The Lost Art of Compassion

By: Ted Howard Production Animal Consultation

Isaw propaganda recently from an animal rights group that said we should not domesticate dogs. The article indicated that by do mesticating dogs, we were infring ing on their right to be free and live as wild animals. There were many thoughts that crossed my mind; however, the most appropriate for this article were thoughts on com passion for our animals.

Compassion is when someone shows kindness and willingness to help others, and in our case, to help livestock as well.

Compassion is a positive emotion in that it has to do with being thoughtful and decent. I know in our feedyard world, compassion may not be a word that resonates with everyone. However, the word “decent” should be understood and valued by most.

Recently, I witnessed a crew taking a calving heifer to the doctoring facility for some assistance. This heifer was shown compassion. More often than not, I see calving heifers put in an alley to be dealt with after all pens have been ridden. Compassion needs to be given at the right time to the right animal. The most critical cattle should be taken care of first.

When we pull a sick animal from its home pen and move it to the doctoring facility, we need to be compassionate. Being quiet and moving the animal at the pace the animal can safely travel is showing decency. Asking cattle to leave their pen without pushing or chasing them demonstrates compassion. When we get to the doctoring facility, we do not need to use hotshots or whips. These animals are already under tremendous stress. Thinking about how we feel when we are ill, understanding what the animal is going through, and then treating the animal with some respect is showing compassion.

As you once again begin another fall calf run, remember your compassion. Most of these calves are freshly weaned and missing their mothers. They have been jostled onto a cattle trailer and hauled across the country to be unloaded in a strange environment with their stressed-out siblings and perhaps other unknown pen mates. We all recognize how much we appreciate compassion from others when we are in situations that are unfamiliar to us. Think about the first time you went through an airport, landed in the emergency room, or had to meet with your new boss. These were all situations where we appreciated some kindness and compassion to help us get through the situation.

We can show compassion to our equine partner too. The spurs and bits we use indicate the kind of compassion we have for our horses. Severe spurs and bits cause harm to the partnerships we are trying to establish with our horse.

We need to recognize the kind of day our horse puts in with us. If conditions are muddy, we need to recognize they may have aches and pains. Showing compassion by rinsing the mud off their legs or cooling them down when it is hot goes a long way in building trust. A horse that has been shown compassion will meet you at the gate each morning.

It takes absolutely no more time to show compassion than not. You can still ask of your horse and cattle and expect results, just in a compassionate or decent manner. In fact, once you establish trust with your horses and cattle through your compassionate behavior, your day will flow so much smoother. You will go home feeling good about your day’s accomplishments.

Compassion with your teammates is also important. Being helpful to each other shows compassion. Being patient with a teammate that is struggling with personal or professional issues shows compassion. Once you can embrace a compassionate mindset, you can demonstrate it to the animals entrusted to your care, to your teammates, and to your family.

So, instead of going home and turning your dog back to the wild… just pet him.