Do you about throw up every time someone says, "it's only going to get worse," regarding the reports of starving horses in our area?here is a response that I have found to be very satisfying:
"No, it won't get worse. Not in our area anyway. Because our Sheriffs and Humane Officers and State's Attorneys are investigating and charging people with inhumane treatment of animals, if they are indeed treating their animals inhumanely. It's getting better! not worse."
PERIOD. That's all you have to say. Your point will have been made.
Recently there have been several stories in our local news related to inhumane treatment of animals. the charges involve starving horses. emaciated horses. a horse with a damaged eyeball. a horse stolen and tortured. horses already dead by the time help arrives, puppy mills, dead puppies, injured dogs. And some people (even though they love animals and cry when they read these sad stories) don't think these stories should make the news. It's like, "yes I want the animals to get help and yes I want the people to get a little talkin' to, but I don't want everyone to know about it." I try and try and try to understand that separation and all I can come up with is they want the process to go so far and pertain only to that particular incident and hope that person never does it again and let that be that, but they don't want to deal with or be reminded of the big picture. They only want to go so far but don't want to take the last step that achieves progress, because that last step is a really really big one and can't be undone. They only want to go far enough so that others will notice they care and feel bad, but they don't want to go so far that their neighbors might get mad at them, even if the neighbors' animals are dead because they didn't get fed. They don't understand that when a crime is ignored, people think it isn't really a crime and it's ok to do it, that it's acceptable. And so it happens more often. But if the crime is dealt with as serious and unacceptable and punishable, people know that it is a serious crime that it is not going to be ignored. And so it happens less often. For those of us who concentrate on both the individual horse as well as the big picture, yes, of course, we want to help that horse. But we also, just as badly, want to make an educational point and influence in some little way, the big picture, to do what we can to decrease, not increase, the cases of neglected/abused horses and the cases of irresponsible horse breeders and owners. And you just can't do that by keeping things a secret.
You see, if people know it is no longer acceptable to treat horses this way, that it's not the norm, that it's not just some piddly little thing like spitting your gum out your car window, it will happen less often. Who wants to go to jail? pay fines? be totally embarrassed? have their kids deal with this kind of publicity? Who wants that? No one that I know! So, if people know that horse neglect is not exempt from all of this, horse neglect will happen less often. And that's why it is right that it is making the news around here. The stories need to be told. The problem cannot be hush-hushed. It exists and must be dealt with, in order to focus on the big picture and make things better not worse.
I would like to say that we are becoming kinder and smarter where animal welfare is concerned. That alone would make for fewer cases of inhumane treatment to animals. But the reality is that the thought of jail time and convictions probably outweighs the "be-kind-to-animals" theory.
So, let's try this again. Your co-worker who knows nothing about what's going on in the horse industry, comments on a news story involving a person charged with not feeding his horses. Co-worker shakes his head, noting the poor economy, "poor guy, hard times, and it's only gonna get worse," Co-worker says.
OK, and now what is your response?
"No, it won't get worse. Not in our area anyway. Because our Sheriffs and Humane Officers and State's Attorneys are investigating and charging people with inhumane treatment of animals, if they are indeed treating their animals inhumanely. It's getting better! not worse."
Yes! That is the right answer! Very good response!
This response addresses the no-clue "breeders" with no business & marketing sense who take their skinny wormy young horses to shabby little low-end salebarns to try to get $5 to $150 for them and call it a good day (I wonder what the mares look like at home). and that's if they have an ounce of ambition to get the horses in a trailer and haul them to the salebarn. Others just let them stand around at home and get skinnier and wormier until they die. With the poor skinny wormy mares bred back again for the next year, bred to the same stallion, the same product, the same packaging, and still no market. Stupid Business Plan. That's all it is.
PERIOD. That's all you have to say. Your point will have been made.
Recently there have been several stories in our local news related to inhumane treatment of animals. the charges involve starving horses. emaciated horses. a horse with a damaged eyeball. a horse stolen and tortured. horses already dead by the time help arrives, puppy mills, dead puppies, injured dogs. And some people (even though they love animals and cry when they read these sad stories) don't think these stories should make the news. It's like, "yes I want the animals to get help and yes I want the people to get a little talkin' to, but I don't want everyone to know about it." I try and try and try to understand that separation and all I can come up with is they want the process to go so far and pertain only to that particular incident and hope that person never does it again and let that be that, but they don't want to deal with or be reminded of the big picture. They only want to go so far but don't want to take the last step that achieves progress, because that last step is a really really big one and can't be undone. They only want to go far enough so that others will notice they care and feel bad, but they don't want to go so far that their neighbors might get mad at them, even if the neighbors' animals are dead because they didn't get fed. They don't understand that when a crime is ignored, people think it isn't really a crime and it's ok to do it, that it's acceptable. And so it happens more often. But if the crime is dealt with as serious and unacceptable and punishable, people know that it is a serious crime that it is not going to be ignored. And so it happens less often. For those of us who concentrate on both the individual horse as well as the big picture, yes, of course, we want to help that horse. But we also, just as badly, want to make an educational point and influence in some little way, the big picture, to do what we can to decrease, not increase, the cases of neglected/abused horses and the cases of irresponsible horse breeders and owners. And you just can't do that by keeping things a secret.
