[QUOTE=2horseygirls;7036528]
Please, God, NO! That is the last thing we need. There is a bill in the Illinois legislature that will make unfounded neglect/cruelty calls prosecutable. WTF? Really?!?!
I have been an equine humane investigator for 5 years with a non-governmental humane society. Our county AC has one ACO that knows about horses, but mostly they turn their calls over to my organization.
I have learned a lot in five years. I have been screamed at, called names, and been threatened with dogs, guns, arrest and being sued. I have also gotten convictions on 24 counts of animal cruelty and neglect, so I’m pretty good at what I do.
I have gone out on the “blindfolded/dead in the field/having seizures” cases. Some are founded, some are unfounded. I’ve had tea, watched race videos, and met the Standardbred horse of the year for 1982(or 83, I forget).
I’ve also held an emaciated mare’s head in my lap as she was finally euthanized by lethal injection after seizing for at least 90 minutes – while the owners were in the house doing laundry. (Three years later, I still cannot go down the laundry aisle in WalMart without wanting to throw up from the smell of Downy.) I’ve pulled six emaciated horses “having seizures” (shaking off flies) off a well-hidden property that had to spend 2 weeks at a university veterinary hospital (one horse in a sling for 4 days), only to have the privilege of seeing the big, burly contractor who called in the complaint as he was working on an adjoining property completely break down when he saw them just 3 months later, fat and sassy at our agency’s annual picnic. He brought his whole family to see them, and the vet who oversaw their treatment drove 90 minutes to also be there. It was a happy ending I will never forget.
If I knock on your door, I’m not trying to harass or annoy you. I’m just doing my job, and there is absolutely nothing personal about it. I am completely open to all sides of the situation – owner, complainant, vet, farrier, etc. If you don’t mind providing vet records, and permission to verify treatment with your vet and other providers, then it will take two phone calls and 10 minutes to clear things up, and we can both be on our way. I also call the complainant back and explain what I found, and take that opportunity to educate on equine management, and the state’s humane statutes, so they are more informed the next time they see a herd standing in the snow or mud, or wearing flymasks.
I am in a semi-rural/semi-suburban, far collar county and frequently chalk up the misguided calls to people who have moved out from the city that mean well, and just don’t know that much about horses. Yes, we have the harassing neighbors and disgruntled calls, but I would rather go out and meet 10 good, honest, caring owners that I look at as part of my horse network, than have one person NOT call because of a fear of a fine or being prosecuted.
And, in my case, I have never received one single dime for my time, gas, vehicle, equipment, training, certifications, books, classes . . . I am a volunteer humane investigator. I do this - nights, weekends, holidays, occasionally taking personal time or vacation time from the job that actually pays me - because I LOVE horses, and I want to help keep them safe. And the more people who are educated about horses, the better off we all are, on multiple levels.
I’ve seen it mentioned before on here on different threads: it’s up to us (horse owners and lovers) to be ambassadors for the horse, and it starts with positive, friendly interaction and education.[/QUOTE]
I agree completely. One real horse in distress that gets the help it needs is worth 100 nuisance, unfounded calls. I am a volunteer EMT and most of our calls are for people that don’t really need an ambulance but occasionally we get to save a life. Keep doing what you are doing, the animals need people like you.
