a much more thorough adoption application, and all their animals are fixed and have all their shots. Ocooch is still small; they only have a facility for cats (dogs are all privately fostered) but you can tell there have a quality operation.
So why is it that RAR has gotten the Richland County contract to take in strays, not the better-run Ocooch? I'm guessing RAR underbid Ocooch for the contract. That's a shame. If you're from the Richland Center area, please take a moment to tell your city government to spend your tax dollars at a higher quality facility that really cares for animals. (Click the link and then scroll down for contact info for city officials.)
I contacted Ocooch to ask them about the county contract as well as their operation versus RAR's, but didn't hear back by press time*.
*Update: never ever heard back from them.
Another case of EEE was confirmed in Wisconsin. Remember to vaccinate!
There was a neat article for horse lovers and Packer fans alike in a Milwaukee paper recently; click here to read it.
Now then, on to the part where I rant:
Richland Area Rescue worries me. Nay, angers me.
Although they don't appear to be actively breeding animals, their behavior raises several red flags.
-Not all animals are spayed/neutered/gelded
-Not all animals appear to have basic vaccinations
-Until recently, the kennels were primitive, with dirt floors
-Some animals don't have minimal basic training
...and other sketchy stuff.
Let me give you an example. I was tipped off about RAR when a watchful horse rescuer emailed this Petfinder ad to me:
 |
| Click to enlarge |
1) Why is this pony not gelded?! Especially when they admit "he should be gelded?!" RAR, you're a rescue, do your damn job!
2) He's been "sat on" but "isn't broke." Okay, who sat on an unbroke mini? A kid? Great, awesome child endangerment. An adult? Awesome, great way to permanently damage an animal. Let's skip straight past my usual argument of "two year old horses should NOT be made to carry weight," and go on to a rant about minis and "being broke."
Let's take a look at some other sketchy stuff at RAR:
This horse isn't guaranteed sound-- she has problems in her whole back end. RAR doesn't know what's wrong with her, because apparently they don't want to pay a real vet to find out, but after a cursory look from a vet tech, they guess she'll be okay for light riding with a light rider. This sounds totally safe.
This mare looks a bit too ribby in her pictures, and her colt is 5 months old, but "hasn't had anything done with him." Yikes, when do they plant to start halter breaking? When he's big enough to really hurt someone?
This pony is unbroke, but is being advertised as, "she could make a great birthday present for a little kid." I shall now repeat the obligatory mantra: "Animals should not be given as presents." Shouldn't a rescue know not to use this as a selling point?
...and there not-fixed puppies up for adoption without all their shots, unclear adoption prices, no mention of a return-to-shelter requirement when a pet doesn't work out, etc etc.
I think the argument could be made that I'm mostly nit-picking here. By themselves, each of these complaints might be petty. And even put together, they don't add up to actual abuse. It might be a little rough-and-ready, back-woods, poor quality type of rescue, but they're trying, right? And there are certainly camps of people who believe that rescues who help many animals a little are just as good as rescues who help a few animals a lot.
However, I cannot and will not forgive any "rescue" or "shelter" for not spaying/neutering/gelding animals in their care. Animals wind up in shelters because they are unwanted. How do we have unwanted animals? Largely, because we've allowed too many of them to breed.And sending an unfixed animal out the door is an invitation for it to breed.
Richland Area Rescue does say, "We are working towards having all dogs and cats spayed and or neutered before adoption." They also have a one-page contract, part of which states that any animal adopted needs to be spayed/neutered/gelded within 30 days of adoption. But to me, these are flimsy mechanisms. RAR should just act responsibly, dammit.
Interestingly, there is another rescue in Richland Center: Ocooch Mountain Humane Society. They have a much nicer website, a bimonthly low-cost spay-and-neuter program, regular fundraising events, a much more thorough adoption application, and all their animals are fixed and have all their shots. Ocooch is still small; they only have a facility for cats (dogs are all privately fostered) but you can tell there have a quality operation.
So why is it that RAR has gotten the Richland County contract to take in strays, not the better-run Ocooch? I'm guessing RAR underbid Ocooch for the contract. That's a shame. If you're from the Richland Center area, please take a moment to tell your city government to spend your tax dollars at a higher quality facility that really cares for animals. (Click the link and then scroll down for contact info for city officials.)
I contacted Ocooch to ask them about the county contract as well as their operation versus RAR's, but didn't hear back by press time*.
*Update: never ever heard back from them.
Friday, August 3, 2012
It Has Begun: Tons of Free & Cheap Horses *updated*
UPDATES:
Free Palomino:
15 yr. old Palomino gelding approx. 16hh. Free to a good home. Has some lameness issues, pretty arthritic in front and may have had laminitis in the past. Some corrective shoeing and proper pain management could improve him quite a bit. Laid back horse that is eager to please. He is currently a trail horse at a camp in Montello, WI (an hour north of Madison). Call me @ 262-878-5106 or email at vandammefamily@sbcglobal.
Becky VanDamme
three filly $125 ea take all three for $300 608-438-1099 ad here Madison area
2 MINI MULES AND 1 PAINT PONY ALL TO GO AT ONCE ,, BRING YOUR TRAIL,, I LL HELP LOAD,, NO NO NO PICKING,, HAVENT GOT THE FEED SO THEY HAVE TO GO.. HAVE TO BE GONE IN 10 DAYS,, SO THE 14 th IS THE LAST DAY FOR THEM........ add here. Brownton WI
AQHA mare needs a home-- breeding sound only. Free. Pretty girl, lots of points on her, not bred. Eau Claire area. Add here
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Horsepeople here in Wisconsin have been predicting doom ever since the rains abandoned us late this spring. With hay either non-existent or sky-high in price, there are going to be a lot of miserable horses this winter, either left to starve in fields or dumped on the local auctions. (Speaking of which, I still haven't made it to an auction yet this year, can anyone recommend a local auction in the Madison area?)
