I am so sorry that you are surrounded by idiots that think they know better than you do how to care for your goats. Nosey people are the worst.

Hugs to you. This too shall pass.

Carla

 

So sorry Shayanna! I can tell you are a wonderful goat owner . I'm sure animal control will see that too!

 

I don't get people like that.

I'm a grandmother...so I have my share of thinking things like, "Those young whippersnappers!" However, across the road from me is a young, 10 year old Hispanic girl....and I would be HAPPY for her to take care of my goats. She is sweet, utterly responsible for anything in her care, whether that be a younger child or a critter, and takes time to learn.

Youth only denotes a lack of time to gather up experience.... but ANYONE, if they so desire, can learn how to treat an animal properly with a minimum amount of effort.

And I know some 50-somethings that don't know squat about animals BECAUSE they won't expend the effort to learn. Willful ignorance and irresponsibility knows no age restrictions.

 

we had our share of nosey, bossy neighbors back when we were living in a suburb. i though by moving out into the country, just outside a tiny little town, people might mind there own business. guess not. my husband and i are some pretty good people in my opinion. hes 20, i'm 21, we have an 8 week old daughter (planned), a house of our own, steady income, and the beginning of a farm. i think that just screams responsible, but everybody is just looking for something to nit-pick about. oh well, when animal control comes by, i will just give them my number for the next time.

 

Shayanna, I wrote an entry on my blog inspired by your post. You'll find it here. I've included examples of two other farmer/bloggers who have had similar problems. You're not alone, and have my sympathies. Please ignore the haters and continue caring for your animals.

how to [censored] a farmer off: Animal control

Bruce / blog.bigpig.net

 

we had our share of nosey, bossy neighbors back when we were living in a suburb. i though by moving out into the country, just outside a tiny little town, people might mind there own business. guess not. my husband and i are some pretty good people in my opinion. hes 20, i'm 21, we have an 8 week old daughter (planned), a house of our own, steady income, and the beginning of a farm. i think that just screams responsible, but everybody is just looking for something to nit-pick about. oh well, when animal control comes by, i will just give them my number for the next time.

You and your family are not the sort of youth we hear about on the news. The folks around you probably just cant rap their mind around the fact that there are twenty somethings in the world who do more than drink and party and whatever. (as a matter of fact that would have been me in my late teens. Sorry I helped mess up the image!) 50 years ago you would have been the norm. They would have been bringing you cookies and inviting you to the church social.

 

Chin up! There are too few young people anymore as willing as you 2 to work hard and achieve your dreams! We have some wonderful friends in their 50's who raise a menagerie of farm animals that are most of their livelihood. Their animals are well cared for, but since the place is not 'prestine' they have had mutliple complaints over the years. Anymore, it has gotten to the point that local animal control doesn't even go to their place anymore. They just call to tell my friends they got another complaint.

If this continues, hopefully your animal control people will also realize there's no validity in the complaints and not bother you with them.

 

There's an -----hole around every corner, sometimes they line the block. . . you just have to learn to ignore them cause they'll always be some around. Sounds like AC is reasonable, thank goodness, so at least you've got that going for you. Hang in there!

 

The problem now is we have non country people living in the country; they think they know better than everyone because they have watched a TV show on how neglectful farmers are! So they think they are doing the animals a favour by calling AC. It is one of the reasons why as much asI want to raise rabbits for food in my urban neighbourhoood I do not dare. If anyone got wind of me killing and eating the baby bunnies(and that is how they will think of it) I will end up losing not just my bunnies but my purebred dogs too!

It is why I am itching to get back to the cpuntry where I was raised and start enjoying the freedom of listening to bird song, not having kids run onto my property after their balls that htye hit ONTo my property and just be able to relax.

 

(pondering) If it is the same people wonder after so many times can it be considered harassment ...whereas one could file a suit against such behavior??
Its funny in one area someone calls AC and bam they are knocking on your door ...in another area someone calls in abuse or neglect and AC is like "whatever"

 

we know who did it the first time. our township supervisor let it "slip" cause he was getting sick of complaints. the person who tipped us off this time won't tell us who it is because they don't want to start any trouble with their friend. you would think the person who tipped us off could have defended us, but thats a whole different story.
the unemployment rate, and the sheer amount oc retirees are through the roof up here. i think they have too much time on their hands and are way too concerned about other people's business.

 

Small town? When we go to breakfast the cafe is filled with old boys all having a good time talking with everyone. Everytime one leaves, someone makes a comment about him. Wonder what they say about us when we leave??

