Jingles, Chantershelper, you’re a class act!! :yes:
i’m just left shaking my head
this really sucks.
in all honesty i was getting mixed signals on and off throughout this saga, but when chanter was finally moved and her horses joined her, i was happy b/c everything seemed to have worked out… didn’t expect this at all.
i just hope that this experinece doesn’t permanently jade chantershelper and others who reached out.
I want you to get through this too CH. I know how you are feeling, and I do feel very bad for you.
There is nothing I can do other than keep you in my good thoughts today.
I have tried to do what you tried, and it never worked out.
Just remember, don’t beat yourself up over it.
Chantershelper - I admire you for trying to help and your faith in human nature, and I’m sorry if I gave the impression I didn’t. I was in a similar situation very recently. Lots of jingles and good wishes.
:o Yes, (holds up hand) I was one of the Chanter supporters who apparently failed to “see the forest for the trees”. I saw Chanter as a person, down on her luck, and in need of a caring, helping hand. And if I had the ability (meaning a farm set up with living arrangements for help) I would/could have been ‘Chantershelper -2 ’ ! :eek:
Now in retrospect, I see that unfortunately things aren’t always as they seem. Yes, Chanter needed help, and in fact still does. But the kind of help that she needs should be addressed by professionals who are equipped to deal with such issues. Although, in defense of those of us who originally supported Chanter, the most pressing need at the time seemed to have been helping to get her out of a very bad situation and the COTHers who were able to lend a hand in doing this are to be commended – you are all truly wonderful people. :yes: Your hearts were in the right place and you reached out to help a fellow horse owner in seemingly desperate need. The original goal was accomplished, but now it seems that the true reason for Chanter’s seeming “string of bad luck”, as it were, has hit like a bomb. And unfortunately, Chantershelper is in the middle of the fallout!
Chantershelper, is there anything at all that you can think of that we can do to help you? You are such a “class act” and I hate that you find yourself in such an incredible situation now. 
Please keep us up to date on how you are doing.
Jingles for a peaceful outcome - soon.
Well, you are certainly in my thoughts, and I hope that you can come to a mutually agreeable decision in the very, very near future.
It seems to me the first order of business is to get Chanter speaking to someone who is not emotionally involved in the situation. Perhaps you can pull in a neutral third party to help negotiate a settlement of a sort? Isn’t there such a thing as a professional arbitrator?
I would guess everyone there is suffering some serious PTSD - ice storms are the worst things ever - and there are a lot of raw edges. I truly do wish you AND Chanter happier days ahead.
Best wishes for all involved. And I hope everyone’s horses are settling in well. We could all learn a lesson from our voiceless friends - they seem to need so little to be happy.
CH, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband at this difficult time.
I hope there can be a peaceful resolution to all of this.
None of us who advised caution wanted this to happen, but unfortunately, I wasn’t surprised when it did. Deeply saddened, but not surprised.
Good luck. Please keep us posted.
Chantershelper, can you get a third party to come and help you communcate with her, preferably a lawyer or even someone from the sheriff’s office?
That way the law will be involved and maybe she will get themessage that you mean business. Otherwise, your niceness might cause the whole process to be dragged out, and it sounds like that will be a real problem for everyone involved. PLEASe PM me if you need help as I work in state government and might be able to make some calls and at least steer you in a direction.
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If my 14 pound cat can stop me dead in my tracks to alert me I’m about to go down, I’m sure a dog of the same size can find ways. Certainly, the cat can’t pull me to the floor but that figure-8ing around the feet thing will halt my progress if I’m walking or about to stand up. He’s also been known to lay across my shins/ calves when I’ve been resting so that I can’t get up too quickly. It’s pretty effective. I’ve noticed the only times that the cat lays across both legs are when I’m incredibly dizzy and would certainly risk fainting if I stood up quickly. So, while I may not have “seizures” per say, the concept of the animal sensing an “attack” of the brain that could lead to injury is the same.
My cats doing the winding around the ankles thing, I always thought was to try and bring me down, so they could rifle through my pockets! 
I’m not saying there aren’t intact seizure animals, but except for other folks saying that’s what Chanter’s dogs could be, I never heard yes or no from Chanter herself. All she said was that they were “service” dogs.
From what I understand, service dog organizations replace service dogs, not leave a retired one in a home with the new one. And they certainly wouldn’t leave two dogs with someone who is in dire straits financially, and in a bad housing situation.
Licensed service dogs, according to the service dog sites I’ve read, will leave the retired one with it’s owner and still place the new one there also if the owner desires that. They prefer the dog to stay with their family if it’s financiallyfeasible.
However, there hasn’t been a service dog site for seizure dogs yet that has condoned or that will train, place or license an intact male dog. Stating that intact male dogs aren’t considered safe as a service dog in public since they cannot always maintain their attnetion on the owner in the presence of females in heat and/or other intact male dogs can attempt to fight with them or vice versa. Apparently they require all service pups or dogs to be neutered before any training begins, including seizure dogs.
Thanks for clearing that up, Misty.
My former SIL trains service dogs (not seizure ones), and told me that all placed dogs have to be spayed or neutered, just for the reasons you cited.
