Tweet
Oh my favourite is when a client brings their kids to the stables to buy a horse and insists they want a horse strictly for breeding. Then asks if their kids can ride it around and 'do a bit of dressage' or 'some jumps'. Most breeding stallions/mares are retired *insert discipline of choice* but the ones here that are born and bred strictly for breeding only have enough in saddle training to get rid of some of that pent up energy. While I don't agree with this it isn't for me to decide. They aren't trained for show work because it's assumed if their going to spend the entire time making babies they aren't going to be showing. Most places have rules against pregger mates showing because of potential harm to the mare and fetus. Besides, why would you train something for years when you know the odds of it even doing a barn show are almost non existent? It also allows us to keep the prices down to an affordable (for rich ppl anyway) level. Unfortunately, some people think this means try can get a cheaper horse rather then spend the money on something that might actually be suited to them.
But I agree, we spend way to much time believing that our animals understand us and have human emotions when they don't. They have emotions. But not in the way humans process them.
I have a peregrine falcon that is mostly wild but imprinted on me when I was nursing it to health and I figured since it wasn't going away I might as well take care of it. I get told off all the time because 'what do you mean your falcon doesn't have a name?', 'You should give him a name or he'll be upset'. It's a WILD animal that imprinted on a human. It is not a pet. It doesn't care anything about me beyond a source of food and shelter. I have lots of plants that attract animals like rabbits and since the willow was uprooted there's been a rat problem as they took up residency in the tunnels left by the root system. There's your food source. I don't go buying rabbit at the store to lure him in. He sticks around because there's an easy abundance of food and because there's a predator safe shelter. Yes I have a glove, and yes he does know how to come down to it. I taught him for my safety while he was injured so I wouldn't be ripped into by beak or talon. No he's not sociable.
He puts up with me cooing over him because he's aware if I like him I won't chase him off. Or rather he doesn't want to risk being chased off. Then he'd have to find a new food source and shelter assuming he even could. Why bet your survival on that? His previous injury while mostly healed is permanent. He has gotton as good as he's going to. But sometimes he'll come back all gimpy because crows are evil and strangely enough don't like predatory birds hanging around their chicks. I've had people come up when I'm working in the garden and he's decided to come down (so I take a break and let him sit on the glove while I munch food.) and ask if they can pet him and then get pissed when I explain he's not a pet and that he will likely try to eat your fingers if you try. The only reason as harsh as it sounds, that I didn't drive him away completely is because peregrines are an endangered species. He still survives by himself.
I am currently hand raising fox pups because their mother was hit on the highway and I found them there when I was driving home from work. I wasn't even aware there were foxes on the island and WildArc refuses to take them because their so young. They told me if they survived another month that they would take them off my hands as they wouldn't be reliant on being bottle fed anymore. I know enough to keep mammals from imprinting on humans for survival (birds function different and I don't understand their brains.) I've had humans walking their dog at the ass crack of dawn wonder why I won't let them come up and pet them. Never mind that as a wild animal I don't want them to think humans or dogs are their friends. Never mind that their dog is straining the leash to get to them (either to make friends or chase them I don't really care). Then they get mad at me for telling them they can't unless they ditch the dog and get a full scrub down (with a scentless soap. You'd be surprised how many ppl don't have one) to eliminate any human or human associated scents (like food, or pets, or pet food), no they can't bring their kids, and yes they can observe and if the animal comes up to them (they're foxes and as it turns out curiosity is considered considered a fox trait for a reason.) they can give it a pet before pushing it away gently. They don't like to hear this. I've been told they'd call the authorities (who would redirect them to WildArc) if I don't let them grope the animals. To which I tell them to save time and call WildArc directly. I have permission and a licence for rehabilitation of mammal speices. I receive permission on a case by case basis of anything else I come across. So their attempts at blackmail only amuse/annoy me.
