My Ass Update

Well, I cornered the little buggerer in a stall last night. They came up late for dinner - obviously out carousing - and I simply closed the corral gate while they were eating. "Wolfie" decided to try to go under it, so I stepped in front of it. Then as they went to the water, I walked over and opened the stall door, then walked back to the gate. After about 10 minutes, Wolfie's curiosity got the better of him and he went in. I swung the door shut.

Man that was one PO'ed little ass. He kicked the stall walls repeatedly, and tried to reach through and bite me thru the panels. Lake and I stood outside the door for a few minutes, and I stroked and scratched her. Then she wandered out of the corral. Then little Wolfie really got nutzoid. He started digging under the door. We put a piece of goat fence in front of the gate, and he really got mad. We had several storms last night, and before they hit we could hear his little angry brays coming from the stall.

Sure enough, this morning, his little ass was trotting up the hill with Lake. He had kicked one of the boards down in the night and gotten free. His owner, Mike Jones, called us this afternoon and told us that he was sending a friend over to try to collect the little ass.

Taylor came by about 6. He told us all about this little hellion; he really hasn't been able to be kept anywhere, and he kicked Taylor in the leg. Wolfie is like a cat; gets out of everywhere he is being put. He refused to stop nursing his mother and made her puny, and resented being separated from her. He is not merely stubborn, but mean, to the kids, to adults, to his own mother, to everyone. Taylor has suggested that he be put down - he is unpettable and refuses to be trained. The vet cannot neuter him because he is too young. The vet said Wolfie's attitude is not hormonal - the ass really is just an ass. Smart as a whip, and a damned shame to waste life - but he simply does not want to be contained; he wants to be a wild ass. He is still too immature to breed - even though he is determined to do so!

In other words, a typical teenager... Too bad. If I had the time, patience, and strength - as well as a sturdy place to keep him confined! - I wouldn't mind working with him, maybe seeing if he could be reached; he is really smart. But I don't and neither does anyone else. And would the gain be worthwhile? He is too small to do any real work, and we don't have grandchildren to ride him. I don't see the use of keeping any animal that cannot be utilized. I'm sure my liberal, save-the-animal-with-glass-eyes-and-no-back-legs would be horrified... But there it is. A purposeless life is not worth preserving - especially one that is detemined to be purposeless. So we'll see if Taylor puts him down...