Flies and Pestilence.... Oh My!

In communications to the Zoning board about the Andrew Cross & Dorothea Lotter d/b/a Edgewood Longears Safehouse zoning case, one of the concerns that I've voiced concerns pestilence, which includes flies and rodents.  Flies have been a big problem now for a couple of years and rodents have been a concern, especially mice, since they can carry two deadly diseases:  Hanta Virus and Plague, among other transmissible diseases, including cuterbra aka "bot fly", a parasite.  Cuterebra flies are found in conjunction with rodents and, as any horse owner knows, rodents are a problem when you have livestock to feed.

http://www.doghealth.com/parasites/cuterebra-infestations-in-dogs

Several of us have complained to Zoning about the trash in their yards and that the trash can serve as a home for mice, rats, snakes (rattlesnakes), black widow spiders, and other unwanted critters.  

Trash Piles for Rodents and Other Pests to Hide

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), "Plague has occurred in rural and semi-rural areas of the western United States, primarily in semi-arid upland forests and grasslands where many types of rodent species can be involved. Many types of animals, such as rock squirrels, wood rats, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, mice, voles, and rabbits can be affected by plague."

We've lived out here for 20 years and in all that time, some of our neighbors have had a horse or two.  When we first moved in all those years ago, there were people out here running cattle.  One morning, I awoke to find 5 steer of various vintages roaming around in my garden.  I went outside and shooed them away with a dish cloth.  The sheriff's dept came by and lassoed them up and took them home.  It's been interesting.  However, I must say in all those years, we've never had the fly problems like we have had the past 2 or 3 years.

Nampa's Butt - Bot Fly Larva Infection

This year, the flies have been absolutely wicked.  Before putting the dogs outside for any reason, they get sprayed with fly spray.  The yard is picked up religiously to help control flies.  We are using fly traps...  fly paper... and fly swatters and still there are flies.  I HATE flies!  The large numbers of donkeys being kept by the neighbors doesn't help with the fly situation and neither does the fact that they do not religiously pick up the animal waste in their yards.

So, where am I going with this?  Several of my dogs have been infected with bot fly larvae.  My vet is of the opinion that the problem has its roots in the neighbors' donkeys, probably from the manure that isn't picked up regularly.  That manure draws in the flies.  In 20 years, we've never had a dog get a bot fly infection.  Now, at least three of them are infected.  I'm seriously upset.

Oh...  by the way, people can also become infected with bot flies.  I think it's time to buy some hazmat suits for us and the dogs.

Don't Let The Rain Come Down....

In the mornings, as we drink our coffee, we like to watch Steve Stucker on Channel 4, KOB-TV.  This morning, he was saying that the state will be getting more rain today and for several days more.  Now then, I like rain and we've been in a drought and the state NEEDS the rain, but come on now...  can we have one sunny day or a couple of sunny hours between storms?  For some reason, a song from the 1960's is running through my brain, "Don't Let the Rain Come Down (Crooked Little Man)".  It's a cute song by the Serendipity Singers and I believe it reached #2 during 1964, right behind the Beatles!



The refrain goes...

Ah Ah Oh No Don't Let the rain come down,
Ah Ah Oh No Don't Let the rain come down,
Ah Ah Oh No Don't Let the rain come down,
My roof's got a hole in it and I might drown...
Oh yes, my roof's got a hole in it and I might drown.

I know...  I know....  no complainin' when it's rainin'.  However, most of the state continues to be under flood watches and flood warnings.  While we are OK up here on our hill, many in the state are not OK.  Lives have been lost and homes destroyed.  It's bad, folks, and many formerly dry arroyos and river beds are flowing full, hard, and fast.

Flood Watches & Warnings on Mon, Sep 16

The hounds & I have been pretty much house bound because of the mud.  Our drive, rather than having puddles, has a lake.  Yesterday, I took a shovel and dug a small trench to help drain the drive.  Makes me feel like I'm living in a rural, red neck area because I can go "mud bogging" in the front yard!

Mud Bog in Front Drive

Mud in this neck of the woods is its own life form.  Anyone who has any experience with it knows why they use it to make bricks and adobe homes.  Once it hardens, there is no removing it.  When you walk in it, you grow by inches.  Years ago, whippet owner & vet, Lisa Costello, wrote a poem about "mud...  Albuquerque mud."  I surely wish I had kept that poem.

