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Gallup Sun

Thursday, Mar 28th

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You are here: Opinions Viewpoints We are not garbage!

We are not garbage!

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We are the creator’s gift and therefore sacred

Is there anything left in this world that isn’t disposable?

On Christmas Eve, Ron Toahami Jackson, photographer, artist and co-founder of Indigenous Horse Nation Protector Alliance (IHNPA), found six puppies, about 4-6 weeks old in a box at the Old Navajo Dump.

Mr. Toahami also runs Ron’s Rez Dogs Rescue. He already had as many as he could care for.  He posted on our joint page IHNPA. Knowing Ron’s situation, I offered to foster the puppies and teamed up with Four Corners Pet Alliance.

Babette Herrmann,  who is the founder of Four Corners Pet Alliance, was also fostering five tiny pups, dumped in a box on the side of the road, in the Burntwater, Ariz. area. The six puppies we took in were driven to Grants, where my husband met Ron to retrieve our Christmas gift (someone’s garbage).

On December 26th, we went back to Grants to get vaccines for all six puppies, when we found another dog, miles from civilization, dumped near La Ventana Arch. He was clearly pacing and looking for his owner. There was the imprint of a collar left on his fur. He was young, not neutered and very sweet.

He was thin, hungry and thirsty. We let him in the car. We picked up seven vaccines, instead of six. When we arrived home, all were vaccinated. What was going on? Did everyone get new dogs for Christmas?

On Dec. 28, the puppies were sick. We rushed three of them to the vet. It didn’t look like they were going to make it. The vet said it was maybe distemper but more likely something they were exposed to at the dump that was toxic.

The puppies were given medication, subcutaneous fluids, and antibiotics. Miraculously all pulled through. Ten days later all were doing great and two had been adopted out to a wonderful family with four small children. About 10 days later, their puppy was hospitalized with pneumonia. Two days after that two of ours came down with pneumonia.

Unfortunately, within four days three puppies had perished. A necropsy was performed and it was confirmed that the puppies all had distemper. A very preventable virus. All of this, very preventable. Neuter, spay and vaccinate!

Your garbage ... our gift. How can you justify the heartbreak those children suffered? All very preventable. Our only consolation was that the puppies died knowing they were loved. Your trash was truly our treasure. Babette Herrmann’s fosters and our remaining three have all been adopted.

More garbage! More dumping! That horse you no longer ride, the horse you can no longer feed ... please do not just let it lose or dump him with the wild ones. That horse served you well. He does not deserve the horrific fate that awaits him.

There are people who have set up bait traps. Once trapped your horse will be taken to auction in New Mexico, unless sold to a kill buyer directly. A kill buyer is someone who buys horses simply to ship them to Mexico for cruel and inhumane slaughter.

Your horse will stay briefly in their lot. He will not be fed. Perhaps another kill buyer will buy and direct ship, perhaps not ... but during this time your horse is getting thinner and contracting disease. Foaling season is near ... maybe just maybe, a kill buyer will buy the pregnant mares and yearlings and sell them to bleeding hearts. Otherwise they will ship directly to Mexico, where they will suffer a cruel and horrendous death. If not slaughtered they may end up with their vocal cords sliced so they can’t scream when they are gored by bulls at a bull fight. They may also end up in a sick festival where they are gored by bulls.

Please contact local horse rescues or IHNPA before dumping your horse.

Is this what our dogs and horses deserve? They serve us as companions. They have done our work and our bidding. We have trusted them with our lives as we have ridden them. Is this what the creator intended?

We are not garbage! We were your companions! We were your friend!

About the author: My Family is originally from Lewes, Delaware. I was raised an Army Brat and married a Service Man. I spent much of my adult life in Germany and Arizona. I have lived in NM for three years.  I founded Winged Hooves Rescue two years ago and teamed up with Julia Kennedy, Founder of 3H, Humans, Horses & Herds.  Julia is a psychologist as well and many of our Rescues are used as therapy horses. I can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

By Sharron Berry
Guest Columnist