Anyway, I just didn't expect such dump-offs to start so soon... Granted, right now it's the weaker animals, the seniors or the ones with small problems, but I think this will only get worse. I've included a list of links down below to all the Craigslist "free horses," but I want to start with ones I've been contacted about personally:
First, my excellent farrier Stacy Anacker is trying to help a guy find a home for a nice quarter-pony. This mare is incredibly sweet and gentle, perfect for kids, but has lameness issues. A big session of physical therapy, followed by a short session every six months loosens her up enough to be able to be a great walk-trot pony, but she would need that care throughout her life. Otherwise very healthy. Free to a good home. Contact Stacy at 608-712-2924.
Next up:
Two appaloosa mares, about ten years old, need homes. They may have some riding training, but haven't been ridden in a while. The one above may have been bred back to the same stallion that she had this foal from (the foal is now sold and safe). They're both about 14 hands. The one not pictured is built slightly bigger, is dark/black in color and isn't as thin. Unknown Coggins, no obvious lameness, hooves aren't good but not slipper feet. The owner is Bobby, and he sounds like a bit of a jerk/animal dealer, but I think he's honestly trying to find these horses homes moreso than trying to make a buck. He's asking $200 for the horse pictured above, unknown price for the other one, and is negotiable on prices. Call him at 920-284-5528. Located in Black Creek (west of Green Bay).
More free or cheap horses:
Anderson's Homes for Horses-- a rescue I've never heard of, and which doesn't appear to have any website or formal setup. Seems to have a multitude of free horses near Janesville. Ad here.
Healthy-but-thin gelding rescued from an auction. Handsome and sweet. Riding training unknown. $200/free to the right home. Call 608 253 7177 Madison WI
21 year old well-broke gelding. Has heaves, can only walk-trot, but very calm/sweet. Up to date on worming, may need teeth done. Hard keeper. Free. Call or text 608 617 3211. Portage WI
Four free horses, currently owned by a rescue I haven't heard of before. References required. 3yo mustang mare with 30 days training here. 22 yo ex-barrel mare, some arthritis, here. @0+ yo Morgan gelding, intermediate rider needed, some arthritis, here. Nice-looking QH mare, sweet but unhandled, here. Madison WI area
29 yo TB mare, hard keeper, 16hh, rescued from an auction 2 years ago. Ex-jumper. Free. Call or text 815 291 8026. Shannon/Rockford Ill
Free older jenny mule to good home. 14.3. Hasn't been ridden in 2 years. Call 608-487-0054. Ontario, WI
Free pasture ornament-- 8yo QH mare not sound for riding or breeding. Pretty bay mare, can pony kids around. Call Dani at 608-385- Eight Four Nine One. LaCrosse area, WI.
4yo 16hh Saddlebred gelding, broke to lead only. $300. Craigslist ad here. Appleton, WI area.
6 yo Reg Saddlebred gelding, broke to lead only, also $300. Ad here. Appleton, WI area (same people?)
Old pony needs retirement home. Call Pat at 920-470-6978. Appleton/Sherwood.
13 yo Arabian mare with behavior issues free to good home. Ad here. Appleton area. Call or text 920-290-2199.
3 yo AQHA mare with coffin bone injury, free to good home. Can handle light riding with a light rider. Ad here. Saxon (northern) WI. call 715-893-2398
8yo paint gelding, super well broke to trails but hasn't been ridden in about a year. Has a bit of an attitude problem from not being worked. May have allergies/heaves. $200/free to good home. Ad here. Harshaw (northern WI). call 715-six-zero-five-0002
...and that's all I have time for right now. I'm sure there are a TON more out there.
Free Palomino:
15 yr. old Palomino gelding approx. 16hh. Free to a good home. Has some lameness issues, pretty arthritic in front and may have had laminitis in the past. Some corrective shoeing and proper pain management could improve him quite a bit. Laid back horse that is eager to please. He is currently a trail horse at a camp in Montello, WI (an hour north of Madison). Call me @ 262-878-5106 or email at vandammefamily@sbcglobal.
Becky VanDamme
three filly $125 ea take all three for $300 608-438-1099 ad here Madison area
2 MINI MULES AND 1 PAINT PONY ALL TO GO AT ONCE ,, BRING YOUR TRAIL,, I LL HELP LOAD,, NO NO NO PICKING,, HAVENT GOT THE FEED SO THEY HAVE TO GO.. HAVE TO BE GONE IN 10 DAYS,, SO THE 14 th IS THE LAST DAY FOR THEM........ add here. Brownton WI
AQHA mare needs a home-- breeding sound only. Free. Pretty girl, lots of points on her, not bred. Eau Claire area. Add here
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Horsepeople here in Wisconsin have been predicting doom ever since the rains abandoned us late this spring. With hay either non-existent or sky-high in price, there are going to be a lot of miserable horses this winter, either left to starve in fields or dumped on the local auctions. (Speaking of which, I still haven't made it to an auction yet this year, can anyone recommend a local auction in the Madison area?)
Anyway, I just didn't expect such dump-offs to start so soon... Granted, right now it's the weaker animals, the seniors or the ones with small problems, but I think this will only get worse. I've included a list of links down below to all the Craigslist "free horses," but I want to start with ones I've been contacted about personally:
First, my excellent farrier Stacy Anacker is trying to help a guy find a home for a nice quarter-pony. This mare is incredibly sweet and gentle, perfect for kids, but has lameness issues. A big session of physical therapy, followed by a short session every six months loosens her up enough to be able to be a great walk-trot pony, but she would need that care throughout her life. Otherwise very healthy. Free to a good home. Contact Stacy at 608-712-2924.
