Sunday, July 25, 2010

Let Your Outrage be Known

I checked the calendar and yes, apparently it is 2010 but somewhere in Russia they feel that animal torture and cruelty is not only highly amusing but a fine idea for promoting a business enterprise that depends on attracting tourists.

Here is what happened. Some emotionally and morally deficient humans thought it would be a grand idea to attach a terrified donkey to a giant wing/sail affair and to launch him out over the ocean. The shaking, crying, terrified animal was thus sent aloft where his cries could be heard by all who thought they were at the beach to have a relaxing day in the sun. The humans who perpetrated this "prank" were highly pleased with the result, not caring where the donkey might land or even if he would survive the landing. Miraculously, he did.

The film clip of this shameful event can be seen at: http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/07/21/parachuting-donkey-frightens-russian-beachgoers/
Please be warned, it is not for the faint of heart or for anyone who knows and loves donkeys.

In this country the Russian Ambassador can be reached at ambassador@rusembassy.ca
By all means, let him know your thoughts on this act of animal cruelty and how it reflects on the country as a whole. If you live in another country, please direct your thoughts to the Russian Embassy there. We can't turn back time but we can let it be known that in this age of omnipresent cameras, this sort of idiocy will most likely be seen by a world-wide audience.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Doc Is Gone! (For a Month)

And it was all very spur of the moment, I must say. The woman came out to the paddock to fetch Molly for a forest ride and Molly, being quite naughty, demured and skipped around just out of reach. Given the heat and humidity, after a few rounds the woman began to have second thoughts. She looked like a boiled, frustrated tomato.

Throughout this drama, Doc had been shadowing the woman, pleading to be the one to be taken somewhere, anywhere. He does love his play days. So the woman snapped the lead onto his halter, groomed him, tacked him up and off they went in the metal box on wheels. Molly was dumbstruck. Served her right, too.


Doc and Herself went to Mosby's place and he was very excited indeed. So excited that he bellowed and cavorted and generally acted like a madman. He was so distracted that when Emi (Mosby's human) tried to ride him past Ben and Jerry Donkey's paddock, he spun and bolted - twice! The woman was utterly disgusted and embarrassed and dragged him back to the fence, whereupon his brain finally began to function and he said "Hey, donkeys, cool!" and tried to pull them through the rails.

The woman made an on-the-spot decision, asking if Doc could stay for a month to help him get over his lack of exposure to outside influences. He has stayed at Mosby's barn over many a winter in the past and it was felt he would soon be comfortable there. So. He has now settled in nicely and the woman is referring to it as his month at summer camp. I suppose he will come home with various crafts, including macramed pot holders, birch bark keychains and a name plaque with his name spelled out in sticks. Sigh. We'll never hear the end of it.

Molly is one very contrite Haflinger and is begging to be caught every time she sees the woman. I think she knows she was the initial cause of all this uproar. Jack and I are looking on the bright side - maybe she'll be sent to summer camp and we'll have the place to ourselves.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Dental Assault, But at Least It's Warm for a Change

Jack and I feel that we have been having wonderful weather - 102 degrees last week. The others are moaning and staggering about and disolving into puddles as the day wears on. We donkeys have not even broken into so much as a light perspiration. Honestly, what a fuss. Herself has purchased an industrial fan for the run-in and a mesh style gate for Molly's stall front so she has more air circulation from the fan in the aisle. Just grazing in the field last week Molly was soaked from mane to hoof and even had some lather on her sides. These alpine types just can't take anything resembling decent warm weather.

I feel I should share my dental encounter with my readers so you can see how obsessed the woman is with causing me discomfort. My teeth are perfectly fine but every year she has the medical types look in there and decide if anything needs maintenance. Fortunately Doc and Molly went first so I had some time to strategize. They both behaved disgracefully, succumbing to the stupefying agent immediately - Doc even leaned his whole body on the wall like some boozy barfly on a bender. Molly lolled her tongue and could barely keep her feet under her.

