Between Angie Koontz-Pike, Robin Moorhead, Laura, and myself, we've probably rescued more than 1,000 horses, mules, donkeys, ponies, goats, dogs, cats, and cows over the past few years. It's a thing, not a competition, but if it were a competition, Angie would beat us all! Not only does she have the truck, trailer, and acreage to host over 200 animals at one time, she has the 501(c) 3 non-profit status to back her up, and THANK YOU, JESUS, for that, because there have been moments when we (meaning Laura, and I) will make the same mistakes Robin makes, and go out onto Facebook and look on the kill pen sites, you know, "just to see what's out there", right! No one ever goes onto the kill pen sites thinking they won't find something that has to be taken home right then, and right there. I can usually resist, but that Robin, Lord have mercy! I think I'm being 100% honest when I say she even named one Merci. Merci currently lives with Angie. Did I mention that Angie has wings and can be seen playing the harp now and then? She's our rescue angel - - and we love her.
I can't tell you how many times I have called Angie up on the phone, texted her when she didn't answer, and then emailed her if she refused to text me back! If I still can't reach her I've gone through Messenger, but let me tell you, I am not over and above getting into my little Seamus (car) and driving my happy ass over to her place in the far outreaches of the country and unhooking her gate lock to hunt her down to tell her we simply MUST drive up to Stroud THIS VERY MINUTE (of course, bring the truck and trailer) and we have to save Reagan! We have to save Zahara! We have to save Ava! We have to save Sable! We have...you get the picture. We are always and forever saving someone, something, or two or three things at once; don't get me wrong, Angie is not so much of an angel that she isn't just as guilty as we are. Yes, she is! The best thing about that is, she doesn't have to drive 40 miles in the pouring rain to tell herself she needs to go RIGHT NOW and save some animal that is being hauled off in a few hours to Mexico to be slaughtered. It's a real thing; and it's just heartbreaking.
Our vet Sammy Crosby, Jr., not to be confused with his father, our other vet, Sammy Crosby, Sr., is our large animal vet. Sammy Crosby Sr., is our small animal vet. We like to keep things simple. Sammy Jr. is usually the second person to be notified as soon as we pick up a four-legged, skinnier-than-should-be "poor" creature, who just couldn't be turned away. Sammy has brought our loads back to life a few dozen times, and when he can't bring them back, he's the best at sending them on their way over the Rainbow Bridge. A job no one wants, but we appreciate his connections with the gatekeepers up that way; so far as we know, no animal has ever been turned away from the Bridge, and we rest so much easier knowing they didn't suffer another day here on this wretched Earth because someone either threw them out for losing a race, threw them out for being pregnant, threw them out because they couldn't produce the right color foal, or threw them out because their daughter went off to college and they didn't want to mess with feeding and watering their kid's animal - - that happens too.
When Angie is called and she's hooked up that trailer, some animal out there in the wild world will be saved and saved for eternity. With her connections and her non-profit, horses mostly, but other equine, bovine, canine, and feline will never be sold or given to anyone who may end up dumping their charge back at the kill pen; no way, it just won't happen. They say you can't save them all, and I get that, but for the ones we can save, we try our best to make the world of difference in their lives that was needed; and we try over and over and over again to the point of eating ramen while we spend $$$ on trimming, chiropractors, vets, livery, floating (teeth work) and more. Every horse deserves to be pampered, right? I say it over and over again; "If God ever lets me come back as something I'll come back as one of Robin Morehead's horses" because that woman knows how to spoil a pony! If I believed in reincarnation, which I don't, I would or could just as easily come back as one of Angie's rescues because I know that my freedom ride will mean I am given a forever chance to live my life the way it was supposed to be lived - with love.
Thank you, Sissy! I love you!
To donate to Angie's 501 (c) 3 rescue, you can send money through paypal.com at: Countryphilly2002@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment