Sanctuary life is not all blue skies and easy days
I had to say no today. I did not cause the problem, and I did not create the situation eight years into his life that had a veterinarian already called out at the farm to euthanize him because there was no home to take him. In saying no to bringing him here, I know that I unequivocally was the last part of the many decisions that put him to rest, and that is a wound to my own soul. I say no to roosters every single day because I must, and I mourn them because there are so few homes for them and they can come to their end in so many ways because of that lack of homes (few towns permit them). For me, saying no to the roosters is no less painful than saying no to taking on a horse or goat.
Today though, I was on the phone at that crucial moment of saying no to this 8 year old un-neutered sick and thin Nubian goat. It was a decision of kindness that still hurts to think about. It should hurt, because choosing to let a life go should truly never be easy.
I said no, because our sanctuary is absolutely full. Every "yes" pushes at our boundaries unless we have lost one of our rescues and we work hard to prevent losing them before their time..
But even then, I certainly could have said yes - if that had been the first goat surrender request this week, or even the second goat surrender request. Right this moment, I am networking for 18 small and healthy young goats that need homes too.
And I really cannot seem to find forever homes for them either.
So, I said no today, and the compassionate vet there onsite was in agreement and understood. We cannot “rescue our way out” of over-breeding, or the tough economy, or all the other issues causing surrender requests at all the sanctuaries and humane societies.
Tonight I will mourn this lost goat though, and hug Marky Goat and Billy Goat a little tighter, because they were once just like this buck that passed today - thin, sickly, unneutered, and at-risk big Nubians. I will redouble my efforts to do everything I can to fundraise for the rescues' lives here at the Sanctuary. I especially want to grow our humane education program in hopes that more kindness and compassion can grow and less animals will need hard decisions and rescuing.
Thank you for being on this journey with me and for listening to my thoughts, so that this goat’s story can be heard in remembrance. (photo of the goats here in peaceful safety)
