Animal Neglect and Welfare!

I am a keen animal lover with horses being close to my heart. That is why I am touching on animal neglect in horses! This subject can be controversial, a lot of people will disagree, when I say there is a fine line between neglect, and caring for an animal. I appreciate that personal views can differ a lot. Someone like me, who has been with animals all my life, my views on neglect can be totally different to someone who has virtually no animal experience.

So what would I consider as neglect in an animal, this depends a lot on the animal in question. A horse does not need human contact every day, especially when out on grass with good pasture under foot, a good water supply to keep the gut active and working freely. Make sure the horse does not put on an excessive amount of weight if that should happen with the horse gaining 150Ibs to 200lbs for me this would be neglect. As this can infect the horse's gut and it becomes laminitis, a gut infection that spreads into the horse's feet making it lame, barely being able to walk. But in saying this laminitis can infect a horse without the animal gaining any significant weight, it depends on the individual horse that contracts this terrible infection. A horse can lose all co-ordination in its legs feet, even its neck. I have witnessed horses and ponies falling over and shaking as if they were having a fit! contracting this disease it is just terrifying. Leaving a horse stabled for days and weeks standing in its own urine and droppings rarely getting any contact with a person or another horse, this I would consider as neglect.

There are numerous "Animal Welfare" Charities around the world all promoting and wanting the same outcome, to stop animal neglect and cruelty. Are they all representing "Animal Welfare" for the good of animals, or for a reason to protest and get heard. Are they animal lovers in every sense of the word, are they all experienced animal people with an in-depth knowledge of animals, as to caring and looking after animals.

All these factors need consideration when pursuing these types of matters, do they have the sufficient animal experience needed to properly, and fairly stamp out animal neglect and cruelty, once and for all! I have seen the unfair and fair side of these various charities when pursuing individuals with animals, I have seen both sides. People being persecuted when there was no neglect, and no cruelty being done, with the family in question suffering for no reason at all, fearing the worse that they would lose their animals. And on the other hand, people getting away with blatant neglect and cruelty, horses out in mud knee deep with no water, and no food at all. No visible pasture to be seen as the field was tired and overworked. It’s this that angers and frustrates me the inconsistency that's going on in the industry, there should be one rule with that being adhered to. We all know the definition of neglect and cruelty, and we should all act together in stopping it.

Animals! we can't live without one whatever sort, big or small rough or smooth but, however, hard we work we will never stamp out Neglect or Cruelty not completely. We need to educate people, better still educate children when in school, get them looking after one or two animals. This would give them an idea of the dedication required to feed clean and entertain an animal, so they learn what sort of commitment an animal is. Making children realise that an animal is for life, and not for Birthday or Christmas.

An animal of any size, breed, colour, warm blood or cold blood, if it walks slithers it needs constant attention every day twenty-four Hours a day. Animals are not like a set of golf clubs a tennis racket a bike or a set of weights, these you can lock away in a cupboard, a shed or garage when you have no need for them. But animals need constant attention, even an animal that lives out grazing require some human contact if it's only on the odd day. An animal needs careful consideration before you take it on, think long and hard have you got the time in between work commitments, have you got the room or garden space, and just as important can you afford to keep the animal. All these factors need very careful consideration before committing to owning an animal. If many of us would not let their hearts rule their heads then animal neglect and cruelty would be cut down, and a huge amount of misery and heartache would be avoided, not only for the people but more important the animals themselves.