All through middle school and part way through highschool the zoo on the mainland didn't have the facilities to deal with newborns rejected by their parents so they'd send them to qualified volunteers (it took me 6 months to get my qualifications but I also worked for WildArc and SPCA so I got fast tracked.) and even then I'm not qualified to do medical treatment. (There's a vet nearby certified for exotics of the zoo variety and their the only vet I'm allowed to use.) I must keep meticulous records, down to the minute, regardless of how disgusting small animals can be sometimes. I have what I am told is a 'predator fixation' and I mostly worked with great cats during this time. I used to take them for walks because unlike an animal destined for rerelease, zoos prefer animals that won't eat them if the keepers get too close so I am allowed to socialize them. But only under strict rules. I would get requests all the time and I totally understand why. Hell how many can say they cuddled a baby leopard? But for some reason adults couldn't understand why I had rules about how they could touch them. After all, they have cats and their kids can dance around the house with them no problem. So why can't they let the pretty kitty jump up on them? Ummm maybe because the kitty is going to grow up and most people aren't fond of being squished by a 200lb cat because that's how it learned as a kitten that humans want it to do that if they want to play. Why can't I let it scratch me/gum my fingers, it's harmless? Maybe now but not so much when it grows up. I totally understand the appeal. Why do you think I got into wild animal rescue work when I could have stuck with the SPCA like a normal person instead? Hell the amount of times I told someone they couldn't allow the animal to do something and got told 'it's just playing' or 'I think it likes me!' Yes it is playing, it's play hunting. That's how they learn things like stalking prey and ambush tactics. It doesn't have affection for you honey, it's just trying to figure out what you are and if it can eat you (Not at that size it can't). Pointing this out seems to scandalize people for some reason. What do you mean I don't hold true cat like a baby when I feed it? Umm because it's not a pet and its improper. The idea is to mimic a real life's mom as much as possible. I don't know about you but I've never seen a tiger or a jaguar cradling their kittens when their being fed.
Yes, in the lion king Simba can rationalize and makes friends with a warthog... Reality is Simba would eat the hog if desperate enough. (Zebra or antalope are easier prey, and less potentially dangerous) No he doesn't want to make friends with your dog. He wants to eat your little ankle biter. God if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if they could name the lion Simba or Nala... Most of them do eventually get names because zoos have guests and it plays into the guests delusions which makes them more prone to donating money to help little Simbas that are being bred for release and to up population.
Sadly I no longer am able to do this as the zoo finally got the space and facilities to deal with that sorta thing. And there's no zoos in a similar situation anywhere nearby. Not to mention I've let my qualifications and licenses for it expire because at $400 a year, if I'm not doing it there's no point. Besides I can do the refresher and be back in business if I ever had to. It would take about 8 months and about $800 but I could do it.
But I agree, we spend way to much time believing that our animals understand us and have human emotions when they don't. They have emotions. But not in the way humans process them.
I have a peregrine falcon that is mostly wild but imprinted on me when I was nursing it to health and I figured since it wasn't going away I might as well take care of it. I get told off all the time because 'what do you mean your falcon doesn't have a name?', 'You should give him a name or he'll be upset'. It's a WILD animal that imprinted on a human. It is not a pet. It doesn't care anything about me beyond a source of food and shelter. I have lots of plants that attract animals like rabbits and since the willow was uprooted there's been a rat problem as they took up residency in the tunnels left by the root system. There's your food source. I don't go buying rabbit at the store to lure him in. He sticks around because there's an easy abundance of food and because there's a predator safe shelter. Yes I have a glove, and yes he does know how to come down to it. I taught him for my safety while he was injured so I wouldn't be ripped into by beak or talon. No he's not sociable.
He puts up with me cooing over him because he's aware if I like him I won't chase him off. Or rather he doesn't want to risk being chased off. Then he'd have to find a new food source and shelter assuming he even could. Why bet your survival on that? His previous injury while mostly healed is permanent. He has gotton as good as he's going to. But sometimes he'll come back all gimpy because crows are evil and strangely enough don't like predatory birds hanging around their chicks. I've had people come up when I'm working in the garden and he's decided to come down (so I take a break and let him sit on the glove while I munch food.) and ask if they can pet him and then get pissed when I explain he's not a pet and that he will likely try to eat your fingers if you try. The only reason as harsh as it sounds, that I didn't drive him away completely is because peregrines are an endangered species. He still survives by himself.