Next up:
Two appaloosa mares, about ten years old, need homes. They may have some riding training, but haven't been ridden in a while. The one above may have been bred back to the same stallion that she had this foal from (the foal is now sold and safe). They're both about 14 hands. The one not pictured is built slightly bigger, is dark/black in color and isn't as thin. Unknown Coggins, no obvious lameness, hooves aren't good but not slipper feet. The owner is Bobby, and he sounds like a bit of a jerk/animal dealer, but I think he's honestly trying to find these horses homes moreso than trying to make a buck. He's asking $200 for the horse pictured above, unknown price for the other one, and is negotiable on prices. Call him at 920-284-5528. Located in Black Creek (west of Green Bay).
More free or cheap horses:
Anderson's Homes for Horses-- a rescue I've never heard of, and which doesn't appear to have any website or formal setup. Seems to have a multitude of free horses near Janesville. Ad here.
Healthy-but-thin gelding rescued from an auction. Handsome and sweet. Riding training unknown. $200/free to the right home. Call 608 253 7177 Madison WI
21 year old well-broke gelding. Has heaves, can only walk-trot, but very calm/sweet. Up to date on worming, may need teeth done. Hard keeper. Free. Call or text 608 617 3211. Portage WI
Four free horses, currently owned by a rescue I haven't heard of before. References required. 3yo mustang mare with 30 days training here. 22 yo ex-barrel mare, some arthritis, here. @0+ yo Morgan gelding, intermediate rider needed, some arthritis, here. Nice-looking QH mare, sweet but unhandled, here. Madison WI area
29 yo TB mare, hard keeper, 16hh, rescued from an auction 2 years ago. Ex-jumper. Free. Call or text 815 291 8026. Shannon/Rockford Ill
Free older jenny mule to good home. 14.3. Hasn't been ridden in 2 years. Call 608-487-0054. Ontario, WI
Free pasture ornament-- 8yo QH mare not sound for riding or breeding. Pretty bay mare, can pony kids around. Call Dani at 608-385- Eight Four Nine One. LaCrosse area, WI.
4yo 16hh Saddlebred gelding, broke to lead only. $300. Craigslist ad here. Appleton, WI area.
6 yo Reg Saddlebred gelding, broke to lead only, also $300. Ad here. Appleton, WI area (same people?)
Old pony needs retirement home. Call Pat at 920-470-6978. Appleton/Sherwood.
13 yo Arabian mare with behavior issues free to good home. Ad here. Appleton area. Call or text 920-290-2199.
3 yo AQHA mare with coffin bone injury, free to good home. Can handle light riding with a light rider. Ad here. Saxon (northern) WI. call 715-893-2398
8yo paint gelding, super well broke to trails but hasn't been ridden in about a year. Has a bit of an attitude problem from not being worked. May have allergies/heaves. $200/free to good home. Ad here. Harshaw (northern WI). call 715-six-zero-five-0002
...and that's all I have time for right now. I'm sure there are a TON more out there.
Friday, July 20, 2012
America's Huge Ass Problem
Nope, for once this isn't about America's obesity crisis.
Quick, which American equine is the least desireable?
If you answered donkey/ass/burro, you just won the grand prize: 2,000 free donkeys. Can't take 'em? Neither can anyone else.
In the past three years, droughts, wildfires and flooding have devastated many middle/western states. Texas in particularly was hard-hit. Now, Indiana and Illinois farmers are shredding what little corn they have left just to feed their cattle. Hay is non-existant in many places. Colorado, of course, is on fire, Louisiana is in a drought crisis, eastern Iowa looks like a desert... basically, over half of the country looks like burned dog shit. It's officially the largest drought since 1956.
 |
| America: More brown than the infamous "tanning mom" |
The animals suffer, of course-- but some suffer more than others. The underfed cattle at least got sold, once ranchers ran out of feed-- a quick death. Many horses were, and still are, being sold, given away, abandoned or even starved, but there's something about horses that make them slightly more recession-proof. They're more romantic, rideable, pretty, valuable and more recognizeable (so you can't dump them anonymously as easily). Everyone who ever read "Black Beauty" is at least inclined to call the police about any starving horses they see. Plus, there's always the French meat market as a last resort.
For donkeys, however, there are absolutely no options. Nobody, not even a Frenchman, wants to eat a donkey. Auction houses in Texas are now absolutely refusing to even accept donkeys in the ring, because no one bids on them. The few people that are in a position to adopt right now usually want a rideable equine, or at least one without a reputation for stubborness. So what happens? The donkeys get dumped. Literally, on the side of the road, dumped.
The Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, based in Texas, took in 686 donkeys last year and are already set to break that record, having taken in 474 donkeys already this year. Many of them were actually rescued from the side of the road. See their press release. One animal control officer in Athens, Louisiana has personally taken on hundreds from his parish alone. This Iowa woman rescued a group of donkeys at an auction for $20 each-- their compatriots dumped along Iowa roadsides are less fortunate. Even Hawaii has had a donkey problem!
So what can you do to help?
- Adopt a donkey from your local equine rescue, or even from an out-of-state rescue.
- Adopt a Wild Burro from the BLM. They even have online auctions!
- Donate to the Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue.
- Become a Satellite Adoption Center for PVDR.
- Spread awareness on your blog, Facebook, website, Twitter, etc.
- Volunteer at a local horse or donkey sanctuary (Holy Land Donkeys is just one in Wisconsin).