By the time the veterinarian got to me, I was ready. I declined the needle in the neck quite forcefully but still got jabbed. He apologized but I detected an whiff of incincerity. I fought the damnable potion and managed to remain fairly alert. Jack was greatly distressed and hammered on the door whilst making a series of wild and dreadful noises. When he threatened to climb over the door to rescue me, the humans decided my teeth should be attacked in the run-in where he could see me but leave if he wished. He hovered like an anxious and ancient nanny throughout.

I confess, once the procedure was underway it proved to be not too terrible. Some filing here , some rasping there and it was done. The vet declared that I had the whitest, hardest, smallest teeth he had seen in ages. He doesn't know that I floss daily with a variety of twigs and never eat immediately before bed. Jack said the man was a hired asassin and wasn't getting anywhere near his teeth or in fact any part of his anatomy. Jack's dental plan remains flexible, with his remaining teeth left unmolested unless he shows signs of dental distress. He says they'll learn a thing or two about distress if they try to pry his jaws apart...

Monday, July 5, 2010

Further News on the Auction Three and A Half

Sheila and the donkeys were interviewed by one of the major newspapers yesterday so hopefully even more humans can read about the good work she is doing at PrimRose. Many photos were taken and much written down and I look forward to perusing the finished work. When I discover the publication date I will let my blog friends know.

The three and a half newcomers are generally doing quite well. Little Annabelle has had a bath with Tea Tree oil after her delousing with powder and she quite enjoyed it's soothing properties. Jack had those things living on him when he got to Sheila's and he said they made him not only itchy but sapped his strength, which was already low. Annabelle will have a needle stuck in her person to ascertain if she truly is pregnant - good grief, can't they just ask her instead of treating her like a pincushion?? If she proves to be "with child" she will then have an ultrasound (which sounds much more civilized) to determine date of arrival.

Unseen forces may be at work because, as Annabelle was a complete surprise to the woman when she got to the auction, poor Elvira Donkey who has lived at PrimRose for awhile now, was diagnosed with a nasty abdominal tumour. She did very well for a time but is now withdrawn and disinterested in her surroundings. The veterinarian explained that Elvira is in increasing pain and would prefer to slip off quietly with her friends near. Carol, her personal volunteer, is understandably devastated but has pledged to help Annabelle through her troubles. It seems they will need each other for moral support and perhaps there is a serendipitous note about all this...

KristinaRose, the baby sheep, is settling in just fine. Sheila bought her special lamb food and she is taking meds for the cold-like symptoms she picked up at the auction. If Helen is the sheep equivalent of a one hundred and nine year old great granny, then the lamb is a fractious two year old who wants to be with Helen non-stop. Helen spends much time being scandalized by the infantile behaviour but KristinaRose cares not and simply does her best to be a mini-Helen.

Leon is quite well physically, except for his feet, but those will come round with time. He would very much like to interact with humans but his past encounters have left him nervous and wary. He has a strong fear that he will be struck forcibly about the head. The poor lad slowly makes his way over for a piece of apple or carrot (both completely unknown in his former life) but the stress becomes too much and he flees before the humans can touch him. His "brain surgery" will take place as soon as the vet has time and after that he can mix in with William, one of the other boys, for company. Maybe he will learn from William that he is in a safe place and can let down his guard.

So, all is progressing as it should and one day hopefully Annabelle will have a bouncing baby equine (father unknown as yet), Leon will finally learn to trust humans and KristinaRose will achieve her goal and grow up to be just like great granny Helen.

Gayle, who posts here as Gazelle, acts as my official photographer but she is also a life-long friend to all animals. She most generously offered to pay the cost of freeing the Three and a Half from the auction and even now a cheque for their purchase price is winging it's way to Sheila (well, not winging so much as trudging through the system). Thank you Gayle for quietly making a difference.

PS - If anyone knows a non-toxic way to get the last of those dreadful auction number stickers off the newcomers, please let us know!