I am done with hiding and down-playing things and posting half-truths. This is honesty. This is reality. Just when I think things are good, something happens and I start thinking, again, that maybe things never will be good.
How is it that out of all the potential dairy farms we could work on, we keep ending up with one where the boss either:
A. neglects/abuses their animals,
B. constantly is rude and demeaning towards us,
and/or C. massively overworks/underpays us past what is legal?
I'm trying, I really am, to keep the thoughts in mind that dairy farming isn't a cruel industry. But it's hard. I'm standing in a world where cruelty runs rampant, neglect is common-place, and most attempts to prevent any of it is brushed off. "Nah it's fine, we always do this and there's never been a problem before." It'll be fine. She'll be fine. Don't worry about it. Where is the kindness? The compassion? Is there even any shred of decency in these people?
It's not about "animal rights" or being an animal activist or whatever negative terminology you try to slap on this to make me out as being unreasonable. This is about what is right and wrong, the line between humane and inhumane, our duty to the animals in our care to actually care for them.
I am angry but more than that I am tired. I'm having more and more often the thoughts that I want to just leave here and give up this whole stupid idea that maybe dairy farming can be good and kind and that farmers actually care about their cows. Because I've seen time and time again that so many of them don't, and somehow we keep getting stuck with those people. What is the point? It's hard. Seeing suffering and being unable to help because people do not listen and they do not care.
It's a sad day when you realize that you love cows too much to be a dairy farmer.
I'm sorry, cows. I'm sorry that people don't see you as living, feeling creatures. I'm sorry people don't see your worth as anything beyond how much milk you produce. You deserve better. And I'm sorry I can't give you better.
A. neglects/abuses their animals,
B. constantly is rude and demeaning towards us,
and/or C. massively overworks/underpays us past what is legal?
I'm trying, I really am, to keep the thoughts in mind that dairy farming isn't a cruel industry. But it's hard. I'm standing in a world where cruelty runs rampant, neglect is common-place, and most attempts to prevent any of it is brushed off. "Nah it's fine, we always do this and there's never been a problem before." It'll be fine. She'll be fine. Don't worry about it. Where is the kindness? The compassion? Is there even any shred of decency in these people?
It's not about "animal rights" or being an animal activist or whatever negative terminology you try to slap on this to make me out as being unreasonable. This is about what is right and wrong, the line between humane and inhumane, our duty to the animals in our care to actually care for them.
I am angry but more than that I am tired. I'm having more and more often the thoughts that I want to just leave here and give up this whole stupid idea that maybe dairy farming can be good and kind and that farmers actually care about their cows. Because I've seen time and time again that so many of them don't, and somehow we keep getting stuck with those people. What is the point? It's hard. Seeing suffering and being unable to help because people do not listen and they do not care.
It's a sad day when you realize that you love cows too much to be a dairy farmer.
I'm sorry, cows. I'm sorry that people don't see you as living, feeling creatures. I'm sorry people don't see your worth as anything beyond how much milk you produce. You deserve better. And I'm sorry I can't give you better.
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