The neighbor's donkey paddocks down by the road have standing water in them. The poor critters are standing in mud & muck.  As I drove by on Saturday to go to the yarn store, where I'd not been in two weeks, I couldn't help but notice the mud caked onto their hooves.  The picture below was taken on Saturday, Sept 14 at 9:44 a.m., when I was driving past.  Poor things!

Edgewood Longears Safehouse Flooded Donkey Pen

As bad as the donkeys have it, a new neighbor to the south is getting it worse.  The flow going through that flood area (yes, the donkey pens are built in a flood drainage area), is to the south.  All the water that has gone through those pens has settled in the one to two acre field that is housing two horses.  At least, the horses have grass underfoot.  They don't have to stand in mud.

Ah ah...  oh no....  don't let the rain come down....

As A Neighborhood...

This was originally posted as a reply under the comments on the post titled, Stalking Me.  However, I deleted it there and am putting it here.

---

Barbara, perhaps they should have talked to the neighbors before deciding to put a livestock rescue in the neighborhood. The neighbors said nothing up until the filing with zoning, because we were trying to be good neighbors, sucking up our complaints because we had been assured by Andrew on numerous occasions that, "It's only temporary." Well, the neighbors are still waiting for the "temporaries" to leave.

Robert, yes, the neighbors believe that the potential for them to harm us exists. They have already exhibited complete disregard for the neighbors over the years in several ways, not all of which are related to donkeys. In this particular instance, they crossed a line that should never have been crossed with their comments and implied threats about an armed vigilante group, regardless of whether or not it was true.

With regard to the knocked over sign, anyone, who knows this area, could look at how the sign was laying on the ground and with the given "directions", determine that no car hit it. It has every appearance of being staged. Then, to implicate one of the neighbors by the color of their truck... bad, bad, bad. If a dead animal was placed on the fence post, why is there no photo? There are photos of everything else.

Robert, not having a Federal tax exempt I.D., charity status, or sanction by the NMLB has not stopped them from soliciting donations in the past, why should the neighbors actions to prevent the zoning change keep them from getting donations now?

As a neighborhood, we do not want the donkey rescue. Several of us have been harassed by abusive phone calls and other such nonsense.

As a neighborhood, we no longer trust the residents of that property. They have abused the neighbors' goodwill. Just as some of their supporters have abused this blog by posting hateful comments, some of which have been removed.

As a neighborhood, we feel they are not people who honor their word. Out here a man's word is his bond.

As a neighborhood, we do not want a business, especially one that brings strangers into the area.

As a neighborhood, we want our quality of life back; our peace & quiet. When they had 2 donkeys, it was quiet. When they took in a small herd of donkeys, it became noisy and it hasn't been quiet since.

As a neighborhood, we do not blame or hate the animals. It isn't their fault; the fault lies with the people. Prior owners of the property had animals, including livestock (horses) and there were few issues.

This entire situation is of their making. They should try to fit into the neighborhood; not the neighborhood change to fit them.

And, yes, I am speaking for the neighborhood as interim President of the County Line Neighborhood Association.

Noise & Stuff

Since our return from Newport, R.I., the donkeys have been very vocal. Maybe it's the cooler weather; maybe they have new donkeys; maybe they have jennies in season.  But they've been very, very vocal.  For instance, last night they started braying at 9:54 p.m. and they continued to bray until 10:07 p.m. - NON STOP!  It wasn't just one donkey, but a whole passel of them...  Mr. Squeaky, Foghorn, and one or two others.

Yesterday afternoon, Karen K. & I went to visit with Mrs. Perea, a neighbor.  Mrs. Perea is a sweet lady who had 82 years of life under her belt.  She's a lovely woman and she does not like the donkeys. One reason for her dislike is she is not in the best of health and the donkeys prevent her from getting a proper amount of rest.  Another reason is that she wants to sell her home, but she's concerned (legitimately) that having a small herd of donkeys so close to her home will affect the property's value. The donkey paddock in the valley is about 300' from her house and 45' from her fence line.

