Carla D-Great new adventures and an Amazing Life

[Carla D]

Carla...you are completely correct "if the deal seems to good to be true".......I have learned that one the hard way myself !......

It was a deal too good to be true. I’m going to have to stop setting myself up for these kinds of situations. I know I can’t rescue all animals in need. I surely would if I could though. No more buying $5 goats late fall, no more taking in or looking for sob story animals.

 

[greybeard]

Second ly, if the deal seems to good to be true, you’re getting yourself suckered into someone’s problems. The big boys were well loved, that’s obvious. But, they have not gotten the care they needed. Why, I’m not sure. But, I can’t let her have them back.

I see this happen quite often actually, and it happens for a variety of reasons, but benign neglect and intentional mis-treatment usually aren't the root cause.

People usually have the best of intentions, and initially perform their animal and household responsibilities to the letter but then 'something' happens and that something always falls under one or more of the following 3 categories.
1. Physical change.
2.Emotional change.
3. Financial change.
Someone gets sick or injured, and it very often effects an emotional and financial change to boot and something is going to suffer. They can no longer physically care for their animals and soon, can no longer financially care for them either.....can't afford to feed (animals) (family) AND take care of their medical needs.
However, the emotional tie many have to their animals supersedes good judgement, and next thing happening is their own needs suffer, they can't pay their household bills, properly feed & care for themselves financially and risk loss of their homestead and even their home, but are still pouring $$ into their animals.......the proverbial cat lady that is feeding 100 cats but having to eat canned cat food herself because she can't afford to buy and eat 'people food'..

How many times have we read about sheriff depts being called because someone's cattle, sheep or horses are too thin? Plenty, and the story is always the same. The old boy can't afford to feed them or physically can't take care of them any longer but he just can't bear to part with them either.

Or, it may be a family had a passel of kids that helped out with the farm, but they all grew up, moved off the farm and started their own lives and family and 'Maw and Paw Kettle" find themselves unable to physically and/or financially support what they've already got. (Kids work for room and board ..for awhile.........hired hands do not.)

Regardless of denial or insistence that it 'will never happen to me', this circumstance will come to each of us at some point, as we age and as our individual lives change.
Prepare for it.

 

[Carla D]

I see this happen quite often actually, and it happens for a variety of reasons, but benign neglect and intentional mis-treatment usually aren't the root cause.

People usually have the best of intentions, and initially perform their animal and household responsibilities to the letter but then 'something' happens and that something always falls under one or more of the following 3 categories.
1. Physical change.
2.Emotional change.
3. Financial change.
Someone gets sick or injured, and it very often effects an emotional and financial change to boot and something is going to suffer. They can no longer physically care for their animals and soon, can no longer financially care for them either.....can't afford to feed and take care of their medical needs.
However, the emotional tie many have to their animals supersedes good judgement, and next thing happening is their own needs suffer, they can't pay their household bills, properly feed & care for themselves financially and risk lose their homestead and even their home, but are still pouring $$ into their animals.......the proverbial cat lady that is feeding 100 cats but having to eat canned cat food herself because she can't afford to buy and eat 'people food'..

How many times have we read about sheriff depts being called because someone's cattle or horses are too thin? Plenty, and the story is always the same. The old boy can't afford to feed them or physically can't take care of them but he just can't bear to part with them either.

Regardless of denial or insistence that it 'won't happen to me', this circumstance , will come to each of us at some point, as we age and as our individual lives change.
Prepare for it.

You are correct. I’m trying really hard to not paint her as negligent. She did care and loved them a lot. I know that people have different philosophies on thing and have different belief systems. Even next door neighbors or siblings can have different ways. It’s called diversity. That may be why they were given to a complete stranger that showed much appreciation to their gorgeous animals. I’ll never know. But, I also don’t want to make things tougher for her or make her feel more horrible than she may already feel. I do know my feed and hay bill just quadrupled over night.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @Carla D,

Refresh my Senile Texas Aggie memory -- how far away is your farm from your current residence?

 

[B&B Happy goats]

@greybeard......that was a impressive response, very cool....i really like that

 

[greybeard]

You are correct. I’m trying really hard to not paint her as negligent.

Note, that I used the term 'benign neglect'. It has a specific meaning & is different than wanton neglect.