Apparently there are also only 18 certified seizure dog training facilities in the USA. Any breed can be trained for the three types of seizure dogs. No type or breed can be trained to alert pre-seizure, some just can do it and others can’t. Studies have already been done trying to determine if it’s an inheritable trait, those dogs are kept intact but are not allowed to be placed since certified guide and service dogs aren’t allowed to be intact males or females. The intact seizure alert dogs are kept in a study only facility. None of the certified training centers for seizure dogs will acccept an intact dog in their training programs.
CH- maybe the foul weather has been a blessing in disguise, because you (and we) are able to see Chanter’s true colors here.
And better it be sooner rather than later that you find out. The longer she stays there, the harder she will be to get rid of.
I am sorry, but what a parasite… how sad is it for you to extend yourself for someone who is going to take advantage this way? I wish all that help could have gone to someone who really deserved it and who would have appreciated it.
Ugh.
Thanks for seconding what I have been saying since the beginning of this thread: Professinally placed SERVICE DOGS are NEUTERED. I guess I could call my chihuahuas “service dogs” too since the provide me with the service of “enjoyment”. My Rottie is a “service dog” since she protects the home. And gee, they are ALL NEUTERED.
Chanter sounds like a pro at making people feel sorry for her and preying on the big hearted folks out there. I think that is called being a manipulator, brain injured or not.
Social Services, folks. And the sheriff. CH has got to have some help here.
I’m not sure that all dogs serving as service dogs have to come through and be trained by a recognized organization. It was my understanding that some people acquire dogs through other means and use them for service purposes, and can even get the required permission to bring them in public places etc., even if those dogs weren’t trained by an official organization. I may be incorrect, and feel free to let me know if I am. My interaction with the service dog community was tangental. In Georgia I did some animal assisted therapy with my cats, and some of the other volunteers were involved to different degrees in training service animals. Not all of them appeared to be going through official organizations.
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The term “service dog” is apparetnly used rather loosely.
So might the term “brain injured”…
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/svcanimb.htm
The ADA defines what constitues a service animal. The ADA does not appear to require that an animal be neutered.
I can understand that the organizations that train service animals might require neutering, but based on the ADA definition alone-- it looks to me like someone might be able to have their animal certified as a service animal, even if that animal was not trained by a recognized organization.
I am glad to defer to those more in the know, but it appears to me that a person might take any dog, from any source, and have it certified as an ADA service animal if the animal does provide a service to the handicapped person.
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Chantershelper…I know it’s probably dicey to post much here on the BB, but do let us know how you all are doing.
I think it would be good also to know how Chanter is doing as well as WHAT she is doing. She is obviously not totally stable and I would imagine erratic in her behaviors. I’m not throwing rocks there, just stating her situation/mental condition.
I’m sure that the cross country trip and extreme weather were quite unsettling and stressful…it certainly would have stressed me out doing all that and then having the weather be so severe. On the other hand, Chanter had the help and resources and local experience OF Chantershelper to get through all of that.
Listing Chantershelper’s “transgressions” in the first 24 hours of contact and especially as EVERYONE was going through terrible and severe weather is definitely not a normal behavior. If Chanter really does have a brain injury it is definitely conceiveable that all that stress and worry would cause her to behave erratically and out of the norm. Someone here said PTSD…yeah, there’s a real chance there’s some PTSD effects and ramifications going on in Chanter’s life due to what may have happened to her.
And it is BECAUSE that is a real possibility, Chantershelper, that you must not become any further embroiled and should be sure to look after yourself, DH and your own business/farm and not allow Chanter’s problems to really become yours. They aren’t yours.
I know you have a loving and kind heart…that is MOST obvious! But, this IS a situation wherein you need to be a bit more firm than may be comfy for you personally in order to get Chanter to disconnect sensibly. I agree that you may need to call in some “experts”, be they the local Sheriff, legal support, psychological support or someone from a local brain injury/disability support group or all of the above. I’m not saying this is all your “responsibility” to solve her issues! I’m just saying that if you need such professionals to get YOUR life back to normal as soon as you can for YOUR OWN SAKE, you should not hesitate to do so.
MANY jingles to you and your DH. I do feel some sorrow for Chanter…if she’s truly alone and has an actual brain injury and is struggling to make it in the world, that can be a terrifying and hellish existence…if such is the case, I am very sorry for her and wish her peace. Nonetheless, it is not your job to solve it all for her or do the work for her or allow her to be manipulative or abusive to you and yours.
Please let us know how you and DH are doing, ok? We are all concerned about you. I also pray that Chanter can get the REAL help she needs as well.
From a national website for service dogs:
"Service Dogs must have a retrieve drive, be tall enough to reach a light switch and work by the wheelchair, 55 pounds or larger. Breeds in the program include golden retrievers, labs, Australian shepherds and border collies. The temperament should be voice sensitive and people oriented.
The dogs should not be aggressive towards people or other animals and should have a docile and calm nature. We do not look for a particular breed, rather a very special temperament. Once the temperament is approved, the dog is examined by a veterinarian including a hip x-ray and tests for eye and heart problems. All dogs are neutered or spayed. "