Finally, you can educate yourself, and others, about donkeys. Many myths and bad stereotypes prevent donkeys from finding good homes. They are not stubborn, mean or nasty-- they're intelligent, adaptable, wary and independent. The PVDR has a great FAQ here. I had no idea donkeys carried their foals for a full year! Or that the word "donkey" comes from the old English words for "dun" (the grey color) and "ky" (meaning little). Neat stuff. PVDR also has this cute fan-made video. Enjoy:
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
WI Abusers of the Month & Happy B-day ASPCA
Apparently the couple may have been living in the barn, since it was equipped with a bed and satellite TV. Which is pretty gross-- in some spots the manure was so high, the animals' backs were nearly touching the ceiling. Guess what their punishment is? Tarry is getting three years of probation and a $1,215 fine. Renee has been charged, but not sentenced yet. And though most of the animals were seized, they get to keep two dogs and two mules. What?! Why?!
Christ on a crutch, when are people going to get more than a slap on the wrist for this kind of crap?! If you're as unhappy as I am, you can contact the Jackson County District Attorney at 307 Main St, Black River Falls, WI 54615 (715) 284-0242. If you've got any room to take on one of the rescued critters, you can contact the local animal shelter (also in Black River Falls) at 715-284-0251. They don't have a website yet. They're on Petfinder, but haven't uploaded the newly rescued animals there yet obviously. Remember, don't yell at them, they have no legal power to investigate or prosecute abuse. That's the DA's job.
Oh, and "Tarry" isn't a typo, it's the way redneck parents spell Terry. Here's the lovely couple:
...ewwwww. Aren't they gross? Tarry was previously charged with theft, forgery and poaching. Renee apparently has mental problems...or at least uses that as a legal defense. Ok, let's move on to a happier topic:
It's the ASPCA's 146th Anniversary! Wow. They were here before waaay the Humane Society! Founded in 1866 in New York, it was the first organization of its kind in America (though the RSPCA in Britain came first). They tried to stop cock fighting and animal vivisection (which was done without any anesthesia) and created the first ambulance service for injured working horses. They fought to pass some of the first anti-animal cruelty legislation in the U.S. Yay! Check out their blog here.
 |
Wisconsin is under a burn ban because of extremely hazardous conditions. If you were thinking about doing a controlled burn on your pasture, starting up the burning barrel or throwing your cigarette butts on the ground, think again. Video here.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Llama Home at Last
A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped with this project! Also a big thank-you to blogs like Fuglyblog and Snarkyrider, which have encouraged me not to sit on my butt when I know about neglect. The llama is now home, safe and sound. Picking him up early this morning was mercifully uneventful. He even unloaded wonderfully. He's still reluctant to be touched, but will allow it for a little while. He is EXTREMELY excited by other animals-- and of course my horses were just out of their tiny minds with disbelief.
 |
| "Dear God, there's a mutant deer in our barn!" |
After I locked the llama in the barn, I let the horses into the yard for breakfast. Mr. Strut immediately charged to the barn, took one look at what was inside, and spun a 180 that would have made a reining champion proud. He refused to come anywhere near the llama after that. Annie, on the other hand, stood at a distance making the "what the hell is that?!" snort and eventually felt brave enough to go up and sniff. Neither of them have met a llama before; they are totally confused.
After the horses backed off to eat breakfast, the llama became frantic; he couldn't see them anymore and paced back and forth, trying to stick his head through the gate to find them. I think he's been desperately lonely for a long time. The fact that he is not so excited by humans just proves that he's learned from experience that humans mostly suck.
The only bad thing about today was this:
Yeah. All that nice straw I put down for the llama's bedding stuck to the mat of burdocks embedded in his fur. He now looks like a walking haystack! I HAVE to do something about his coat. I just don't know what; if I shear him, he'll be cold, and trying to pry the burdocks out one by one may well be impossible-- and painful. He may just have to look ridiculous until it gets warmer.
Anyway, I checked on him throughout the day, and he seems to be eating, drinking and pooping just fine. He will not eat horse treats or sweet feed; tomorrow I'll try him on carrots and apples. My guess is that just like Annie was, he's been too neglected to even know what treats are.
Oh, and I am fascinated by his feet. Two toes with talons? They look like they belong to a fantasy creature!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Llama Saga
We got the llama!
It was NOT easy-- it took us almost three hours. The vet was an amazing shot with his tranquilizer dart blowgun, but it was hard for him to get close enough, and the llama's awful coat of burrs acted like armor. Then, even though the llama took at least two tranquilizer darts, it STILL didn't go down.
Eventually however, it did get woozy enough for the vet to lasso it-- barely. It took all of us, pushing and pulling, to make him move to the trailer. He wasn't fighting, and didn't try to spit or kick even once, but he was pretty firm about not wanting to move. Once haltered and tied to the trailer, he was reasonably calm, and the vet was able to give him wormer, vaccinations and a toenail trim. The vet reports that he's not starving, but judging by the condition of his feet, had probably never had vet care. Also, his face is seriously disfigured:
It was NOT easy-- it took us almost three hours. The vet was an amazing shot with his tranquilizer dart blowgun, but it was hard for him to get close enough, and the llama's awful coat of burrs acted like armor. Then, even though the llama took at least two tranquilizer darts, it STILL didn't go down.
Eventually however, it did get woozy enough for the vet to lasso it-- barely. It took all of us, pushing and pulling, to make him move to the trailer. He wasn't fighting, and didn't try to spit or kick even once, but he was pretty firm about not wanting to move. Once haltered and tied to the trailer, he was reasonably calm, and the vet was able to give him wormer, vaccinations and a toenail trim. The vet reports that he's not starving, but judging by the condition of his feet, had probably never had vet care. Also, his face is seriously disfigured:
That weird bump thing is what's left of the top part of his nose. The vet says it looks like he'd had a small halter put on him when he was young, and as the llama grew, it was never taken off and became embedded in his skin. Eventually part of the nose actually rotted off, and part was overgrown with scar tissue.
It's truly amazing that this guy is alive.
The llama was apparently brought out to the farm by some Hispanics. They had rented part of an old pasture to raise sheep on, and became concerned about coyotes. Since llamas can act as guard animals, they put the llama in with the sheep. Eventually, the Hispanics took the sheep out-- and just left the llama. It's been there for years. It seems to have survived by roaming freely on a hayfield next to its broken-fenced pasture.
