Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[K Spot]

Ugh Tandy, how awful for you to have to deal with the stress of that. I agree, some people are just out to cause trouble. Chin up love, and down that wine!!

All these tender loving rooster stories makes me glad I have a little rooster of my own I can count on to watch over my flock. He may be 1/3 of the girls' size, but I'm sure as he matures he'll do a great job.

While we are sharing doggie pics, this is my 7 year old Dalmatian lure coursing:

 

[birdman55]

welcome nu2chooks15..
im kris aka birdman

 

[tandykins]

Ugh. Clenching my teeth.

I called the agent just to tell her that if I didn't answer the door I was probably out back with the chickens (cleaning the poop boards - a clean coop is a happy coop!). She figured that she could just interview me over the phone.

The complaint was that I was performing surgeries on my chickens and that I might have cut Bumblebee's foot off.

I explained the bumblefoot procedure I did and that I had noted that amputation might be necessary if she didn't improve. I also noted that a friend of mine (quite clearly the person who called) had sent me a message, alarmed and thinking that I was going to cut my chicken's whole foot off (this was almost verbatim the complaint). I explained that no, at most she'd have to have the last joint of that toe amputated and please not to worry because I'd absolutely be taking her to the vet before taking that step.

She then apparently decided to ignore everything I actually said to her and call anyway.

In an ironic twist, the woman who called takes terrible care of her chickens. I spent 16 hours and my own money treating her chickens' scaly leg mite infestation and educating her on how to do it. She wanted to just cull the infested chickens but I insisted that treating for mites (they had scaly leg mites, feather mites and poultry lice) was relatively straightforward if time consuming and offered to do it myself rather than see her chickens die. I also encouraged her to please move the roosts in her coop (they are directly over the uncovered nesting boxes so that the chickens poop all over the laying ones).

Thankfully (for her), I'm not petty. But in future, if she needs help treating her chickens I will (for my own sanity/protection) have to point out to her that I might be breaking the law by doing so and that she should take them to the vet.

Meanwhile, the agent told me that treating bumblefoot myself is a violation (but she apparently doesn't care enough to do anything about it). I'm going to have to do some research because I sincerely doubt this is true.

I'm no longer panicking. Now I'm just irritated.

 

[cwrite]

@tandykins I'm glad that's over for you! Interesting that treating bumblefoot yourself is a violation. I wonder if the council has any idea how few vets will deal with chickens and as they are livestock I'm surprised because I bet farmers treat their animals all the time rather than go to a vet - when it's within their abilities. Anyway, I'd be careful of bringing home germs from your frenemy's flock if she's not taking proper care of them. Hope you have a good week-end. : )

 

[tandykins]

@tandykins I'm glad that's over for you! Interesting that treating bumblefoot yourself is a violation. I wonder if the council has any idea how few vets will deal with chickens and as they are livestock I'm surprised because I bet farmers treat their animals all the time rather than go to a vet - when it's within their abilities. Anyway, I'd be careful of bringing home germs from your frenemy's flock if she's not taking proper care of them. Hope you have a good week-end. : )

I'm so obsessive about not spreading contaminants that I go through laundry and soap like you wouldn't believe. I currently have hens out back, a rooster in quarantine in the front and babies in the sewing room. So it's go out and deal with the hens, undress, shower, change clothes, deal with the rooster, undress, shower, change clothes, deal with the babies, undress, shower, change clothes. I sometimes take 12 showers in a day.

I'm debating whether or not to let her know that I know it was her. I think that noting publicly that I know who it is but not confronting her directly will eat at her. This thought pleases me. >.>

 

[Steampunked]

Meanwhile, the agent told me that treating bumblefoot myself is a violation (but she apparently doesn't care enough to do anything about it). I'm going to have to do some research because I sincerely doubt this is true.

Absolutely ridiculous. What rubbish.

This wouldn't fly in treating humans (speaking as a St Johns trained respondent) - Good Samaritan laws enable Australians to effect meaningful first aid to the best of their capability and knowledge. In short, if you accidentally killed someone you were trying to help, you could not be charged. We have these laws because they stop people dying like they do in the US.

The only question is if your agent has a specific rider on your renters clause regarding this (the owner's right). If they do not, they're just threatening you.

I'd recommend calling them back and saying that as you are concerned with animal welfare, this really worries you, and can they provide the document and section for you to examine.

I'd also call the RSPCA and ask them for any relevant legal information, I imagine they will be very, very happy to provide it to you. Since you are not involved in surgical modification for non-therapeutic purposes, there is no legal statute that applies.

You could refer to http://kb.rspca.org.au/RSPCA-Policy-B4-Farm-animal-husbandry-and-management_167.html

Man I'm ******...treating bumblefoot is pretty scary for the owner, it's a time when you're sacrificing your own peace of mind for your animal.

 

[Steampunked]

Sorry I sound so angry, but people can do all kinds of horrible things perfectly legally to animals - especially chickens - and her choosing THIS as a hill to die on is utterly ridiculous!

 

[tandykins]

Absolutely ridiculous. What rubbish.

This wouldn't fly in treating humans (speaking as a St Johns trained respondent) - Good Samaritan laws enable Australians to effect meaningful first aid to the best of their capability and knowledge. In short, if you accidentally killed someone you were trying to help, you could not be charged. We have these laws because they stop people dying like they do in the US.

The only question is if your agent has a specific rider on your renters clause regarding this (the owner's right). If they do not, they're just threatening you.

I'd recommend calling them back and saying that as you are concerned with animal welfare, this really worries you, and can they provide the document and section for you to examine.

I'd also call the RSPCA and ask them for any relevant legal information, I imagine they will be very, very happy to provide it to you. Since you are not involved in surgical modification for non-therapeutic purposes, there is no legal statute that applies.

You could refer to http://kb.rspca.org.au/RSPCA-Policy-B4-Farm-animal-husbandry-and-management_167.html

Man I'm ******...treating bumblefoot is pretty scary for the owner, it's a time when you're sacrificing your own peace of mind for your animal.

XD Thank you Steampunked. Your anger is actually quite reassuring. This isn't something that many of my friends (not being in the position of keeping animals that they have to treat) understand. Including this woman.

I'm actually studying at the moment with the intention of becoming a veterinarian and have always been extremely interested in medicine. It's not even scary for me. It's a little nerve wracking but it's also incredibly enjoyable for me because SCIENCE! Still, I never do it unless I have to. My animals' welfare comes first and foremost.

There's certainly no clauses on my rental agreement as I own my property.

That's a great idea regarding calling the RSPCA for any relevant legal information. I can't imagine that they'd have a problem with me wanting to be well informed. Thanks for that suggestion!

What gets me is that if I suddenly decide that I simply don't like one of my chickens I can just chop its head off perfectly legally. Try to keep it alive? Neglect. SMH.

 

[Nu2chooks15]

welcome nu2chooks15..
im kris aka birdman

Hi Kris/Birdman nice to "meet" you

I'm Gail

 

[Nu2chooks15]

Loving the dog photo's btw, especially when they go in with the chooks too