Abiding by the adoption contracts
Recently, Zuma’s has experienced a gang of people upset that they signed adoption contracts that they did not read. When they finally read the contract, when they wanted to change the horse’s living situation and didn’t like the contract, they immediately looked outward for blame.
All of the angst from people goes to the top, the Executive Director, the very person who saves the horse they love, the person who inadvertently makes people cry when they are not honoring the voiceless horse. The person who has donated millions to keep horses and change how they are cared for is the person who put stipulations in the adoption contract to protect the horses from people who want to do things that are not in the horses’ best interest.
Every situation has two sides, and people who can not or will not accept their responsibility when things get sideways will always seek scapegoats; they will always attack. These keyboard warriors, those who have not put their lives into rescue, those who have zero clue about running a rescue, have biased and uninformed opinions, are small-minded people, and are of no consequence to those saving lives.
Zuma’s was recently accused by those frustrated with the adoption contract of being negligent for having a fallout with the local veterinarian hospital. We stood up to local veterinarians when many mistakes were made in caring for horses in that hospital. For example, one horse pulled the IV out and was spurting blood when we arrived for a visit; another technician forgot to administer the pain meds in a colic. When owners advocate for their horses in the hospital, the egos of the veterinarians often get in the way of their oath to do no harm. These veterinarians also let ego step in; rather than admitting wrongdoing, they abolish anyone with a voice for the horse in their care.
Zuma’s leadership has cared for horses for nearly 30 years, and rescue is complex. We have to trust people to help provide care, and if care mistakes are made, the leadership has to do its best to mitigate suffering. Indeed, the Executive Director is not responsible for every feeding, etc. However, when anything goes wrong, the person attacked most is the very person giving the most and doing the best they can.
Horses colic, horses get cast, horses go through fences, and horses hurt each other; for a keyboard warrior to attack a rescue and say deaths are the fault of the organization is just outrageous. These keyboard warriors post their drama on social media; they show more about themselves than the rescue.
