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RE: [RC] [RC] Rodent Dispatching (ugh) !! - Laurie DurginI have loved animals all my life, I was a "bambi-ite", and even though my Dad occasionally hunted,I wouldn't let him bring deer meat home. I raised fish and turtle s as a child as my brothere had allergies and we weren't allowed to have other pets. I snuck hamsters home in MIddle school and raised them, then I had bunnies and guineia pigs.I fianlly got a dog as a teen after my father died suddenly. Finally as an adult, I got cats, then dogs, then birds, goats, chickens geese, then the ultimate horses and a donkey.But I moved to the country, I met snarling violent raccoons and possums (I actually saved 8 babies from a roadkill and helped raise them as a teen with a friends family)---that could dig , go over and tear fences apart to kill our pet chickens my kids raised by chewing thru their necks and heads-- and who actually killed a couple full size geese, one of which we raised from an egg, and who was friends with our white lab--who tried to kill him as a gosling-- and gave us much enjoyment and comedy... The sheriff shot a raccoon in our fenced chicken yard as it was staggering around in the yard in the daytime(took him 5 shots-kept missing it). He told us we could kill them if they threaten our family or pets.8 years ago. We shot 2 possums who were in our coop killing our chickens . Think a good 10 lb. possum. Then I had my first in my life arabian gelding who I had conditioned for 2.5 years and trained to be able to do a ride---and he gets diagnosed with EPM-- right before my first ride. I wouldn't wish it on anyone---it is devastating to your dreams and hopes for you and your horse and it's expensive and it's very depressing, cause you really never know if they get it again or why some horses do and others don't--andy you may have to put down or given away ---Many have permanent damage--it's like watching a slow death---or maybe not----depends on the horse , treatment --- but it's a roll of the dice---and you don't know---then you watch and research ----ad, nauseam--- Latest research may show it has to do with the Amount of Protozoa injested at a given time that they can't fight off---Hence, if you have Possums on the property, you may severly increase your chances---I have 2 other horses ---I don't need or want 2 more slow death feelings for over a year--- And RELOCATE? --Possums???? There are other horse people and trail riders in the area--I wouldn't do that to anyone else!!!!! (LIke here is instant death for your horse.....) You know what the natural predator of a Possume is???? CARS-----I see 3-4 Possums dead on the roads in a given month sometimes a week---statistically how many meet cars crossing the roads at night? After this disease you find yourself aiming for them with your truck if you see one, I even backed up and tried to get it a second time---yes, I felt somewhat guilty and mean, then I thought of those beautiful horses in the EPM group who are dead after many agonizing months or years---- From: Suvut@xxxxxxx To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] Rodent Dispatching (ugh) !! Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:01:11 EDT _________________________________________________________________ On the road to retirement? Check out MSN Life Events for advice on how to get there! http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=Retirement =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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