USELESS OWNERS-KIND VETS-COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE

[guest@endurance.net]

Dorann LaPerch bonnfyrefarms@yahoo.com
Last Wednesday, a client who was several months into me for board,had one
of her horses colic. Just three months ago she had paid to have these
horses shipped from Massachusetts to Southern California.

I have never felt so helpless in my life as it took me nearly 24 hours of
begging to get her to call a vet. Her reluctance of course was financial.
While waiting for her to consent I, under the vets orders,administered
banamine. Finally on Thursday late morning the vet arrived having gotten a
"promise" from the owner of at leas being paid for half of her services,
with a postdated check of course. When the vet got here she felt that the
mare was probably surgical(impaction colic), but of course the owner had
no money. I stayed with this mare the rest of the day Wednesday, through
the night and all day and night Thursday. I walked her and gave her
Banamine every 12 hours.
By Friday morning she was still no better but holding her own. Her owner
called me and said "I am done with this horse, do not even give her any
more pain meds". I could not believe this! I was only charging her cost
for the banamine! Obviously I think she knew I would at least continue to
keeping this mare pain free.Dr. Janna Smith who had come out to see this
horse had told me that if this horse went into a crisis she would of
course come to put her to sleep. By Friday afternoon one of my kind
clients, Angie Cloke, said she would pay for another vet visit. Are you
ready for this? We practically had to BEG the owner to let this woman
spend $200 to take care of her horse! I think she thought there was some
sort of subterfuge. Thanks to Angie (who has boarded with me for 16 years)
the vet came out at Noon on Friday. Though the mares heart rate was still
relatively low it was obvious on internal examination that this was
definitely not going to resolve on its own.  It took me another SIX hours
to reach this owner, when I finally talked to her the first words out of
her mouth was "How much is this going to cost me". I explained to her that
Angie had left $200 and that the earlier exam was only $100 so that there
was still $100 credit, and that putting her down would be $125 and then
hauling her body away was $175. I finally got permission at 7 PM to
euthanize this horse. Again this mare with pain meds was maintaining
comfortably still. This was a beautiful six year old mare. I can
understand people not being able to afford surgery, but to withhold BASIC
medical care is unbelievable! The lady who hauls away the deceased horses
needed payment before she came. She was given TWO bad credit card numbers
Friday night. It was not until Saturday morning that ANOTHER post dated
check was brought out and left.

In 20 years of boarding horses I have never had anything close to this
happen. My boarding contract allows me to get medical care for a horse
only if I can not reach the owner.

The upshot of this story is that I offered to wave this womans delinquent
board bill and cost of my banamine if she would turn over the ownership
and papers of her four year old mare. The thought of not only continuing
to have her not pay me and the chance of going through this again was more
then I could contemplate.I now have a gorgeous and extremely sweet (she
will leave her food for petting) Purebred mare who I will sell for what
the current board bill is ($1,000). I have posted an ad in the classifieds
for anyone interested.

My sincere thanks to Angie Cloke for stepping up to the plate and being
the kind caring person she is. Also, my thanks to Dr. Janna Smith for her
kindness and not being the kind of vet that is completely business minded.
Two other vets in my area did not even call the owner back because of her
stating her financial problems.

I had been trying to work with this woman on her board, which is why I had
not enforced my 30 day lien policy. I compeltely understand going through
financial hardship. I am going to modify my boarding contract in regards
to medical treatment so that another horse will not have to go through
this again. Any suggestions as to how to word that would be greatly
appreciated, I am not sure how you can force someone to take care of there
horse!