Unfortunately, the llama is not home quite yet. In the abnormally warm weather this afternoon, the field became a mudhole, and the farmer didn't want to tear up his hayfield by pulling the trailer out with his tractor until the ground is frozen again. It will freeze tonight, so the llama is camping in the trailer until early tomorrow morning. The vet said he'll be fine; he's got food, water, and the stock trailer is roomy. I don't like leaving him out there alone, especially within reach of crazy Skyla (see previous blogs) whom I can just see opening the trailer door to sing to him or bring him bagels or something. So help me God, if she lets this llama escape... I did call her to warn her NOT to open the trailer door. She reacted defensively to the whole thing, but did promise not to interfere. Becky and Erin advised me to lock the trailer. It might be a good idea, especially considering her previous lies... (again, see older blog posts)
The vet told us that the llama is large for a llama, gelded (yay!!) and probably isn't very old-- more than five, but less than ancient is the best guess he had. (Apparently, llamas can't be aged by their teeth as well as horses and deer can.) Since llamas live about 20-25 years, this poor guy should be able to enjoy a much nicer life for a good long while-- though nothing will make up for the neglect he's suffered. I'm still not sure I want to keep him permanently myself, but I guarantee he will have a good home for life no matter what. If he gets another owner besides me, you can be sure I will be triple-checking references beforehand. First things first: cleaning him up, gentling him and making sure he's healthy.
Oh, and he's going to need a name. An unreliable source (Skyla) claimed that his name might once have been "Morris." That's not fitting for a big, tough survivor like him! He doesn't need a macho name, but he does need one that reflects his will to live, and his bravery. Suggestions?
Oh, and p.s. apparently other Hispanics are keeping horses at the same farm, and possibly racing them at an underground racetrack near Jefferson. Has anyone heard anything about this?! These are the same horses I called animal control about (they did nothing).
More pictures from the llama saga:
 |
| Waiting for the tranquilizer to work. |
 |
| A bag of llama poop, left by Skyla, who was convinced that the llama wouldn't poop without seeing poop nearby. |
 |
| The vet and llama edge ever close to the manure pit. Uh oh! |
 |
| Erin helps try to lasso the llama on the very edge of the shit pond. Ewww. |
 |
| Finally got him! |
 |
| First time petting him. Check out those burrs! |
 |
| Llama's very first toenail trim. A few were badly twisted and overgrown. |
Friday, February 3, 2012
More Llama Drama
Since the failed rescue attempt this Monday, I've been searching for a way to catch the darn llama. Suggestions from others have included:
Roping a llama only works if you rope a leg-- their skinny chicken necks are apparently too delicate to handle a lasso. And after you rope it using this much harder tactic, you then have a struggling llama to deal with. Dogs might work if we had some kind of corral-- but I doubt that even the best working dogs can forcefully herd an unwilling llama straight into a stock trailer. Finally, oral sedatives taste disgusting, unless they're so weak as to be practically useless-- so that was a no-go.
After playing phone tag with various vets across Wisconsin, I came round-about to a solution originally suggested by "Skyla" & crew: tranquilizer gun. (Well actually, they proposed that we might get the DNR to tranq the llama for free-- hah hah hah.) Anyway, I was referred to an older gentleman who earns substantial income acting as a sharpshooter, tranquilizing everything from donkeys to buffalo. However, he said that doing this is a tricky proposition, and he would only work with a certain vet.
Back on the phone, I eventually got ahold of this vet, who turned out to be Mike Edders of Lodi Veterinary. I love Lodi Vet (they take care of my horses). Mike said we probably wouldn't need a rifle; if he could get within 10-20 feet, he had a blowgun that would work. Blowgun?! Sweet! I set up a Saturday appointment immediately, asking him to vaccinate, deworm and check on the llama's wounds while it was sedated. Awesome-- not only could we catch the llama, it could have all the vet work done right then and there-- without having to wait weeks taming it first. After years of neglect, I'm sure the llama needs it ASAP. Mike estimated the cost would be $250-$350, depending on how long we were out there playing llama rodeo. It's a reasonable cost, though it hurts (my bank account is anemic, since my husband still isn't getting paid) but it's the right thing to do.
I called Skyla and left a message to inform her of the appointment, the cost, and asked to call up the farm boys and ask them to help pull the trailer out of the mud again. I also asked nicely whether she could chip in for the vet costs.
Skyla called back while I was at work and left me a message. She was shocked at the cost of the vet work and accused the vet of having "a heart of stone" and being greedy. I'm not sure, but she may have also accused me of inflating the costs in order to get more money from her to keep for myself. Here's a transcription of her message:
"Hi *NorthHorse* it's [Skyla] I got your message, my phone has been acting up... um, you said it was going to cost between $250 and $350... and yes I'd like to help out, but I'm confused... I thought our objective was to find someone who would do it 'pro bono,' for free, you know, with the heart of recovering this desperate animal that needs to be caretaked and new home and...has this guy got a heart of stone or something? Where he's just cutting you off a piece of his pie? I'm sure you've got good references from him...couldn't we just peck at his heart a little and get the cost down? I was hoping that since this was a rescue situation, desperate and humanitarian and stuff, he would, you know, get on board with that. I'm glad it's moving forward, but I'm a little confused."
Keep in mind that this same lady has been treating this "desperate animal" as a pet project to be taken up only after her lunch date with her daughter, walking her dog, etc etc etc. She's been delaying action for days, suggesting that moving the llama would be "traumatizing," and wanting to "make friends" with it before anything else. Originally, she even wanted to leave the llama "in the wild" since it was "fending so well for itself." Now all of a sudden it's a desperate situation?
