I just don’t know how much longer I am going to be able to do my job. I really don’t. Last night a man and his wife brought in a beautiful Amazon parrot. Something had happened to one of its toes, and it was bleeding and needed to be amputated. The estimate came out to more than what the man had paid for the bird, so not not only did he elect not to see treatment, but announced that he knows about animals and will just take care of it himself. At this point the wife burst into tears. It was obvious that she wanted us to treat the bird. The man turns to his wife and says, “Oh come ON! If the bird isn’t still alive come Monday who cares? Now come on, let’s get out of here now!” His wife just sat in her chair trembling and crying. He insisted again that she get up and come with him, and reluctantly, she did. It broke my heart to see the poor woman so unhappy. And I don’t even want to think about what he tried to do to that bird once he got it home. I watched that man take that living, thinking, feeling creature out of my hospital, so he could take it home and chop off its toe, without any knowledge of veterinary medicine, drugs, nothing. I just know that the bird is going to die in pain, if it hasn’t already. And yet, I am allowed to say nothing. I cannot report him to anyone, because he hasn’t broken any laws. I can’t do anything but rant to my coworkers, which doesn’t really change anything. The doctor and I got into a huge debate over the whole thing, because his attitude is, “Well, I don’t like it any more than you do, but what can we do?” I got so mad at him and I told him that if everyone had that attitude, about anything they felt passionately about, then nothing would ever change. Even if I lobby for more animal welfare laws for the rest of my life and nothing changes, at least I can look back and know that I tried. I really want to get involved in an organization that can help in this sort of way, but I don’t know who to turn to. I hate to say it, but many of the animal righs groups I know of are a little whacked out. I don’t want to associate myself with people who run around setting lab animals free, or anything like that. All I know is that I am sick of seeing abused and neglected animals and not being able to do anything about it. I have done things in the past and put my job on the live by doing so, as my hospital has a stong “no interference” rule, but it isn’t enough, and I can’t keep doing it…I’m just so heartsick…my job is going to kill me…
Michelle,
That story just breaks my heart too. I think you know I have two parrots- they are very intelligent, feeling creatures. People who are so cruel just defy belief. I’m sorry your job has you so trapped feeling.
I wish I had some advice for you, but the best I can come up with is this: Start researching some different organizations that deal with animal welfare that may not be as extreme as the others, and look into a slightly different line of work. How about working at a zoo? You could still assist the vets and treat animals, minus the jerks that you see day to day in the vet hospital.
I know that doesn’t make the jerks go away, but it may help you deal with the pressures of your job a little better.
I would venture to guess that these types of situations come up in every medical line of work. Doctors and nurses see women they know are abused that refuse to press charges, parents who make bad (but not illegal) choices for their kids. A difficult situation for all.
Good luck and hang in there,
Suzette
Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high.
Not enough and you’re gonna die…
Click here for some GOOD news for a change Zettecity
Seek out a few like minded and independent vets (not working in the hospital), then quietly slip the offenders (who cannnot/will not pay for the care their pets need), those names. Maybe they’ll try the independent vets, maybe who’ll maybe just do it to see it done. Maybe you’ll feel better.
You gotta do something or you will be sick, you won’t be able to keep this job if you don’t do something.
“Wisdom is the booby prize, they give you when you’ve been unwise.”
How terrible! If the standard for care was “don’t pay more for care than you paid for the animal”, most animals would have to go home to get toes chopped off. I don’t understand at all, and to see that sort of behavior from the alleged higer species all the time must be heartbreaking. I couldn’t imagine taking one of my darlings home to suffer and/or die just because the treatment was more than the original outlay.
One thing you might do is find out (if you don’t already know) what kind of state and local animal cruelty laws exist. Find out if there’s a lobby or some other group dedicated to having those laws strenghthened. Volunteer with them if they exist. Write letters to people who can change things, and detail cases such as this one. Tell them specifically what you want to see changed.
If worse comes to worst and you just can’t take your job anymore, you would be a wonderful representative for pet insurance or a responsible animal rights organization.
Animal cruelty stories always break my heart. I know you have had more than your fair share of experiences with these type of people.
(I assume that because either the parrot’s owner was your client or that he is ostensibly trying to help the bird that you can’t report him for cruelty. You certainly can’t report him anonymously, as only you, the vet, and the couple know his intentions.)
I think a change of venue has been the best suggestion. Your love of animals and your ability to aid them shouldn’t be wasted. There must be a zoo or animal shelter that could use your services.
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled
The zoo idea is great…that would be a good place for you to try. They certainly don’t abuse their animals and you could still be around the profession you love. It is terrible to see the way that people treat animals and it’s too bad that we can’t determine who is fit and who is unfit to have pets. But you know…some people don’t treat their kids much better so what do we expect? Hope things work out for you.
“Do or do not, there is no try” - Yoda
- Intern to El Presidente
Self-Righteous Clique *
Isn’t animal cruelty or neglect against the law?
A people doctor would be required under law to report abuse or neglect. Musn’t an animal doc do the same?
I think the law would supercede a pet hospital’s non-interference edict.
It’s hard not to get disillusioned when you’re confronted with jerks like that guy, but try to remember all the good things that you do for other people and their pets, and take heart. You’re a good person doing a valuable job.
That’s horrible! I wish I had some additional advice to give, but everything I can think of right now has already been covered. If only people would treat their pets as well as their pets treat them–which reminds me of something I read in the news back around Christmas (stories like this put tears in my eyes):
A 4 year old boy was out playing with his dog, when they were suddenly attacked by a swarm of bees. The dog jumped on top of the boy, shielding his body from the bee stings; it probably saved the boy’s life. The dog died.
Some people could learn a lot about compassion and caring from animals.
