We have been having a string of abuse that is over-the-top. The saddest stories, ones that make me cringe, and makes me wonder what is wrong with some people.
This is a story of animal abuse, but not by a large commercial farm, or even from the slaughter houses.
Both these stories officials at this time believe were perpetrated by young adults/teens out for a “good time”
A horse was doused with what appears to be gasoline and set afire. The horse is badly burned but if an infection doesn’t set in it is believed the horse will survive. A veterinary school has offered to do the grafting to save the horse for free and people have donated money to transport the horse there.
The other story involves “graffiti”, I would assume they see it as. Some person/persons decided to paint horses with spray paint. Thankfully, the painted horses will be fine, but what is going on around here.
If you know me, you know that I love all animals, but especially love horses. I’m not sure when it started, although when I was 4 a couple gave me a purebred pony for therapy purposes. A friend of my grandmother’s boarded the pony for free so I could use her for my exercise.
When I was 12, I spent 6 weeks at a summer camp that for this summer only had a 2-year-old horse there. I loved that horse, his name was O.J., I offered to care for him each day and could even be found in the mornings sleeping next to him. I still remember the counselors forcing me to leave his side to eat, I spent hours washing, brushing, and walking that pony.
I’m never going to admit that I was, or am, perfect. I’m far from it. I’ve had moments in my youth that I wish I could do over again. There was the time when I was 7 and my youngest sister used to catch carpenter ants and eat them. Instead of stopping her, we encouraged her because it was so gross to us it was funny.
Around the same time, just to prove I wasn’t afraid of things other people were I showed how spiders didn’t bother me by pulling the legs off a daddy long-leg, boy I wish I could go back in time to smack that child now. I make up for this transgression today by trying to save every spider I find in my home. I’ve even taught my children and grand children to be nice to the spiders. Do you think I will ever be forgiven for this?
A year later, I learned most boys were afraid of snakes so I used to catch them and chase the boys with them. No snakes were harmed in this stunt and I still look back and chuckle from time to time thinking how I was so insecure I had to prove my toughness. I still catch snakes, but now it’s to introduce them to the children, not to chase anyone with it. Just like caterpillars or worms or any other insects that are safe to handle.
While I guess you could argue that a spider or ant is no less worthy of living than a horse, some how I don’t believe any of my actions ever matched the ramifications of setting a horse on fire or any of the other abuse stories we hear about today, do you?
Why do you think people get such a kick out of harming animals?
The people who burned the horse should be prosecuted to the fullest.
On a lighter note, when my son was a toddler, he ate rollly-polly bugs. Although we tried to stop him, he just had to grow out of it. Who knows why he did it.
My sister would be thrilled to learn she wasn’t the only toddler who ate bugs. At least you tried to stop your son, we, being kids, encouraged her out of morbid entertainment.
There is a reward out for the person/persons who burned the horse, so far no one has come forward to admit knowing anything about it. But yes I don’t care how old they are they need prosecuted for that crime.