I called Skyla back. She didn't answer, so I left another message. I very nicely explained that part of the cost was the costs of the drugs involved, which the vet couldn't change, and that while I agreed we would certainly ask the vet if he could knock a bit off the bill for charity's sake, vets have to make a living too. I asked her to please call the farmers and ask their permission about a Saturday appointment, and see if they would help me get the trailer out of the mud again.
Skyla called back while I was at work and left her shortest message ever: the answer was no. No, Saturday wouldn't work for the farmers, and Saturday wouldn't work for her either. Sorry, goodbye.
Hmmm....I called the farmers myself. Their names are Ryan and Jake, by the way; the same two young men that tried to help us catch the llama on Monday and got my truck unstuck the first time. Turns out, they're totally fine with the vet and I coming out Saturday. Ryan will be gone, but Jake is quite willing to hitch his tractor to the trailer and pull it out to the road for me.
Skyla lied in order to keep me from moving ahead with rescuing the llama. I think she wants to be in control of the situation.
Screw her then. I don't much care if Skyla's feelings are hurt. This is about the llama, not her. The sooner it receives proper food, water, shelter and vet care, the better. If I left things up to clueless-about-large-animals Skyla, that bimbo would be talking about spiritual healing in animals three months from now, while the llama dies of gangrene or something.
Though I am not going to call Skyla to tell her I'm moving ahead tomorrow, I am worried that she will show up anyway and cause a scene. She doesn't have any claim on the llama (it's my trailer, my vet, my farm, my money, and the farmers don't care) but I can see her getting upset at me/the vet/everyone in a crying hissy fit, or attempting to stop us, or following us back to my farm. Luckily, I've got backup; both Erin and Becky have agreed to help me again. What heroes! If anything does happen with Skyla, they may be able to help diffuse the situation. Or at least hold her down while the vet and I tranquilize her. (Just kidding.)
So that's it! We're on! I've taken vacation from work tomorrow, scraped the courtyard, gotten permission to borrow Dad's truck again, readied the gates and even got a lead on a nearby llama farmer for help and advice. In the morning, I'll be picking up some straw for bedding (the llama is going to have to stay locked in the barn until he's catchable) and maybe some feed to supplement the hay.
Becky's daughter is also coming along, and she says she's willing to take lots of pictures for me, so stay tuned for tomorrow's update!
P.S. Skyla has called me three times today. One of the things she wanted to tell me was that she thought she read that llamas don't like to poop where they haven't pooped before, so she filled a bag with llama poop and hung it in my trailer. Oooookaaaay....
- Hiring a roping cowboy and horse team to rope it and tie it
- Hiring someone with working dogs to herd it
- Trying to put some kind of sedative in the llama's food
Roping a llama only works if you rope a leg-- their skinny chicken necks are apparently too delicate to handle a lasso. And after you rope it using this much harder tactic, you then have a struggling llama to deal with. Dogs might work if we had some kind of corral-- but I doubt that even the best working dogs can forcefully herd an unwilling llama straight into a stock trailer. Finally, oral sedatives taste disgusting, unless they're so weak as to be practically useless-- so that was a no-go.
After playing phone tag with various vets across Wisconsin, I came round-about to a solution originally suggested by "Skyla" & crew: tranquilizer gun. (Well actually, they proposed that we might get the DNR to tranq the llama for free-- hah hah hah.) Anyway, I was referred to an older gentleman who earns substantial income acting as a sharpshooter, tranquilizing everything from donkeys to buffalo. However, he said that doing this is a tricky proposition, and he would only work with a certain vet.
Back on the phone, I eventually got ahold of this vet, who turned out to be Mike Edders of Lodi Veterinary. I love Lodi Vet (they take care of my horses). Mike said we probably wouldn't need a rifle; if he could get within 10-20 feet, he had a blowgun that would work. Blowgun?! Sweet! I set up a Saturday appointment immediately, asking him to vaccinate, deworm and check on the llama's wounds while it was sedated. Awesome-- not only could we catch the llama, it could have all the vet work done right then and there-- without having to wait weeks taming it first. After years of neglect, I'm sure the llama needs it ASAP. Mike estimated the cost would be $250-$350, depending on how long we were out there playing llama rodeo. It's a reasonable cost, though it hurts (my bank account is anemic, since my husband still isn't getting paid) but it's the right thing to do.
I called Skyla and left a message to inform her of the appointment, the cost, and asked to call up the farm boys and ask them to help pull the trailer out of the mud again. I also asked nicely whether she could chip in for the vet costs.
Skyla called back while I was at work and left me a message. She was shocked at the cost of the vet work and accused the vet of having "a heart of stone" and being greedy. I'm not sure, but she may have also accused me of inflating the costs in order to get more money from her to keep for myself. Here's a transcription of her message:
"Hi *NorthHorse* it's [Skyla] I got your message, my phone has been acting up... um, you said it was going to cost between $250 and $350... and yes I'd like to help out, but I'm confused... I thought our objective was to find someone who would do it 'pro bono,' for free, you know, with the heart of recovering this desperate animal that needs to be caretaked and new home and...has this guy got a heart of stone or something? Where he's just cutting you off a piece of his pie? I'm sure you've got good references from him...couldn't we just peck at his heart a little and get the cost down? I was hoping that since this was a rescue situation, desperate and humanitarian and stuff, he would, you know, get on board with that. I'm glad it's moving forward, but I'm a little confused."
Keep in mind that this same lady has been treating this "desperate animal" as a pet project to be taken up only after her lunch date with her daughter, walking her dog, etc etc etc. She's been delaying action for days, suggesting that moving the llama would be "traumatizing," and wanting to "make friends" with it before anything else. Originally, she even wanted to leave the llama "in the wild" since it was "fending so well for itself." Now all of a sudden it's a desperate situation?
