neighborhood calf question - venting

[fowlfriends]

Some folks living near me are raising a few calves. I am no cow person - have never tried raising them - but there is something that keeps really bothering me. One of the calves has an ENORMOUS tumor? on his tail. The babies are not the optimum picture of health to begin with, but this thing on the one baby's tail keeps getting bigger and bigger...

I do not know the people, and really do not want to talk with them. They have neighbors accross the road with amazing Scottish Highland cattle. I would have hoped maybe they would say something?

It bothers me to see a calf like this. I cannot imagine it is comfortable.

 

[justusnak]

Maybe you can call animal controll?? Sounds like it would be very painfull! Poor thing!

 

[fowlfriends]

Quote:
It does look painful. I do not believe Animal Control around here deals with livestock. I'm sure I could ask them who to call though.

I think I need to get brave and drive out that way tomorrow to see if I can snap a picture.

 

[Beekissed]

Maybe before you call animal control and ruin relations with your neighbors, you could ask them if they know about this growth? Maybe this has already been assessed by a vet and you aren't aware of it? The neighborly thing to do would be to approach these folks and say, "Hey, don't know if you know it, but one of your calves has a growth or abscess on its tail?" Some growths are benign and not at all painful. I think you would like the same courtesy, if it were one of your animals, instead of getting an embarassing visit from animal control. You really don't know the circumstances of what these folk's lives are since you don't know them. They could be dealing with far more pressing things than a growth right now. A death in the family, a sick child, etc. Unless clear cut neglect or abuse is happening to an animal and you know this for a fact, I think animal control is the last people who should be called.

 

[beefy]

Quote:
Hear, Hear!

 

[fowlfriends]

Well, like I said, to my knowledge, AC does not deal with livestock out here. It just seems to me that a lot of people in my area have cattle, horses, goats, etc and do not give them proper care. Nothing is ever done, and thus my desire to vent.

I appreciate everyone elses opinions, but I sure hope you are not trying to suggest that I am going after people for no reason. I am not that type. However, when it comes to the welfare of animals, I do tend to care about the animal who appears to be in pain, rather than thinking of the owners of said animal. I've seen this little dude's tumor type growth grow very rapidly in the past few weeks, and I suppose that is what has me concerned enough to post about it on a forum.

 

[vickig]

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[Beekissed]

Cattle country here also. One of the people who live in the next county, by my sister, had a similar situation. The next door neighbors never saw these people feed their cows and was "feeding them over the fence" because they felt sorry for them. "Someone" (I think it was my sister!) turned them in to animal control. They are now not able to own an animal on their property for 7 years!!!! I asked my sister if these cattle were poorly looking and thin? She wouldn't answer and just turned her head. Since she didn't rant and rave about the bad conditions of these cows (which she normally does about any other animal she sees in that condition) I can safely assume that SHE just assumed they were not being fed because she just didn't SEE it. How sad that we live in an age where a neighbor can ruin your life with one phone call, just because they didn't know you, or thought to ask a question. The irony of this situation is that my sister, the big animal lover, has starved her cattle all winter and doesn't have enough pasture this spring to feed them.

 

[vickig]

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[EggCentric]

Nobody loses their ability to own animals without a thorough investigation and their day in court. There has to be evidence of neglect or cruelty before a judge will make that ruling. You can't do it with just a phone call.