 

we know who did it the first time. our township supervisor let it "slip" cause he was getting sick of complaints. the person who tipped us off this time won't tell us who it is because they don't want to start any trouble with their friend. you would think the person who tipped us off could have defended us, but thats a whole different story.
the unemployment rate, and the sheer amount oc retirees are through the roof up here. i think they have too much time on their hands and are way too concerned about other people's business.

I am so sorry that these people, rather than welcoming you with open arms, are doing their best to drive you off.

Don't you let them get to you.

Wintrrwolf makes a good point. After a certain number of bogus accusations, it becomes harassment, and there are laws against that.

Praying that you and your little family will continue to do well, and that at least one of your neighbors will do the right thing by showing up at your door with a plate of cookies and warm welcome.

 

Small town? When we go to breakfast the cafe is filled with old boys all having a good time talking with everyone. Everytime one leaves, someone makes a comment about him. Wonder what they say about us when we leave??

I love to shut down gossips by asking them that same question: "What do you say about us when we leave?"

Yeah, I'm kind of snarky that way.

 

the unemployment rate, and the sheer amount oc retirees are through the roof up here. i think they have too much time on their hands and are way too concerned about other people's business.

Hmmm- so you think that old people are picking on you because you are young? As an old person, I have a thought that you may be putting too much emphasis on that. I can remember thinking about someone who was really young that time might change their thoughts about something but never assumed they were incompetent just for being young.
How do you get an old fool? You start with a young one. It's a life long process for some people.
There are quite a few people, young and old, who think of themselves as defenders of animals everywhere. Even though they are clueless. It's just part of the culture at the moment.
It is irritating to think that anyone would consider you cruel to your animals. It is like someone looking over your shoulder and judging everything you do.
Is there anyway you can defuse this, just to be left alone?

 

AR people are nuts. Perhaps you have a person around you who sees every animal as abused or neglected.
I'm sorry you are going through this. I would assume it is just one nasty, hateful person who is causing all the issues.

 

Chin up! There are too few young people anymore as willing as you 2 to work hard and achieve your dreams! We have some wonderful friends in their 50's who raise a menagerie of farm animals that are most of their livelihood. Their animals are well cared for, but since the place is not 'prestine' they have had mutliple complaints over the years. Anymore, it has gotten to the point that local animal control doesn't even go to their place anymore. They just call to tell my friends they got another complaint.

If this continues, hopefully your animal control people will also realize there's no validity in the complaints and not bother you with them.

^This

 

Isn't animal control a government financed department? In Florida all government records are public - you just have to request them.

I like your idea of a sign - put animal controls name and number on it - or the name and number of the first accuser. File a case of harassment!

 

people around here (my town) assume too much and are very close minded. the people across the street (are also kind of new around here) have occasionally had people over and played the stereo loud. because of that, there is a rumor that they are drug dealers. we happen to know one of them is a 20 something year old who works 60-70 hrs a week in a factory. i'm not picking on the older generation. alot of the people around here have been living here for their entire lives, and when someone new comes to the neighborhood, or something changes, they gossip at the local breakfast joint and people become "slobs", "drug dealers", or "animal abusers/neglecters".

 

How long have you lived in that town, Shayanna?

 

If it were me, I'd be as kind and accommodating to animal control as possible. Offer to be as transparent as they need. If they've come numerous times and leave impressed, rather than suspicious, eventually, they'll quit coming and as someone else said, figure the complaints aren't warranted. Definitely have a good attitude. I'm sure their agency is accustom to being used as a weapon in the middle of neighbor wars.

 

My advice is to take the high road. Be kind to everyone and smile a lot. Let the animal control people know that they are welcome to visit any time.

Don't say anything negative about anyone because, in a rural small town area, everyone is related to everyone.

Don't pay any attention to people who are gossipy as they are small minded and have no self esteem.

 

Had a similar problem when I moved here, since we weren't born here we were outsiders, even though we lived in the county for 20+ years it, it was on the other side of the county.

At least that what we thought. It turned out it was a neighbor who had an Air Conditioning company and we didn't pick him to put the AC in our house when it was built (he was 3 times higher than the other local company we picked). Well because of that he would call Animal Control or Code Enforcement on a weekly basis. This went on for months, until he got foreclosed on (considering what he was charging no wonder) and had to move. Karma stinks some times.

So it may only be one person you ticked off some how and don't even know it. If so they'll get theirs eventually.

Hope this helps.

 

we moved here in may. don't worry, i will take the high road, and give ac a nice tour. just had to vent and as usual, you guys understand my frustrations. at least i'm not the only one who has to deal with this

 

Remember that some folks simply don't understand goats, either.