To the Editor:

For the most part, ranchers take pride in caring for their animals. They work long, hard hours, in all kinds of weather, in order to provide for these precious critters who have been put in our care. It is a great responsibility.

While most of us in this industry truly care about the welfare of our animals, there are some who seem to have forgotten. This week of snow and bitter cold has caused me to see some of the people in a new light. Basically, I am sick at the lack of care a lot of cattle have received.

With eight or more inches of snow, many pastures basically have no grass showing. Add to this that many of these pastures were overstocked and overgrazed, and a cow hasn’t got much to forage on. Then, if you factor in temperatures as low as -18 in the Fox area, -13 in Long Creek – well, that creates a shortage of drinking water for animals. When the weather goes from balmy to below zero, a cow needs to be fed hay in order for her body to create heat from warmth, and she needs a human to chop ice in order to have access to a water supply. This is the responsibility of the ranchers – to care for their animals by feeding and watering them.

I have seen a lot of cattle this past week wandering pastures looking for something to eat. I have seen calves out in the middle of frozen ponds searching for water. Even sadder, are the cattle standing with heads down, their ears drooped, looking as if they have given up. I have lost a lot of respect for the people who didn’t care enough to feed their cattle.

You know who you are. Wake up. Take responsibility or get the heck out of the ranching business. It is morally wrong to intentionally withhold feed and water in brutally cold weather – in any weather, for that matter.

I believe it is time to take a stand. Perhaps all of us should stop looking the other way and begin using our voice to protect the livestock in our beautiful county. All creatures, great and small, deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.

Sheila Johnson-Carter

Long Creek