The Stray

2018.JAN.17

I felt a little bit guilty as soon as the snarky comment passed my lips ... but that only lasted a flicker.

A stranger came up to my gate ... my dogs going berserk, as usual.... "Ma'am," he nods, "Did you by any chance find a border collie around here?"

Victor - Arrived October, 2015

"Yeah." I smiled, pointing to the furry border collie bouncing around on the other side of the fence. "About two years ago."  
(I'm thinking: "If a you are now coming to look for Victor? Hah! Well, good luck with THAT, buddy.").

No. The young gentleman politely explained that the dog he lost on the day before Christmas, is a registered smooth coat border collie. Not Victor. 

(Dog's been missing for weeks and they're  just now coming around to make inquiries.) 

He went on to tell me that he is the manager of "such and so ranche", and he hadn't missed the dog until he got home later. It could have happened on the other side of the mountain, or on top of the summit, when he got out to "push some cows".

And that's when I spontaneously let slip what I really think about ranchers and their working dogs: "And you actually CARE  about a DOG?" I murmured (with incredible subtly).

The reality is that MOST working dogs on the range are treated like livestock, at best.
They are expendable, disposable, and generally have little contact with humankind,
apart from their masters. My dog, Victor, is the product of that type of handling.
He came to me starving and terrified. To this day, he does not allow anyone else to touch him.

"Yes. I do." He seemed to choke up a little, and I felt that little twinge of guilt, and sympathy for a fellow dog lover. Perhaps it was wrong of me to rush to judgment. And then, he ruined it for me as he continued, "Well, this one, anyway.  My best cowdog. Registered smooth-coat border collie".

It was obvious to me that the dog meant more to the guy than just any old working dog; high-tone breeding stock, or not. It struck me that the instant the tough hombre revealed his emotional connection with the canine, he evidently felt compelled to nullify that, and to justify WHY he values this animal. He just had to put that value into economic terms.

Herein lies one of the most fundamental differences between agricultural folk and animal advocates: 

·         Ranchers and farmers maintain extremely rigid boundaries between themselves and their stock, including most dogs and horses. The capacity to compartmentalize [another's suffering] is a necessary defense mechanism for anyone who intends to profit from the death of animals, in whatever form that may take.

·         Conversely, those of us who develop very close personal relationships with our pets tend to extend our feelings to other sentient beings. We could no more butcher a cow than put a price tag on the heads of our darling furry friends.

I believe this core issue is the one insurmountable obstacle between us.
Compassion cannot be taught with words, or even video. It will never be developed through vitriolic contempt.

So long as compassion is a detriment to profitability, there is little hope of consensus between factions.


PS -- If anyone in the Cherry Creek area has seen a smooth-coat Border Collie wearing a camo collar, please call Jack: 775.296.3366. Otherwise, I sure hope Juan found himself a good home.