only wants to talk about horse abuse.

[Jean]

Carl, I saw that ad on tv when they are telling people that no animal should be outside when it gets this cold. They only showed a dog in the ad, but I thought the same thing, wow, some people will think they really mean ALL animals. I have a hard time explaining that I do not blanket my horses and they can go in if they want, but they don’t.

The Ad was a PITA.ORG ad. Considering how many stories I have read about this winter of dogs and cats being frozen to the sidewalk, or to a retaining wall maybe it is needed, but they should be a bit clearer about the kinds of animals.

Jean

[Rod]

My dog loves 20 below. Pants most of the year but loves that cold weather and snow.

[Robert MoonShadow]

My border collie x Aussie dog Nell doesn’t WANT to come inside… every morning, I get frost on my hands saying “good morning” to her -> her fur frosts up on the ends of it, but she makes a dandy hand muff when my hands get too cold chopping out the ice in the tubs for the goats. My last encounter w/ “those people”, I asked them if PETA stood for Please Eat Them Animals –> a farmers’ rights activist group. 😮

[Jean]

I think the difference here is that we all have some common sense, if we didn’t our animals would have killed us a long time ago. I know that my 9 lb min pin can not stay out any longer then it takes her to pee and poop in this weather, or she would freeze to death. However those of you with dogs that have the right fur and family history, you know your dogs will be comfortable in the cold.

I used to drive over Bethel Mtn a couple times a week for my job and there was a large very fuzzy dog that was tied to his dog house by the edge of the road, that dog was there if it was 90 or -10, he did not seem any more uncomfortable in either temp. I miss seeing that dog.

As was mentioned, people are getting too far removed from animals. My step-daughter was complaining to me that her mother served them a turkey from Misty Knoll in New Haven. She was freaked out because she had seen the barn that they were raised in. I tried to reason with her that it is better to see the barn that you are eating from, then not. Fat lot of good that did me, when she reminded me I wouldn’t eat that turkey or any other turkey. Sometimes kids are too smart for their own good!

[Carl Russell]

I’m not sure about the common sense thing, but when it’s this cold, the logs slide easy, they’re clean, and I don’t get wet from melting snow. But the horses get frosty.

[dominiquer60]

There is a freeze warning tonight, I am sure that the dog will be happy to stay in the truck. Carl your exposed hands in that picture make mine ache just thinking about working tonight. I don’t care what part of the country I am in, but freezing temps, a wind advisory, working outside and wet hands are never a good combo for me, they stiffen right up and become useless. I carry a water heater with me and keep a bucket of water warm to thaw the hands periodically. I

[near horse]

People need to wake up and realize that all living things don’t need nor desire those things that humans need. How can wolves, coyotes and my dog walk around in the snow without getting their toes frostbitten? Because they’re not humans (and there’s a little physiology involved but you get the point;)). Look at those dogs in the Iditarod sled dog race. They sleep outside in the snow and often are buried completely in snow by morning then they pop up ready to go. Animals are not people and that’s what makes nature and life so wonderful. How about a frog that lives in a dry environment but to limit water loss through the skin, it coats itself with a wax that it secretes. When the temperature gets close to that which could kill the frog, the wax melts and the frog can be cooled by evaporation through the skin. That’s cool.:) And not human.
Going back to the PETA topic, I agree w/ 16Jonny that they didn’t used to be so fanatical. Now you have people that won’t eat bread because it has yeast in it and yeast are living organisms:eek: I think those folks will die off pretty quickly if they can’t eat anything that’s been alive.

[Git-Up-Doc]

Last week the temperature was between -25 and -30 C plus windchill and horses still went out……cattle still went out……sheep were still out……dogs were still out.

[mstacy]

Some well-intentioned local citizen (anonymous to me) has been complaining that I don’t provide adequate shelter for my cattle. Animal cruelty is not something I take lightly. My four young Devons are my pride and joy.

After investigating, the town animal control officer concluded that I provide adequate facilities and my animals are well cared for. The town officer consulted with State officials to confirm that finding. The animal control officer and selectmen made repeated drive-by’s to confirm that I do in fact bring my animals in at night.

