Not So Good News

We received bad news this afternoon...

Life is full of adven- tures and obstacles, and some folks are simply more up for a challenge than others. Our friend L. is one who has big ambitions and the stamina to go after what seems impossible to most people. With a great love for both people and animals, she was living what may have looked to outsiders like either a dream or a nightmare, depending on their perspective. Last night L.'s dreams came crashing down when the humane society came in and seized her animals.

It's been a rough year for L. in many ways. Spring arrived with torrential rains which washed out early plantings and turned lower pastures into mud holes. There was a wild animal of one kind or another that stole in during the night this summer and in one week took out most of her chickens along with a pet turkey. One night in August, presumably the same creature left a deep gouge in the hind quarters of one of her best riding horses. And then one of the horses, perhaps a newcomers to the barn, turned up with worms. She treated the bunch of them twice but it was looking like a stronger medicine was needed. Then L. got sick herself and ended up in the hospital.

The world  in general is not kind and under- standing. No sooner do we see a dog panting in a parked car then someone is ready to call 911 with little regard to whether or not the animal is actually in need. Because L.'s horses are rescue horses, some of them quite old (one is nearly 40), she is constantly being turned in to animal services. She never had to worry before, but everything came crumbling down this fall. Horses who were healthy and fine this summer started losing weight in spite of being well fed. Before she had a chance to recover from her own illness, get back on her feet and remedy the problem, she was faced with another problem; a warrant for her arrest on charges of animal cruelty and neglect.

Last night, before we knew any of this, Hannah asked her Dad if we could take in three of the horses out at L.'s farm. She had already gotten rid of two. We have a shelter, all we would need is a fence to keep them from wandering. Her dad almost seemed willing to think about it... Now we can't take them even if we wanted to because they are "evidence".

Please pray for L. who would do anything for anybody and tried so hard to do what was right and good, and also for my daughter, who loves and misses "her" horse, and her friend who is devastated and worried about "her" horse too. Many of these horses came from previously difficult situations and have made remarkable strides in their well being. K.'s i one of those. Pray for understanding and clarity on the part of those who will hear L's case, for L herself., and for the animals that have been taken off to who-knows-where. They are all loved by children, teens, and adults who went out for lessons and did their part to help take care of them.