Warning - Soap Box Alert - Warning

Warning, everyone. Soap Box Alert. If you don't want to hear me rant and rave, you might want to skip tonights post.

My most ultimate of pet peeves.

If you don't have the money to take care of the animals you own (let's not even get into discussing that verb at the present moment) then you have no right to own those animals at all. Period. End of subject.

Here's my ranting. The horse was choking. I called the vet. Now, today, comes the discussion that maybe I 'shouldn't have called the vet.' Sorry. My barn. My rules. You actually want to tell me that I'm taking too good of care of your animal? That if she didn't make it, I 'shouldn't blame myself if stuff happens?'

Ain't happening. It would be one thing if I went out in the morning and found her and there was nothing I could do about it. But to tell me to purposefully leave her out there to sort things out for herself? I don't think so. NEVER.

Ohy, vey. You've got to be kidding, right? The vet bill for that night, which I offered to split, was $136.00 Yep. That's it. Her half was $68.00 Doesn't have the money right now. Fine. I'll pay the vet, you pay me. "No, no, don't worry about the vet. I'll pay him when I get it." No. I'll pay the vet - check went out in the mail today - and you can pay me.

Remember that wonderful relationship I have with my vet - the one where I pay my bill and he comes to take care of my horses when I call him, no matter what time of the night or day of the year it is? There is a reason for that. I PAY him. Duh. That's his job. That's how he pays his bills. Feeds his horses. Takes care of his family. Pays for his house and truck.

If you don't want me to take care of your horse, your trailer isn't blocked behind a snow bank. You can take her somewhere else. I'm not making any money at it. Yes, you buy your hay. Yes, you buy your grain. Yes, you come every other weekend or so to clean her run in shed. Yes, you give me some hay in exchange for keeping her here. Trust me. If it were a paying business, it's a good thing I have a day job.

Don't tell me not to blanket her when she's shivering and it's cold outside. Don't tell me not to feed her in the stall when the weather is nasty. Don't tell me not to do what I normally do for any horse under my care. Don't tell me not to baby her. Too bad. So sad. You don't want me to do those things, then move her.

You have to be joking, right? Not only do I live in a fishbowl (right on the main drag through town) and EVERYONE driving by can see all my animals AND (just in case you are someone who doesn't know me and hasn't googled/anywho'd my name) just because I am the Constable/Animal Control Officer for our town AND I work with many rescues AND I live in my grandfathers house, right next door to where I grew up and EVERYONE knows who I am... even with all that, don't you think that I'm going to take just as good care of your horse as I do my own because that IS JUST WHAT I DO.

For Pete's Sake. I'm not well off. I live in an old farm house that we are fixing up as we can. We drive second hand trucks. I take VERY GOOD CARE of my animals. I take VERY GOOD CARE of my children. I TAKE VERY GOOD care of my husband.

When you have an animal, it's a privilege. A responsibility. Not a RIGHT. No animal ever asked to be in your care. If you can't care for that animal properly, GET RID OF IT. Sell it, give it away, put it down. Do what is best for the animal. DON'T complain to me that you don't have money. If you can't afford to take proper care of your horse, DON'T HAVE A HORSE. DON'T HAVE AN ANIMAL. Don't even have kids. Have a plant. If that plant dies, then, well, sucks for the plant, but at least it wasn't an animal. Or a kid.

God help us. This world truly does suck most days. People think they 'deserve' to OWN things. I think people should be very careful about what they think they deserve to own. I think most people don't deserve to own a plant, much less a child or an animal.

Get a clue. Go buy a book if you want to own something. Not a breathing, living, beating heart.



Ok. Sorry. I just got up to get something to drink and re-read what I wrote. Hmmm. Guess I should let you all know exactly how I feel. lol.

Well, at least I feel a little better venting.

By the way, Elias is doing better. However, the vet called tonight and we have a (gasp) regular! appointment to have him come over to see Elias and see if we need any further injections of antibiotics. And the on call vet for when he is gone lives right up the road. Cool. Don't even need a new phone number. The answering service will page him for me, too!

Got the second bill today. Gulp. Can't wait to get the third and fourth. Good thing I have to work extra this week until they get my new boss hired. Might also start looking for another part time job - maybe ask the vet if he needs an assistant. Will work for vet bill. Sigh.

Gotta go hug those horses. I truly do feel privileged by having them in my life and them trusting me to care for them. Bleck on people. Ok, not all people. Just some people. Bleck.