I am currently hand raising fox pups because their mother was hit on the highway and I found them there when I was driving home from work. I wasn't even aware there were foxes on the island and WildArc refuses to take them because their so young. They told me if they survived another month that they would take them off my hands as they wouldn't be reliant on being bottle fed anymore. I know enough to keep mammals from imprinting on humans for survival (birds function different and I don't understand their brains.) I've had humans walking their dog at the ass crack of dawn wonder why I won't let them come up and pet them. Never mind that as a wild animal I don't want them to think humans or dogs are their friends. Never mind that their dog is straining the leash to get to them (either to make friends or chase them I don't really care). Then they get mad at me for telling them they can't unless they ditch the dog and get a full scrub down (with a scentless soap. You'd be surprised how many ppl don't have one) to eliminate any human or human associated scents (like food, or pets, or pet food), no they can't bring their kids, and yes they can observe and if the animal comes up to them (they're foxes and as it turns out curiosity is considered considered a fox trait for a reason.) they can give it a pet before pushing it away gently. They don't like to hear this. I've been told they'd call the authorities (who would redirect them to WildArc) if I don't let them grope the animals. To which I tell them to save time and call WildArc directly. I have permission and a licence for rehabilitation of mammal speices. I receive permission on a case by case basis of anything else I come across. So their attempts at blackmail only amuse/annoy me.
All through middle school and part way through highschool the zoo on the mainland didn't have the facilities to deal with newborns rejected by their parents so they'd send them to qualified volunteers (it took me 6 months to get my qualifications but I also worked for WildArc and SPCA so I got fast tracked.) and even then I'm not qualified to do medical treatment. (There's a vet nearby certified for exotics of the zoo variety and their the only vet I'm allowed to use.) I must keep meticulous records, down to the minute, regardless of how disgusting small animals can be sometimes. I have what I am told is a 'predator fixation' and I mostly worked with great cats during this time. I used to take them for walks because unlike an animal destined for rerelease, zoos prefer animals that won't eat them if the keepers get too close so I am allowed to socialize them. But only under strict rules. I would get requests all the time and I totally understand why. Hell how many can say they cuddled a baby leopard? But for some reason adults couldn't understand why I had rules about how they could touch them. After all, they have cats and their kids can dance around the house with them no problem. So why can't they let the pretty kitty jump up on them? Ummm maybe because the kitty is going to grow up and most people aren't fond of being squished by a 200lb cat because that's how it learned as a kitten that humans want it to do that if they want to play. Why can't I let it scratch me/gum my fingers, it's harmless? Maybe now but not so much when it grows up. I totally understand the appeal. Why do you think I got into wild animal rescue work when I could have stuck with the SPCA like a normal person instead? Hell the amount of times I told someone they couldn't allow the animal to do something and got told 'it's just playing' or 'I think it likes me!' Yes it is playing, it's play hunting. That's how they learn things like stalking prey and ambush tactics. It doesn't have affection for you honey, it's just trying to figure out what you are and if it can eat you (Not at that size it can't). Pointing this out seems to scandalize people for some reason. What do you mean I don't hold true cat like a baby when I feed it? Umm because it's not a pet and its improper. The idea is to mimic a real life's mom as much as possible. I don't know about you but I've never seen a tiger or a jaguar cradling their kittens when their being fed.
Yes, in the lion king Simba can rationalize and makes friends with a warthog... Reality is Simba would eat the hog if desperate enough. (Zebra or antalope are easier prey, and less potentially dangerous) No he doesn't want to make friends with your dog. He wants to eat your little ankle biter. God if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if they could name the lion Simba or Nala... Most of them do eventually get names because zoos have guests and it plays into the guests delusions which makes them more prone to donating money to help little Simbas that are being bred for release and to up population.
Sadly I no longer am able to do this as the zoo finally got the space and facilities to deal with that sorta thing. And there's no zoos in a similar situation anywhere nearby. Not to mention I've let my qualifications and licenses for it expire because at $400 a year, if I'm not doing it there's no point. Besides I can do the refresher and be back in business if I ever had to. It would take about 8 months and about $800 but I could do it.
Comment