Mrs. Perea has good cause to be concerned and she isn't alone in her concerns about the effect that the establishment of a donkey rescue will have on property values.  It is a well known fact that animal noise and bad neighbors can and will reduce property values up to 20%!  So, if your home is appraised for sale at $100,000, you will only get about $80,000 for it.  That is a considerable chunk of change to lose!  Face it, for most of us, our homes are the biggest investment we have.  We have dumped many hundreds of thousands of dollars into our homes: purchase, taxes, insurance, improvements, and repairs, only to have our investment evaporate due to bad neighbors and noisy animals.

According to an article, Seven Neighborhood Threats to YourHome's Value, by Brian O'Connell, published in MSN Real Estate, bad neighbors can seriously affect the value of one's property.  Real estate professionals say that a bad neighbor is any home or business that turns people off.  

"A bad neighbor is one that has no consideration for the rest of the community," says Mindy Pordes, co-founder of Pordes Residential Sales & Marketing in Aventura, FL. "For example, someone who doesn't take care of the outside appearance of the home, such as the gardening, painting of the outside of the home, roof, garbage, and general upkeep.  In addition, a bad neighbor may have constant visitors taking up parking spaces, perhaps on the street, loud house parties, dogs that bark all night or stray cats lingering around."

Another article, Nine Things That Will Trash Your Home's Value, published in Business Insider on May 15, 2013 states 

"A nearby property's overgrown yard, peeling paint, and clutter can easily knock 5% to 10% off the sale price of your home, said Joe Magdziarz, the president of the Appraisal Institute and a real-estate appraiser with 40 years of experience.  A true disaster – a junky home in deplorable condition and a yard packed with debris – could cost you even more."

Our neighbors, Mr. Cross & Ms. Lotter, fit the description of "bad neighbors".  They have accumulated piles of trash and junk on their property, making their yard 'unkempt'.  The trash and junk are eyesores, as are the run in sheds in the donkey yards as they are in need of repair.  They have not been taking care of their home and there is missing siding, odd materials used to patch the house, old tires around the base, and, in general, it is an eyesore and in desperate need of repair. 

The same Business Insider article goes on to state, 

"Noisy neighbors (or their pets) are enough to drag home values down by 5 – 10%.   There's a reason prospective home buyers are advised to make multiple visits to homes and at all times of the day: Noise can be a property value killer."

The noise; the lack of upkeep; the piles of trash & junk; all of them result in decreasing the property values of the other homes around them.  The homes directly affected as they share property lines with these people and their noisy animals are:

1046 County Line Road (Zillow estimate - $189,000)
1052 County Line Road (Zillow estimate - $296,000)
1038 County Line Road (Zillow estimate - $253,500)
17 Whispering Elms (Zillow estimate - $187,600)
2 Log Cabin Lane (Zillow estimate - $168,200)
8 Log Cabin Lane (Zillow estimate - $167,500)
12 Log Cabin Lane (Zillow estimate - $172,200)

Other homes in close vicinity, especially those adjacent to where they hide donkeys at 12 Log Cabin Lane and 1058 County Line Road are:

14 Log Cabin Lane (Zillow estimate - $200,700)
5 Whispering Elms (Zillow estimate - $178,600)
1056 County Line Road (Zillow estimate - $162,100)
1058 County Line Road (Zillow estimate - $290,900)
1081 County Line Road (Zillow estimate - $276,300)

It's rumored that they have several other places where they are hiding donkeys in a never-ending shell game. I know I've personally seen a couple of donkeys down on Quiet Valley Loop, which is where one of their supporters lives.  Of course, there were only 2 donkeys at the Quiet Valley Loop location, not a herd of 13 or more.  Makes a difference with regard to noise.

Some examples of noisy donkeys in the news include:

Reese Witherspoon, neighbors complaining about noise levels

Neighbors in Brussels complain about Lola.

Joseph, the Brierley donkey heard 2 miles away

Donkey stories on Horse & Hound


Other donkeys have made the news for other reasons:

Abandoned donkeys

Donkeys Maul & Kill Pensioner

Texas Mayor Killed in Donkey Attack

By the way, BernCo Animal Services was called last night about the noise, just to notate how long they brayed.  

Hopes Dashed Upon the Rocks of Government...

Well, our hopes were dashed upon the rocks of government.