You see, if people know it is no longer acceptable to treat horses this way, that it's not the norm, that it's not just some piddly little thing like spitting your gum out your car window, it will happen less often. Who wants to go to jail? pay fines? be totally embarrassed? have their kids deal with this kind of publicity? Who wants that? No one that I know! So, if people know that horse neglect is not exempt from all of this, horse neglect will happen less often. And that's why it is right that it is making the news around here. The stories need to be told. The problem cannot be hush-hushed. It exists and must be dealt with, in order to focus on the big picture and make things better not worse.
I would like to say that we are becoming kinder and smarter where animal welfare is concerned. That alone would make for fewer cases of inhumane treatment to animals. But the reality is that the thought of jail time and convictions probably outweighs the "be-kind-to-animals" theory.
So, let's try this again. Your co-worker who knows nothing about what's going on in the horse industry, comments on a news story involving a person charged with not feeding his horses. Co-worker shakes his head, noting the poor economy, "poor guy, hard times, and it's only gonna get worse," Co-worker says.
OK, and now what is your response?
"No, it won't get worse. Not in our area anyway. Because our Sheriffs and Humane Officers and State's Attorneys are investigating and charging people with inhumane treatment of animals, if they are indeed treating their animals inhumanely. It's getting better! not worse."
Yes! That is the right answer! Very good response!
This response addresses the no-clue "breeders" with no business & marketing sense who take their skinny wormy young horses to shabby little low-end salebarns to try to get $5 to $150 for them and call it a good day (I wonder what the mares look like at home). and that's if they have an ounce of ambition to get the horses in a trailer and haul them to the salebarn. Others just let them stand around at home and get skinnier and wormier until they die. With the poor skinny wormy mares bred back again for the next year, bred to the same stallion, the same product, the same packaging, and still no market. Stupid Business Plan. That's all it is.
And it also addresses the people who (with no money or facilities or ambition to do chores or knowledge of how to properly care for and train a horse) go to these shabby little low-end salebarns and buy these skinny wormy young horses for $5 to $150, take them home, fence them in, and provide even less than what the horses had before!
In all of our cases involving horses rescued from starvation, it's never been about the economy. It's never about anything. Except the situations mentioned above. The people with a legitimate excuse of "poor economy" and "poor market" are not going around buying more horses and they certainly are not breeding their mares back if no one would buy the babies the previous year. The responsible horse owners are not doing that. And we do not rescue horses from starvation when they are owned by responsible breeders and horse owners. Because responsible breeders and owners do not let their horses starve. It's the irresponsible ones, the ones mentioned in the above paragraph, who are causing the problem. They can't afford to feed a horse yet they go buy one. They can't afford to get the stud colts gelded so now the mares are pregnant and there wasn't enough food for them all the way it was! Those are the ones causing the problems. You think they have a clue about the economy? about the horse market? Surely not. Or they would not be buying and breeding these horses.
These are the people who need to read and see the news stories about other people doing time because they didn't feed their horses.
And at the same time, we can continue to focus in on the big picture too. We can continue to think about and remember the big problem of the cycle of horse neglect, and what it takes to break the cycle. So let's try to remember the big picture too.
These are the people who need to read and see the news stories about other people doing time because they didn't feed their horses.
And at the same time, we can continue to focus in on the big picture too. We can continue to think about and remember the big problem of the cycle of horse neglect, and what it takes to break the cycle. So let's try to remember the big picture too.
Let's remember to ask questions and voice opinions about giving these rescued horses a chance at a good life now. In a new home. With guidelines or restrictions on breeding and re-sale.
Let's remember to ask questions and voice opinions about the future of all of the horses, not just some of the horses, that are owned by these people.
Let's remember to ask questions and voice opinions about the irresponsible reproduction of these neglected horses.
Let's remember to ask questions and voice opinions that may help lead to the end of a particular cycle of neglect for a particular entire herd (not just part of the herd), for a particular location, for a particular horse owner. Forever.
The photo above is Saint Nick, whose inhumane treatment resulted in his death. His owner was convicted.
No, it's not going to get worse. It can't. It can only get better. For the Horses.
Addition: I am adding this to this post. I just found it in the news but it happened about a month ago. DoubleHP received reports about these horses and forwarded the info. on to Second Chance Rescue. DoubleHP has no legal authority, so you are better off making your reports directly to a Sheriff or a Humane Officer. But here is an example of how it really does help to report things.
48 year old Kenneth Backes and 51 year old Johnny Backes were ordered to turn ownership for 13 of 14 animals previously seized from their property to the Second Chance Rescue Center. They also pled to one count of inhumane treatment of an animal for one of the colts seized. All other charges were dismissed. 14 animals were taken in the Hanson County community of Emery after authorities received a tip that the animals were malnourished. The brothers are also not allowed to have any other livestock on their property before June 1st of 2010 and after that they're only allowed three head of livestock total.
No, it's not going to get worse. It can't. It can only get better. For the Horses.
Addition: I am adding this to this post. I just found it in the news but it happened about a month ago. DoubleHP received reports about these horses and forwarded the info. on to Second Chance Rescue. DoubleHP has no legal authority, so you are better off making your reports directly to a Sheriff or a Humane Officer. But here is an example of how it really does help to report things.
48 year old Kenneth Backes and 51 year old Johnny Backes were ordered to turn ownership for 13 of 14 animals previously seized from their property to the Second Chance Rescue Center. They also pled to one count of inhumane treatment of an animal for one of the colts seized. All other charges were dismissed. 14 animals were taken in the Hanson County community of Emery after authorities received a tip that the animals were malnourished. The brothers are also not allowed to have any other livestock on their property before June 1st of 2010 and after that they're only allowed three head of livestock total.
