I tend to see many of life’s issues in various shades of gray, which most likely
led to my becoming a consultant. However, there are some issues where I am
quite passionate, three of which are:
·
It is wrong to
sell a llama into a situation where there is no appropriate companion
animal,
·
It is wrong to sell a
nursing cria unless it is accompanied by its mother, and
·
It is wrong to house
a llama in a manner that is inconsistent with its needs and psychological
makeup.
This article was prompted by
a situation that was reported to me at our January Maine
Llama Association meeting. This situation involved two of the three ‘wrongs’ detailed above.
First, the llama was sold into a situation where there is no appropriate
companion animal. Second, the llama is being housed in what appears to
have been a dog pen.
Unfortunately what might be wrong is not necessarily illegal. Under the
laws and regulations of Maine, if an animal has access to food, water and
shelter (as defined in the regulations) and is not being physically abused
(as defined in the regulations), there is no recourse.
Those reporting the situation have attempted, at length, to communicate
with the owner of the llama … to no avail.
While we may feel powerless
in the instant situation, there are things we can do to lessen the problem
in the future.
Speak Out
At every opportunity let people know about llamas and
their needs. On Open Farm Day we spend much of our time educating our
visitors about llamas. Last year one of our visitors commented that she
came to our farm thinking that all that would happen is that she would see
some llamas, but, instead, she left having learned an incredible amount about
llamas. She was most grateful that we took the time to share our passion
for llamas. We had well over one hundred visitors who actively
participated in our mini-discussion groups.
Ask your local schools if they would like you to come
in and talk about llamas. Children have an ability to successfully
confront adults about inappropriate behavior where we, as adults, would
meet stubborn resistance. Heidi West, West Meadows Farm, has established a
llama 4H group. The benefits of her efforts will go way beyond those
children that are enrolled in the group.
Ask your local newspaper if they would like to do an
article on llamas or on your farm. If you feel comfortable about writing
an article yourself, do so!
If you have a web site, include a page or two on the
proper management of llamas. I normally wait until one of my articles for
this newsletter appears in print before I will put it up on my web site.
This article will be published on my web site, the moment it is finished.
Write Your
Representatives
Many political action groups provide post cards that
can be sent to your representatives. While these hold some amount of sway
with your elected officials, a hand written note is far more effective …
it shows that you really care. Some hints:
·
Address the
issue as briefly and concisely as you can. You want to catch the interest
of the reader in the first sentence or two.
·
Do not use
wimpy words … “Perhaps we should consider” does not carry the same
weight as “I feel strongly that we should”.
·
Don’t let
any fears about your grammatical or spelling abilities keep you from
writing. A grammatical or spelling error will not work against you; it
will demonstrate that you are ‘real’.
·
Include your
address. This is particularly important if you are writing to one of your
representatives (you are a potential vote).
·
Do not
hesitate to write to individuals outside of your voting area. After all,
they may have political aspirations beyond their current district. Always
write to everyone who is on a committee that is addressing an issue that
is important to you.
Be a Mentor
We have been
fortunate to receive much help, advice and guidance from many members of
the MLLA and GALA.
In addition, we have been very fortunate to have two very good mentors,
Pondview Llamas and Balfour Farms. The best way for us to repay these
farms for the mentoring they have given us is to be good mentors to others
who are new to llamas.
Take Your Llamas Out for
a Walk
The more we expose our llamas to the public, the more
opportunity we have to educate the public about the proper care and
management of llamas.
Besides, their gentle nature will help you calm down.
I know that I need to go for a walk with mine … right now!