Considering I adopted Inigo from a shelter, everything at the vet costs more than I paid for him. His shots, an exam, etc. He is not property, and he’s even more than a pet–he’s a part of my family.
Michelle, I must again say how much I admire your line of work–and namely, you personally. Your words to the vet–that if everyone felt that way, nothing would change–are admirable, honest, and noble, even. I agree completely. In teaching, you get similar attitudes when you are dealing with kids from rotten backgrounds; some teachers expect little to nothing from them because believing in them, as I do, is so much more frustrating, stressful, and difficult. But, in the similar vein of your thoughts, if I didn’t–who will?
Your job might indeed do you in if these frustratio persist. Frankly, I’d start opening my mouth to these owners, or doing as elbows suggested and blacklisting them. Holding it inside is poisoning you.
formerly known as LauraRae
I’m a Raggety Ann in a Barbie Doll world.
That’s odd. In my city if you can’t afford to treat your animal, the Animal Welfare shop can pay for it for you. If you can afford it, you pay them back & if not, they pay for it themselves.
It’s a pity you don’t have any organizations like that in your city. We only have 17,000 people in ours, so even small cities do.
I think in this situation, if the owner had brought the pet in with the toe already chopped off, then it could have been reported to the authorities. But since there was no “witnessed” abuse, the guy only said he was going to do it (as everybody knows, saying a thing and doing a thing are two separate things), then the vet’s hands were tied. It’s sad that Michelle had to deal with this jerk, but there really isn’t anything she can do about that particular situation.
Shadowfox
“Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now.” - Procrastinator’s motto.
That’s possible, Shadowfox, but I was leaning more toward the “neglect” than the “abuse” part. Michelle said one of its toes was bleeding and needed to be amputated. If an animal is in obvious need of medical attention, and the owner refuses to have it treated, then in my eyes that’s neglect.
Thanks for all the replies…I am exhausted, I overslept this afternoon, and Iam running about an hour late to work…I’ll talk more about the issues raised tomorrow…
As long as we’re asking about animal cruelty…I have a question for the Teeming Millions. My parents live in Tennessee. Their next-door neighbor has a dog. SWEETEST Golden Lab ever. However, these IDIOTS leave the dog out all the time. The dog was outside when it was over 100 degrees every day in the summer, and is now outside when it’s snowed 3 inches and is below freezing every night. My mother feels TERRIBLE about the dog and how it’s treated. Like I said, he’s a sweetie…he never barks, and when I go out when I’m down there, he runs over to the edge of the yard (they have an electric fence, so he can’t come into our yard) and looks at me to see if I’ll say hello.
Now…Tennessee doesn’t have animal control. At least Memphis doesn’t. What (if anything) can my parents do? My mom wants to call someone to report their idiot neighbor, but doesn’t know who to call. ANy suggestions??? I cant stand to think about this dog being treated this badly…
“You are sweet, kind, and considerate… Like a grown up boy scout with tits!” - Brian, aka SDMB’s one and only Satan.
Falcon, when I was back home in Memphis last year, the friends I was staying with temporarily took in a stray chow that was roaming the streets. Since they could not keep her, they tried calling all the agencies that they could think of trying to find her a home. Unfortunately, nobody seemed to be able to help, so I know how your parents must feel. They wound up spending a lot of money getting the dog fixed up (she had a really bad eye problem) and groomed, and finally they found a new home for her on their own.
Memphis does have a Humane Society, have your parents called them to ask for advice? I’ll contact my friends in Memphis and see if they kept any of the phone numbers from when we were trying to find help for the stray, perhaps one of those agencies will know what to do.
Thank you SO much, tatertot…I told my mom last night to call the Humane Society. Don’t know if she’s done it yet, though.
I just…jesus, people. If you can’t take care of the dog, DON’T GET IT! I had a dog growing up, and if we went by the “don’t put more money into it than you paid” thing, she would have died when I was 8. Instead, she lived with us until I was 18. She had 3 operations and we NEVER cared how much she cost us…she was part of our family. When we had her put to sleep, it’s one of the few times I’ve ever seen my father cry.
Michelle…I SO admire what you do because of that. I know that while my parents and I loved Gretel, there are a LOT of people who don’t treat their pet like we did. You rock, hon. big hugs
“You are sweet, kind, and considerate… Like a grown up boy scout with tits!” - Brian, aka SDMB’s one and only Satan.
Oh, Michelle, how awful. It’s even worse because parrots are such long-lived, respsonsive and aware. (Not that less expressive critters deserve one whit less.)
I guess only you can decide where your limits are. There’s no doubt the huge good you do for animals every day, but somewhere along the line, someone has to care for the caretaker. I don’t–and frankly couldn’t–do what you do, so any “wisdom” I could offer would mean less than nothing. So the enormous good you do isn’t in question, just the toll it takes on you to do it.
FWIW, I’ve always believed that part of a final judgment will be how we treat the helpless. None of us can counteract all the casual, unthinking cruelty in the world. But you’ve done a lot and even the toughest warrior needs leave sometimes.
Take care of yourself, too, hear?
Veb
I live in Florida and at least once a month somebody is brought up on charges serious enough to make the local paper. Neglect, abuse,etc. Why can’t you report it? At least if a cop shows up at his door it might change his attitude. Or he might become abusive to the cop and get busted for that. It’s worth a try.
John
In nursing homes, at least half of them, we treat people the same way. perhaps that bird owner will have that fate.
The older I get, the more convinced I am that it is wrong to keep living creatures captive.
Stories like this break my heart. Why do people treat these creatures this way? Do they have no feelings at all for the pain the creature is enduring?
Vets should have the authority to remove any creature from the custody of a non-caring owner.