I called Skyla back. She didn't answer, so I left another message. I very nicely explained that part of the cost was the costs of the drugs involved, which the vet couldn't change, and that while I agreed we would certainly ask the vet if he could knock a bit off the bill for charity's sake, vets have to make a living too. I asked her to please call the farmers and ask their permission about a Saturday appointment, and see if they would help me get the trailer out of the mud again.
Skyla called back while I was at work and left her shortest message ever: the answer was no. No, Saturday wouldn't work for the farmers, and Saturday wouldn't work for her either. Sorry, goodbye.
Hmmm....I called the farmers myself. Their names are Ryan and Jake, by the way; the same two young men that tried to help us catch the llama on Monday and got my truck unstuck the first time. Turns out, they're totally fine with the vet and I coming out Saturday. Ryan will be gone, but Jake is quite willing to hitch his tractor to the trailer and pull it out to the road for me.
Skyla lied in order to keep me from moving ahead with rescuing the llama. I think she wants to be in control of the situation.
Screw her then. I don't much care if Skyla's feelings are hurt. This is about the llama, not her. The sooner it receives proper food, water, shelter and vet care, the better. If I left things up to clueless-about-large-animals Skyla, that bimbo would be talking about spiritual healing in animals three months from now, while the llama dies of gangrene or something.
Though I am not going to call Skyla to tell her I'm moving ahead tomorrow, I am worried that she will show up anyway and cause a scene. She doesn't have any claim on the llama (it's my trailer, my vet, my farm, my money, and the farmers don't care) but I can see her getting upset at me/the vet/everyone in a crying hissy fit, or attempting to stop us, or following us back to my farm. Luckily, I've got backup; both Erin and Becky have agreed to help me again. What heroes! If anything does happen with Skyla, they may be able to help diffuse the situation. Or at least hold her down while the vet and I tranquilize her. (Just kidding.)
So that's it! We're on! I've taken vacation from work tomorrow, scraped the courtyard, gotten permission to borrow Dad's truck again, readied the gates and even got a lead on a nearby llama farmer for help and advice. In the morning, I'll be picking up some straw for bedding (the llama is going to have to stay locked in the barn until he's catchable) and maybe some feed to supplement the hay.
Becky's daughter is also coming along, and she says she's willing to take lots of pictures for me, so stay tuned for tomorrow's update!
P.S. Skyla has called me three times today. One of the things she wanted to tell me was that she thought she read that llamas don't like to poop where they haven't pooped before, so she filled a bag with llama poop and hung it in my trailer. Oooookaaaay....
Monday, January 30, 2012
Llama Fail
Apologies to any actual horsey people reading this blog (hah, nobody) but today is yet another llama-based blog. Today was Llama D-Day. I'd agreed to meet Skyla at the dairy farm where the neglected llama was roaming. The original plan was to simply to scope out the situation, and perhaps see if the llama could be bribed with food. (Well, Skyla's plan was to "stare at the llama" and "make friends" with it.) However, when I called her in the morning to coordinate, Skyla seemed especially gung-ho to get the llama moved. Not wanting to waste her sudden change of heart about "traumatizing" the animal, I jumped on the phone and started to try to round up helpers.
Dad wasn't feeling too well (or perhaps contracted a diplomatic virus to excuse his non-involvement), but I borrowed his truck and got over to the farm, where my friend Becky was waiting to help. After that, the entire rest of the afternoon was an almost unmitigated disaster.
First, the pasture gate was frozen to the ground and had to be chipped out, so that when Mr. Llama arrived, he could be separated from the horses.
 |
| I actually took this picture after the day was over, and then promptly dropped my cell phone into the muddy slush puddle. |
Next, hitching the trailer to the truck took about seven frustrating tries because I'm an idiot, and because when you're in a hurry is the worst time to hurry. Luckily, the trip to the dairy farm itself was uneventful, and along the way I was even able to kidnap another friend, Erin, to help. She and Becky are truly good friends; it's not everyone that will agree to try and go rescue a wild llama on the spur of the moment, on a weekday, in the snow. Unfortunately, when we got there I immediately got the truck and trailer stuck in the mud, manure and snow-melt of the sloppy farm yard. Of course it wasn't paved, and was full of narrow, steep, rutted hillocks. By asking nicely I got a couple of the farmers to pull the truck out of the mud and re-position it in a better place. No doubt they thought our whole crew were idiots, and they looked very busy-- nevertheless, they did their best to help us. I don't really blame them for the llama's neglect. They appear to be hired hands or younger sons, working at a hard, filthy job on what looks to be a secondary farm. It's not their llama, not their job, not their concern. They may be guilty of simple indifference, but so am I-- how many times have I driven past this llama and not done anything about it?
The llama was out in the middle of a hay field. The dilapidated cow pasture it might once have been contained in doesn't really have fences. It does have some standing snags of barbed wire that constantly threatened to trip and injure us and the llama as it evaded us. The sheer size of the llama's area is discouraging. There must be well over 100 acres of barren fields that the llama can run around on. That made trying to corral it nearly impossible. The farm didn't have any area at all to even begin to contain the furry critter. Nevertheless, we tried.