It can be a good thing when exercised prudently, and in animal husbandry often is.
"That old cow is ready to calve again....I'll just leave her alone to do what she does."

"Our new calf has contracted tendons. I will wait and see if it clears up since they usually do"

"I feel a cold coming on. No sense taking antibiotics, it will be gone in a week or 7 days with or without them"


be·nign ne·glect
noun:
a noninterference that is intended to benefit someone or something more than continual attention would.

 

[Carla D]

Note, that I used the term 'benign neglect'. It has a specific meaning & is different than wanton neglect.


It can be a good thing when exercised prudently, and in animal husbandry often is.
"That old cow is ready to calve again....I'll just leave her alone to do what she does."

"Our new calf has contracted tendons. I will wait and see if it clears up since they usually do"

"I feel a cold coming on. No sense taking antibiotics, it will be gone in a week or 7 days with or without them"


be·nign ne·glect
noun:
a noninterference that is intended to benefit someone or something more than continual attention would.

That is a possibility. I’d like to think that’s the case. I’m pretty sure she was doing the best she could. They are obviously not abused. I thought I was going to struggle to gain their affection. Not the case. I am fully aware that a persons or family chacon happen at the drop of a hat. We’ve been very close a couple of times over the last 8 years together. Fo

Miss @Carla D,

Refresh my Senile Texas Aggie memory -- how far away is your farm from your current residence?

Five miles

 

[Carla D]

@greybeard......that was a impressive response, very cool....i really like that

I’m getting the impression that Greybeard and latestarter have both been around the block a few times. They seem to have a bit of wisdom to share and would rather give that than an opinion. They both seem highly experienced.

 

[Latestarter]

GB is much more experienced than I (comes with age as well as life learning )... I'm a novice at best.

That being said, let me reel it out there one more time to potentially get slammed... (sucker for punishment I guess).

As I understand what you've written... there was a verbal agreement, which constitutes a contract in all but real estate, that she would give, and you would take, the uncut male goat under the stipulation that she would be able to have him back to breed her does at some later time. That being agreed upon, she would have every right to take YOU to court, and sue for damages should you have him castrated. The value of services to be rendered, as well as the value of the lost potential offspring, could ring up a very sizeable amount that you'd be liable for. Please be very careful in how you proceed.

I HIGHLY recommend that you NOT castrate the buck unless you can get her agreement to allow it, and for you to keep him. Otherwise, IMHO, you have no alternative but to return at the least him, back to her - the original owner. I have posted the above only as a warning of the potential issues you may face and NOT as a condemnation of your plans/ideas/thoughts/etc. Just want you to be very aware of what may happen if you proceed. You keeping the 2 goats is in no way going to have an effect of betterment for the rest of her herd.

Also, unless you can document that she is actually (and able to be proven) harming the animals, please be very careful about reporting her to authorities. The fact that she's doing things differently than what you envision as the "proper" way, does not constitute abuse, neglect, or any other negative term that would justify reporting her as such to authorities. <running for cover - anyone have a spare hiding place?>

 

[Carla D]

GB is much more experienced than I (comes with age as well as life learning )... I'm a novice at best.

That being said, let me reel it out there one more time to potentially get slammed... (sucker for punishment I guess).

As I understand what you've written... there was a verbal agreement, which constitutes a contract in all but real estate, that she would give, and you would take, the uncut male goat under the stipulation that she would be able to have him back to breed her does at some later time. That being agreed upon, she would have every right to take YOU to court, and sue for damages should you have him castrated. The value of services to be rendered, as well as the value of the lost potential offspring, could ring up a very sizeable amount that you'd be liable for. Please be very careful in how you proceed.

I HIGHLY recommend that you NOT castrate the buck unless you can get her agreement to allow it, and for you to keep him. Otherwise, IMHO, you have no alternative but to return at the least him, back to her - the original owner. I have posted the above only as a warning of the potential issues you may face and NOT as a condemnation of your plans/ideas/thoughts/etc. Just want you to be very aware of what may happen if you proceed. You keeping the 2 goats is in no way going to have an effect of betterment for the rest of her herd.

Also, unless you can document that she is actually (and able to be proven) harming the animals, please be very careful about reporting her to authorities. The fact that she's doing things differently than what you envision as the "proper" way, does not constitute abuse, neglect, or any other negative term that would justify reporting her as such to authorities. <running for cover - anyone have a spare hiding place?>