1 week Ago By Ann Bailey
The other day when I looked out our kitchen window, I saw a robin pecking at the ice in the bird bath. The water I had put in the day before had frozen overnight, and the bird repeatedly was tapping his beak to try to break through and get a drink. I couldn’t bear watching the poor little guy struggle so I went and filled a milk jug with warm water and melted the ice.
I know some people would say “it’s just a bird,” but one of the things my parents instilled in me when I was growing up on the farm was to compassionately care for God’s creatures. ADVERTISEMENT That meant feeding the cows, horses, cats and dogs every morning before we had our own breakfast and having respect for the domestic animals and the wild footed and winged creatures that crossed our paths. Over the years, we took in dogs and cats that wandered into the farmyard and called the game warden to rescue wild creatures that had wandered from the creek down the road into our farmyard.
During the three decades we’ve lived on our own farm, my husband and children have rescued nine cats — one of which had 10 kittens before she was tame enough to take to the vet to spay — and four dogs. All of the cats but one were strays that were dropped off at our farm by someone. We adopted one of the cats and all four of the dogs from our local animal shelter.
We took all of the cats and dogs to our veterinarian to be spayed or neutered and to get vaccinations, which were followed up by annual appointments for boosters. The investment we make in the creatures under our care is not and, shouldn’t be, considered excessive. Having pets spayed or neutered, getting them vaccinated against diseases and giving them food and shelter is the minimum requirement that their owners should expect to do.
My deep affection for animals leaves me feeling incensed when I read the Facebook posts of rescue organizations and animal shelters seeking fosters and adopters for cats and dogs that have been abused, abandoned or both. I try not to pass judgment on their former owners and to understand how they could do it to their pets, but I cannot. The most recent example of what I consider to be total lack of responsibility and the ultimate act of unkindness was when I saw a Facebook post from a horse owner who found a week old foal in their pasture one morning.
The tiny, skinny foal still had its umbilical cord attached. The owners gave the foal the best care they could while they waited for a veterinarian to come to their farm and examine it, feeding it mare milk replacer from a bottle, keeping it in a warm barn, covered by a blanket and letting it feel the kindness of human touches and voices. Despite their best efforts, the foal was too ill to be saved so the veterinarian euthanized it so it would no longer suffer.
ADVERTISEMENT I was indignant, angry and heartbroken just from reading the Facebook post of the horse owners who found the foal. I can’t imagine their sadness and frustration at the situation in which they found themselves. For me, one of the most frustrating parts of animal abuse and/or abandonment is that it is preventable.
There’s no reason someone has to accept from someone else or buy a pet that they aren’t going to take care of properly. If they are given a dog, cat or horse from someone or buy one, they need to commit to its care for the duration of the animal’s life, which could be from 15 to 30 years, depending on the species. Even if the good intentions of people to make that commitment aren’t followed through because of some unforeseen or emergency life situation, abandonment still isn’t acceptable.
There are many rescue organizations, animal shelters or individuals who will foster or adopt them. I believe that proper care of animals isn't an option, but a responsibility that humans have because they, like us, were created by Him. Psalm 50:10-11 “For every animal of the forest is mine, beasts by the thousands on my mountains.
I know every bird of the heavens; the creatures of the field belong to me.” Ann Bailey lives on a farmstead near Larimore, North Dakota, that has been in her family since 1911. You can reach her at 218-779-8093 or anntbailey58@gmail.
com..