Oh how we tried. We tried surrounding it and walking slowly, herding it up towards the trailer. We tried the same thing with a rope to try to form a moving fence. We tried running around it like a wolf pack, scaring it towards the trailer. We tried tempting it with food (this worked) and then lassoing it (this failed miserably). Erin almost got knocked down, I got a nasty rope burn, and the llama didn't seem to tire. When we finally realized that there was just no way we were going to get the llama to the trailer, we tried to bring the trailer to the llama. This involved a plunge down an questionable field drive and a hair-raising trip across the snowy ground, fishtailing all the way. Once there, we realized the llama was even further afield, and half our volunteers were ready to be done.
 |
| Llama rescuers unite! Sort of. |
Becky and Erin were great sports, getting their frozen feet soaked, jogging through the brush and helping uncomplainingly despite the numerous setbacks. The other three...Well, I've blogged about how weird "Skyla" is before. She showed up with 60 feet of clothesline "rope" and a red plastic tub (to serve the llama hay in). In this picture, she's the one dressed like an eccentric nun in a rainstorm. She spent her time hobbling after us, making odd suggestions and mildly disparaging remarks about our efforts. Her friend in the front-middle of this picture showed up quite late and chatted with Skyla most of the time. Ken, hiding in the back of the group, played the role of "manager," offering a constant stream of useless advice based on his "expert" knowledge of llamas, apparently gained by knowing someone who had one once. Despite the farmers' offers of assistance with their tractors, Ken insisted on being the one to get my truck out of the sticky field. In my first wise moment of the entire day, I gave him the keys and walked away. Sometimes, you just have to let a man do his "man thing" and pretend not to notice how stupid he's being. It saves arguments and overall, time. For Ken, this meant him putting hay under the rear wheels of the front-wheel drive truck to serve as traction. Though he did finally get the truck unstuck, he left me plenty of time to snap pictures. We left the trailer behind, open and full of hay, in the unlikely event that the llama might decide to go in on its own, or at least become used to its presence. At the very very least, there is finally some food available. Besides which, if I had demanded to bring it home, I'm sure Ken would have insisted on helping.
The worst part of the failed chase was knowing that although the llama was feisty enough to run away from us, it's clearly suffering. We found spatters and drops of blood in many places, and Erin mentioned the llama's deformed, injured-looking face without any influence on my part. Clearly, it's not just me that thinks his head is messed up.
We're not giving up. We are, however, looking at a possible solution that I had at first ridiculed: a tranquilizer gun. Yes, apparently vets do have these. The question is, how expensive is it going to be to hire a vet to traq a llama? Will that even work? Why do I have to be the kind of person that worries about a goddamn wild-ass llama in the first place? These questions and more may be resolved by next Monday.
Aside from "Skyla's" numerous unintentionally funny statements and the dedication of my friends, the only highlight of today was seeing the baby calves. Dairy cows are weird-headed, slobbering, stinky monsters. Dairy calves are probably the cutest things on the entire planet. *sigh* I really need to work pasture-fed organic meat and dairy into my budget.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Llama Update
I was all set to go to the llama's farm after work and talk to the farmer myself, when I got a message from Skyla. She wanted to talk to me about the llama. It seems she's had a change of heart: she does want to move the llama after all. Well, sort of.
She still doesn't want to traumatize it, so her plan, basically, is to go out and make friends with the llama until it trusts her enough to follow her into a trailer. *massive eyeroll* Apparently, she's willing to let me help with this... some day. She's in no hurry to do something for the llama-- when I told her I could visit immediately after work that very day, or any time Sunday, or any time Monday, she claimed tiredness, a lunch date with her daughter, the desire to go to a log cabin expo, and the need to walk her dog. I reminded her that the llama was out there in the cold, with no food, shelter or water. She responded by saying that the llama had survived this long, and well, she was worried too but there was nothing she could do and she would just have to "give it to the Lord." We finally decided on late Monday morning. She cautioned me very strongly not to go out there without her.
I am beyond frustrated that this lady wants to help the llama-- but only on her terms, after her own fun is done. "Give it to the Lord" is a lazy, self-serving justification for not getting off of her ass sooner. It's sort of like saying, "Well, I am worried about those starving children in Africa, but I just spent all my extra money on a new convertible, so I'll just have to give it to the Lord."
I'm willing to play along until this Monday. After all, I don't know these farmers personally, and I don't want to jeopardize a chance to save the llama by offending Skyla, and thus perhaps the farmers themselves. I don't yet know how close they are. Monday will give me a chance to meet the farmers myself, scope out what the situation would be for getting a trailer in there, and estimate how hard it's going to be to catch the darn llama anyway. With any luck, and a lot of help from Dad, I can organize a rescue that very afternoon-- whether or not Skyla thinks it will be "traumatic" or not.
The most traumatic thing happening here is that the llama is still out there, hungry and cold.
More updates coming soon.
She still doesn't want to traumatize it, so her plan, basically, is to go out and make friends with the llama until it trusts her enough to follow her into a trailer. *massive eyeroll* Apparently, she's willing to let me help with this... some day. She's in no hurry to do something for the llama-- when I told her I could visit immediately after work that very day, or any time Sunday, or any time Monday, she claimed tiredness, a lunch date with her daughter, the desire to go to a log cabin expo, and the need to walk her dog. I reminded her that the llama was out there in the cold, with no food, shelter or water. She responded by saying that the llama had survived this long, and well, she was worried too but there was nothing she could do and she would just have to "give it to the Lord." We finally decided on late Monday morning. She cautioned me very strongly not to go out there without her.
I am beyond frustrated that this lady wants to help the llama-- but only on her terms, after her own fun is done. "Give it to the Lord" is a lazy, self-serving justification for not getting off of her ass sooner. It's sort of like saying, "Well, I am worried about those starving children in Africa, but I just spent all my extra money on a new convertible, so I'll just have to give it to the Lord."
I'm willing to play along until this Monday. After all, I don't know these farmers personally, and I don't want to jeopardize a chance to save the llama by offending Skyla, and thus perhaps the farmers themselves. I don't yet know how close they are. Monday will give me a chance to meet the farmers myself, scope out what the situation would be for getting a trailer in there, and estimate how hard it's going to be to catch the darn llama anyway. With any luck, and a lot of help from Dad, I can organize a rescue that very afternoon-- whether or not Skyla thinks it will be "traumatic" or not.
The most traumatic thing happening here is that the llama is still out there, hungry and cold.
More updates coming soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)