going above one's head

Usually I'm a gal that goes straight to the source but today I had no patience for that... I went above someones head. I'm getting ahead of myself here though...let me begin at the begining.

Gabe and I went to go visit a nearby berry farm that has all sorts of nice produce and plants and um ...snacks. As well as the promise of snacks there was also the draw that there are some farm animals there to visit. Mind you I had only been there once before...years before our little Gabe.

So ANYWAY....we over to the animals and to my utter shock the place was DISGUSTING. The stalls loked like they hadn't been mucked out in a week...there was hardly any clean water for them to drink (the sheep has about an inch in teir bucket). There was very little shade and what there was of it was completly and utterly soaked in manure and urine...therfore covering the poor animals trying to escape the heat. In the rabbit room among the piles of feces in the corner of every cage was a cage that had fallen off the stack (yes there were stacks of cages) and was over-turned on the floor....WITH A RABBIT IN IT PEOPLE!!!!! the poor thing had no water/food/bedding/hay. I mentioned this to 2 different people that worked there and they said they would fix it (they hadn't by the time I left). The kicker is that this place is run by a 4-H program. Pathetic.

I was so angry I went in(again) and asked for the person's number to give them an earfull. They gave me the number and explained to me that the berry farm was separate from the animals and that they were not responsible. How nice for them.

On the way home I called the town's animal control officer and left a long and detailed message. I was going to call the guy in charge of the 4-H program but decided I didn't really need to hear his excuses and went online (oh how I LOVE online) and got the number for the MSPCA Law Enforcement. I called and talked to a very helpful woman who assured me they would send and officer out to investigate and tokd me to call next week to check in on the case. So yeah I went over someones head today...and it felt good.

OH and the pictures are of some of my own horse Casey(I sadly had to sell him before college) and his best friend Heidi the nubian goat. Some pictures of me when I first started showing and riding and even some of the alpacas (there was a heard of about 35) I used to care for ( I helped deliver the babies).
I thought I would put them up to show you guys I'm not some crazy PETA inspired vigilanty. Just someone who knows about livestock and equine managment. You see as well as being an artist I have worked as an exercise rider/ alpaca farm manager/ show groom/stall mucker-outer/animal trainer . I have ridden and shown horses since I was 10, I always had my animals on my property (not boarded), meaning I took care of them 24/7. I don't hold myself and others to unreasonable standards of cleanliness in a barnyard setting. I mean for pete's sake...YOU chose the animal they didn't choose you. Treat them as you would yourself and pick up after them. Sheesh!

OK. Done ranting. Continue with your day. =)

Comments

[Vaxgirl]

How awful! You did the right thing. I like how animal control said you can call back and check. I really hope they clean up the place.

[Ez]

Good for you! Someone has to speak up for the voiceless... and I'm glad that today they had you!

Fellow believer in treating animals with kindness and love...
xo
Ez

[tania]

hmph!!
good for you- that place sounds disgusting and cruel!
pat yourself on the back!!

[Jen]

Good for you. My little girl is riding right now on Buddy. Animals need a voice too.

[star]

i think that's great that you said something! good job!! do you think you'll check back to see if they fixed everything?

[Azma]

Well done for standing up to them! To be honest sometimes I'm a bit of a coward when it comes to things like this, really admire you for it!

[LeslieG]

Hey Steph:

It is so nice for me to check your blog site to catch up. Did you make the deadline for dd's? I can't wait to see it. I love some of your prints...are the originals sold? Les

[renee]

Have you gone back to see if there were any changes?
It's so awesome that you did that.