Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

Not a great weekend at DS's house. They came home around dark early Friday evening. The first thing they saw was a pile of feathers. They have two ducks that I gave them some months back. They turned on the lights and started looking for the ducks. Found both of them alive, but severely injured. Two German Shepherds and another large mixed breed dog had breached their fences and were in their yard. They have a large dog of their own, but they have to chain him when they are gone because he will jump out of the fence. They called me and I gave them as much info as I could to try and help the ducks. Daughter in law called me early Saturday morning to tell me that one of the ducks died - and that they had found their dog dead! It looks like the stray dogs had attacked their dog too and being chained he must not have been able to protect himself adequately. He was a young, strong dog, but trying to fight off three large dogs must've just been too much for him. Son and DIL never knew he was injured. They said that he was alive, and watching them go back and forth trying to take care of the ducks, but that he didn't come out of his house. That's where they found him dead the next morning. They called Animal Control who arrived quickly and told them that they had been out to a house down the road a few days ago because two German Shepherds had killed 4 goats. Officers wanted video or picture evidence so that he can ticket the owners and possibly confiscate/euthanize the offending dogs. My son says that if the dogs come back on his property that they won't leave. I suggested that he pop them with a paint gun so that the owners can be ticketed, fined and have to make restitution. A little more satisfying than SSS - and a lot less work for DS! The animal control officers said he would be fine to protect his livestock, but they would also prefer the paint gun route or pics/video.

I haven't heard anything this morning about the remaining duck. We're going over this afternoon to watch the game and medicate the duck again if he's still alive.

On the home front we're expecting some rain today and later in the week so I got out early this morning to move a round bale before it gets really muddy. Had a lot of fun with that - NOT! But, it's done and the goats have new hay for 3 (or more) weeks. Moved a bunch of chickens yesterday that totally destroyed my cabbage plants. They were just starting to head up.... Stoopid chickens. Switched the male quail to the other cage with the other females to try and get more fertilized eggs. I'll switch him back and forth for awhile until I get a hatch.

Going to start a pot of chili to have at half-time. Better get to it...

Happy Sunday ya'll!

 

[tortoise]

wow. speechless! :'(

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Me too..

 

[Mini Horses]

So sorry. I'm sure they are heartbroken over the loss of their dog. I would be! Hope the offending animals are found and owners pay for losses. It will never heal you heart but, they deserve to be financially made whole.

 

[baymule]

So sorry about the ducks and dog. What a shock to find him dead. So sad. Hope they catch those dogs.

We had a dog dumped after Christmas. I called Animal Control and he came right out and got her. A half grown pup, fawn color and black mouth. She was sweet and just wanting to find a friend. The officer said she would have no problem finding a home. The county gives the dogs away, you have to show proof of neuter and shots within 30 days. If a dog is there too long, they send them to another shelter. Mean dogs get put down. I hate people who dump dogs.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

We went over there today to watch the Texans lose pitifully... The remaining duck seems to be holding his own. Fingers crossed that he makes it. I'm cautiously optimistic - but birds can go down so quickly. Time will tell I guess.

I just don't get people who dump dogs. It's such a terrible thing to do to an animal. Years ago on a driving trip from here to Tennessee DH and I stopped at a little out of the way store for gas and snacks. There was a very skinny, but lactating dog in the parking lot going from person to person, car to car, pleading with her eyes for help from every human she could get close to. I was so struck by this dog that I told DH that we've got to help her. She had been sorely abused by humans, but yet was still looking to humans to help her. Still holding on to that trust that someone would do something for her.

I looked all through that store and there wasn't a can or bag of dog food anywhere. I looked for lunch meat - nope. I asked the clerk if she belonged to somebody. He said she was a stray or more likely had been dumped. I finally bought a loaf of bread and took it to her. She gulped down the first few slices of that bread like she hadn't eaten in years. What she did with the rest of the bread amazed me because she stuffed her mouth and cheeks full of everything she could and then took off out of that parking lot as fast as she could go. DH and I finished getting our gas and headed back out on the road. A mile or so down the road I saw that mama dog again. She had carried all the bread that she could back to her pups.

That dog haunts me to this day. I'd rather put a dog down than abandon one like that. It's such a chicken $hit thing to do to an animal. Be responsible people!

 

[flowerbug]

...
That dog haunts me to this day. I'd rather put a dog down than abandon one like that. It's such a chicken $hit thing to do to an animal. Be responsible people!

that's one of my peeves too. we've bred these animals to be dependent and social with us so they've mostly not been geared towards survival on their own any more. we've not had too many dog drop offs here but we have had a lot of kitten drop offs. most of them don't live longer than a day or two but if they are socialized enough to come to us we take them to the animal shelter (where they don't meet a likely great end, but at least they're not starved to death or run over by a car or eaten by some wild creature). it is such an act of cowardice to not deal with your own issue and to dump it off on someone else with the idea that everything will be perfect for them "out in the country"... grr!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

And....the second duck died.

I finished the electric fence project a few days ago....but it's not finished with me apparently. I'm breaking out all over with something. I'm going to have to assume it's poison....something. I've never been allergic to any of the poisons - oak, ivy or sumac... Guess getting old has lots of surprises! I was cutting a bunch of vines that were over my head and pulling them down. Lots of little pieces fell on my head and everywhere else. I've got itchy spots in my hair, behind my ear, on my cheek, on my wrists, and … uh... on … those two protrusions on my chest that are so good at catching everything, lol. Talk about miserable!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

The area where I was working:

I thought all that stuff was dead. Who knew it could still attack me?

 

[flowerbug]

it may take several exposures to poison ivy or the others to get the reaction to it to show up.

it is a miserable experience - i can commiserate.

the dead stems can still cause reactions, please don't burn it (and breath the smoke!). what i've removed from here i usually just cut it and leave it in place because where it is does not get used by us much at all and i know where to look for it. i have to warn Mom to stay away from some areas until i clear them out because she always seems to be able to find it and get it on her somehow. eventually it does rot so burying it (but you have to make sure it is dead first) will at least isolate it if you have children or dogs or such that might otherwise get into it - at least then it is out of sight and out of mind (we hope ).