The Bernalillo County Board of Adjustment, the members of which include: Linda Barbour (Vice Chair), Steve Becerra, Toby Atencio, George Castillo (Chair), and Bernie Sanchez, gave them, yet again, another deferral, which they requested the day after the signs were to be posted.  I guess I should be happy.  It was ONLY a 60-day deferral, not the 90-days that they requested.  Yet, I'm not happy.  They should have not only been denied their request, their appeal should have been thrown out entirely!

You see, the appeals packet has a page, a contract agreement, that states they shall post the zoning signs 15-days prior and keep them posted for 15-days post hearing.  The appellants, Andrew Cross & Dorothea Lotter d/b/a Edgewood Longears Safehouse, did not post the signs until 3-days prior to the hearing.  That contract page states that failure to post and maintain those signs shall be cause for the appeal to be either deferred OR denied.

The reason I say that the referral and the appeal should have been denied is because the signs were to be posted on July 23.  They did not post the signs.  On July 24, they submitted a letter requesting a 90-day deferral.  I submitted a letter on or around Aug 1 requesting that the deferral request be denied, citing the obvious - no signs - and that it was an obvious ploy to get yet another deferral. The signs were posted, after they were contacted by someone, probably zoning, just 3 days prior to the hearing.  Then, the Board of Adjustment grants them another deferral.

These people have received deferral after deferral; extension after extension and they are STILL BREAKING THE LAW!

Enough already!

Countdown.... 6....

Only six (6) days left until the zoning hearing before the Bernalillo County Board of Adjustment regarding the proposed donkey rescue next door.

Sigh....

Six more days before I get to say my piece, again.

Six more days before, hopefully, they will be told to "cease & desist" operations...  told to STOP taking in more donkeys...  told to be rid of those they currently have...  to to OBEY THE LAW!

Six more days...  One can only hope.

Lack of Civility

When did it become acceptable to be uncivil?  To be rude?

It seems like in this day & age, rudeness is not only acceptable, it is encouraged and excused!  "Oh...  he's just expressing himself...  He's practicing his 'freedom of speech'..."

Neighbors Donkeys 

Freedom of speech?  Perhaps, but others also have the right to be free from YOUR speech.  It is OK to disagree with someone, but do it with civility.

Another example of people being uncivil is one of my neighbors. We are in the middle of a dispute with them as they want to open a donkey rescue right next door.  Now then, if they were on 10 acres of ground, that wouldn't be an issue.  However, they are on less than 3 acres in the middle of a residential neighborhood!  So, many of us, the neighbors, are opposed to having these very noisy animals in our backyards.  In my case, some of those very noisy animals are parked 50' from my bedroom window.  I tell you, there's nothing quite like being startled out of a sound sleep by the sound of a Navy submarine dive klaxon.

Even so, no harm is wished upon the animals.  They cannot help what they are.  So, when I saw one of the neighbor's donkeys eating a plastic bag, I did the neighborly thing and started talking to it, hoping to get it to stop eating the bag.  It worked and the animal dropped it.  That's a good thing!  An ingested plastic bag can cause all kinds of problems:  twisted intestine, colic, impacted bowels, etc.  None of them are good and all of them are potentially deadly to the animal, let alone costly to treat.

My neighbor & owner of the donkeys, Dorothea, was walking down the hill.  When she was within speaking distance, I told her about the bag and that she may want to remove the it from the yard so he didn't start eating it again.  She totally blew me off and ignored both the bag & the animal.  When he saw her, thankfully, he mosied on over to her and I reached through the shared fence and removed the bag.  Problem solved!  I hollered over to her that the bag was removed so she didn't have to worry about it.  Much to my chagrin & surprise, she proceeded to give me a ration of shit, telling me to stay away from the donkeys which have been eating my front yard!  WTF????  Here I am doing her a favor and she's giving me a ration of shit?  Telling me to stay out of an area of my front yard?  Who the hell does she think she is?????  I'll go anywhere I please in my front yard.

So, I walked over to her and gave her the bag.  She never shut up...  haranguing me...  Turned my back and told her she was an "ungrateful wench" and that her donkeys could choke on the damned bags the next time.

That's just one example of being uncivil.  There are many, many more...

When does it end? Sleep Deprivation....

As expected, the neighbors with the asses are appealing the decision of the zoning commissioner handed down on 14 May 2013.  The appeal, which is to be heard in front of the County Commissioners, is set for 7 August 2013.  Another 2 months of our neighbors breaking existing laws and continuing to get away with it.

