Why are rescues so difficult?

[big brown horse]

No idea why I called you by your first name, lol.

I have always love the Animal Cops:Houston! Never the people (abusers) though :/

Thats ok. No big secret or anything.

savingdogs, I'm right there with ya on pushing spay and neuter. Houston was so bad there was an organization that had special days per month when you could "Fix Fluffy For Free"..it was mobile too.

Yep, I'm proud of HSPCA. They did a fantastic job during the hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

We donated a ton to HSPCA as far as towels and food and even some cash.

They have a great equine rescue division.

I used to workout with the lawyer lady you usually see on Animal Cops Houston. She was awesome!

 

[big brown horse]

One more thing, that poor chicken!!!!! Why wait for 5 days to treat? I never herd of such nonsense!

 

[Shiloh Acres]

I have to agree on the spay/neuter.

I ALWAYS spay/neuter my cats before they are old enough to breed.

I usually wait until a little later with my dogs, but ... I have always had the means to prevent them from being exposed and having unplanned puppies.

Much as I love kittens and puppies ... I have two cats right now and that's enough for THEM ... good dynamics and I want to keep it that way. I don't have time, need, or extra money to want to bring home another anyway.

And as for puppies ... my dog might enjoy a friend, actually, but again, I don't have the extra time to devote to another, and I wouldn't want to have the extra expense either.

I just can't understand people who overload themselves with so many they can't care for them. (It's bad enough me needing to build more rabbit cages since I have a few littermates still housed together. Eleven rabbits is probably more than I need.) That would break my heart to see. You can't enjoy them in that case?

 

[Denim Deb]

And that's why I won't get any more animals at this point in time. I could "afford" to get another horse. They're going for dirt cheap at auction. But, I couldn't afford the upkeep. Same w/another dog, cat, rabbit or goat. About the only animal I'm interested in having more of right now is chickens, but only for the eggs and meat.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

I know what you mean. I might have enough space for a horse. My hay is bartered for eggs right now. I'd love to have one. I could probably have afforded one at auction.

But ...

I am not experienced with them, and I don't know that I could "afford" vet bills for them if something goes wrong. So ... I'm not gonna have a horse right now.

 

[Denim Deb]

If you lived near me, I'd say come on over and I'd teach you about caring for horses. I didn't know a thing about caring for them b4 I met RU. I've learned so much from her and others. While I wanted a horse for as long as I could remember, I also realized that just going out and getting a horse if we ever got property where I could have one would be a big mistake. Now, I have the experience I need, and know I could do it. And, since I'm so eager to learn, I've had my vet tell me that I know more about them than many people who've been around horses all their life.

 

[Shiloh Acres]

Wow, that's awesome! That would be great too ... I wish I did live near you!

That's exactly my situation. I've ALWAYS wanted one. But ... I know just enough to know that it would be a mistake, without me having more experience in caring for them. I hope to stay ahead of the learning curve on the llama and goats as it is. At least I fairly well knew rabbits and poultry.

But to me, a horse is a big responsibility with the amount of knowledge I have, or rather the amount I lack!

Maybe someday. Hopefully before I'm too old to enjoy one, LOL.

 

[savingdogs]

I always wanted a horse too but they just cost too much. And they are really recreational whereas my other livestock all have a purpose.

There are horse rescues here, they are overwhelmed right now with people who cannot afford their horses. And they are not hoarders.....just folks falling on hard times.

Lots of people cannot afford the animals they have. You cannot call them all hoarders. Hoarders have a sick compulsion to acquire more animals and more animals and don't realize they are not caring for them. I have met some who actually called themselves "rescuers".....I had to cringe. Those folks give the real rescuers like me a bad name sometimes. Generally, anyone doing things on their own I would check out more carefully. It takes a group effort to run a successful animal rescue. If they are operating on their own, they probably were kicked out of some ethical group.

I know I'm talking generalities here, but that is what I've found locally.

 

[farmerlor]

I know a lady and I don't really know if she's a hoarder or not. She has a heart as big as Texas and a wallet just about that big so whenever she hears about a horse that needs a home she's right there. I don't even know how many horses she has now and I'm willing to bet she doesn't either but she has plenty of room, plenty of food for them, she has help to come clean and feed. The horses don't get a lot of human interaction, they aren't trained and only a couple of them are ridden but I guess they're better off there than they would be somewhere else or slaughtered.
If I won the lottery that's the kind of hoarder I'd be.

 

[savingdogs]

A hoarder does not care for their animals and has a compulsion to get more and more whether they can afford them or have the time to care for them and often let them keep breeding.

Your horse friend sounds like someone I would term a rescuer.....unless they are neglected. Bless people like that...where would those horses be without her?

I say those of you unhappy with your local shelters, DO something about it.

The before and after in our area was intense! We went from a crummy, smelly, small, infested dank rows of cages with a nasty man for a director, to a beautiful new gorgeous facility with a great reputation that works with the community and people LIKE to go there.

Our tax dollars often pay for these places to exist..........DEMAND more of your community. It won't get better unless you do.