The Ugly Side

I have discovered the ugly side of the alpaca industry. Apparently, there are people who are unable to sell their animals so as a last resort they sell them at livestock auctions. At these auctions, the animals are subjected to neglectful treatment while waiting to be sold. This knowledge really hurts my feelings. I realize that not everyone succeeds in business, but there is a difference between having a store full of merchandise and a live animal.

I will never understand people’s lack of responsibility. I can understand buying a house or a car and finding out a year or two down the line you are unable to afford it. But these are non-living things they can sit without any harm. Ok the car wouldn’t be drivable if it sat too long, but you know what I mean. An animal is a living thing that has to be taken care of for a long time. Why people don’t think is beyond me. Alpacas live for 15 – 20 years. If you can’t feed the animal for 20 years, don’t buy it. Or breed for it. I don’t think the initial problem is the animals originally purchased but the animals that are bred for after the purchase. People are breeding with the assumption that they will be able to sell the cria. What if you can’t sell the cria? You now have another mouth to feed for 20 years.

To me this is another "take it slow" lesson. I find it hilarious that people are being encouraged into this business to increase the number of animals to create a viable fiber market when we can’t provide homes for the animals that already exist here. I also know part of that reason is that people are trying to sell the animals for what they paid for them in an over inflated market and can’t wrap their minds around taking the loss. To me, a 50% loss is better than a 90% percent loss which is what is happening if that at livestock auctions or a 100% loss if the animals are destroyed.

I think that I’m going to create space on my farm for rescue animals. I understand that I can’t save every animal, but I can put forth an effort for those I can.