Obviously the person who filed the original complaint was not satisfied by this finding. We received an unannounced visit from a Vermont Department of Agriculture “animal health specialist”. After touring the barn and talking with my wife he quickly concluded that these animals are healthy and well cared for. He left a brief written report to that effect. It certainly didn’t hurt that my wife showed him the yoke and sled and explained that these animals are trained daily. In a subsequent telephone discussion I asked him to write a letter to my town selectboard summarizing the visit in more detail. I need some documentation on public record supporting my position as I fully expect that the complaints will continue.

My cows have yet to spend a night outdoors since I purchased them in October. I put them out in the pasture with hay and water during the day. If rain (near freezing), mixed precipitation, or subzero temperatures are in the forecast I keep them in the barn for the day. I can tell you they’re pretty jazzed up after a day in the barn. The definitely prefer being out of doors. In the morning I put out a small pile of hay in front of the barn and give them each a bowl of grain. They generaly wander down to the pasture on their own. I follow them down, close the gate and make sure they have plenty of water.

In the evening I open the gate and lead them back to the barn. They aren’t in any particular hurry to leave either. I don’t treat them any differently now than I did before the complaints started.

I find myself torn. On the one hand I am pleased that local citizens are vigilant in reporting animal cruelty. But I now find myself feeling harassed by an anonymous individual who remains unconvinced by the findings of the town and state officials charged with investigating such occurences. The whole situation is extremely disheartening. Fortunately the satisfaction of pulling a small load of firewood when I get home from work makes up for it.

Matt

[sanhestar]

Matt,

I don’t know the legal situation in the US but in Germany, when there are several anonymous and unfounded complaints made to the state vets (the authority for animal cruelty here) you can request that the person making the complaints will be warned to stop this unfounded harassing.

Maybe an open letter to your local newspaper will bring more light to this situation… (I always try to act on “offense is the best defense” in this kind of situations).

[Rod]

Matt

I wouldn’t let it bother you. There is so much ignorance on the loose today that I sometimes think the best thing to do is duck and wait for it to pass. You can wear yourself out fighting it. People wanting to tax cow gas, outlaw eating meat, mandating fuel cans that don’t work, and the list goes on. I wonder what the history books will say about the silly stuff that taken so seriously by many today, probably give some good laughs at our collective stupidity. Enjoy what you are doing and forget about it. Some one told me once “consider the source” when someone is trying to get you for something. I know you don’t know the source but can probably assume the type of person you are up against. Thinking about that may help.

[J-L]

I can’t believe that crap! Those guys need to come out west and see thousands of cattle living outside all the time. I have 250 head of them that live out on the prairie in the winter. The temperatures have gotten as low as -52 without the windchill. Every year they face temps well below 0 with winds over 40 mph at times and do this living on grass hay with some protein supplement occasionally.
My horses do the same and sometimes just live on winter pasture. If they have enough feed in their bellies they can live through most anything and thrive while doing it.
Those selectmen need to keep their mind on real issues and leave you alone, and that well meaning citizen needs to be taken out behind the barn and given some basic life lessons.

[simon lenihan]

i think what matt says in regards to an open letter to the paper is a great idea, do not hide away, let the world see what these idiots put good honest folk through and also the time wasted by the authorities investigating.
simon lenihan

[jen judkins]

Matt, I agree with Simon. People with this amount of ignorance, need to be piled up on a stake (sorry, my people were vikings) and put on display. On a night like tonight, your cattle should be enjoying the great outdoors, not shut in the barn.

Is there any way for you to set it up so your young devons could have access to the barn when they want? I have had alot of success educating my neighbors (mostly retired wall-streeters and ex-military), by pointing out that my horses can go in the barn ANYTIME THEY WANT, so when they don’t, its pretty clear what their preference is. Its a hard experiment to refute and I live in blissful peace here.’

I’m sorry for your troubles. Stick to your guns.

[Jean]

I am lucky my horses can not be seen from the road. I get calls every now and then about a person that drives around looking for horses, cows, camels, etc that do not appear to have water or hay, she complains to the powers that be. Funny if she had the courage to just stop in at some of the farms she has turned in, she would see that the water is there, you just have to enter the barn to see it! She goes out early, so if the horses are not fed early enough for her, she complains.

[Author]

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