Right now, it's 6:55 a.m. as I type this, the asses are braying.  In fact, they've been braying off & on (mostly on) since around 5:00 a.m.  The other night, in order to get some much needed sleep, I took a Tramadol (pain killer) and drank a glass of wine so it would knock me out.  That is beyond sad...  It can be dangerous to my health but I desperately needed some uninterrupted sleep.  How did I know it was time for desperate measures with regard to my sleep?  The other day, I found myself on the phone with my friend, Laurel, alternating between episodes of uncontrolled giggling and then uncontrolled sobbing.  Not good and I'm mentally sound.  She recommended I take a nap.  I tried, only to have that nap destroyed by donkeys braying 50' from my bedroom window.

It's now 7:05 a.m. and they haven't shut up for the past 10 minutes.

There are numerous studies out there showing strong links between sleep deprivation and mental health issues.  Having worked in the health industry, I've seen what happens when people don't get enough sleep.  Sometimes, those suffering from a severe lack of sleep have to be incarcerated in mental health facilities for their own safety and for the safety of others.  That is a sad but true fact.

Some of the consequences of sleep deprivation include, but are not limited to:

2 of 5 donkeys 50' from bedroom window

Increased risk of stroke - A study of 5,666 people, presented at the SLEEP 2012 conference, shows that middle- to older-aged people who regularly get fewer than six hours of sleep a night have an increased stroke risk, even without a history of stroke, obesity, and obstructive sleep apnea.  "These people sleeping less than six hours had a four times increased risk of experiencing these stroke symptoms..." according to study researcher Megan Ruiter. 

Can lead to obesity - Too little sleep can influence less-than-ideal food choices, including larger portions and cravings for junk food, thanks to hormonal changes that occur when you don't get enough sleep. Six (6) hours of sleep or less increases production of the hunger hormone ghrelin, which decreases insulin sensitivity (a risk factor for diabetes) and it spurs decreases in the hormone leptin (which is key for energy balance and food intake). Leptin helps balance your food intake, according to a 2012 review of 18 studies of sleep and appetite.

Increase the risk of Diabetes - A pair of small studies from 2012 examined the link between poor sleep and insulin resistance, a telltale risk factor for diabetes. One found that among healthy teenagers, the shortest sleepers had the highest insulin resistance, meaning the body is not using insulin effectively, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The second study examined fat cells, in particular, and found that cutting back on sleep increased insulin resistance in these cells, even when diet and calorie intake were restricted, Health.com reported.

Brain degereration and memory loss -  According to a new study by the University of California, Berkely, a connection between poor sleep and memory storage has been found. Sleep deprivation is connected with brain degeneration and memory loss in older adults according to UC Berkeley sleep researcher Matthew Walker. 

Contributes to Osteoporosis 

The time is 7:17 a.m. and they are still braying.

Increase the Risk of Cancer - Research suggests that short and poor sleep can up risk for certain types of cancer. A 2010 study found that among 1,240 people screened for colorectal cancer, the 338 who were diagnosed were more likely to average fewer than six hours of sleep a night. Polyps were more common in people who slept less.

Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease & Death

Increased Mental Health Issues & Death -  Among young people who already suffered from anxiety; in this group, lack of sleep triggered more serious mental health problems like full-blown depression and even bipolar disorder, according to the study’s lead author, Professor Nick Glozier. But even among those who began the study in good health, less than five hours of sleep meant tripling their odds of psychological distress. Then, there is the increased risk of death.

"....the days got worse & worse, now you see I've gone completely out of my mind. They're coming to take me away ha haaa...  they're coming to take me away ho ho hee hee ha hah to the funny farm where life is beautiful all the time..."  And where there are no donkeys braying.

Pancho (above video) is what we hear and we hear that noise at all hours of the day & night...  At midnight (12:00 a.m.), 1:00 a.m., 3:00 a.m., etc.

At the tone, the time is 8:01 a.m. and they are still braying. When does this end?

Donkey doo....

For the past many months, we (the neighborhood) have been engaged in a zoning battle with a neighbor. That neighbor has been running a donkey rescue, including taking donations, even though they do not have a business license.  They are not sanctioned by the NM Livestock Board.  They are not a registered charity with the Attorney General's office.

The 1st zoning hearing was on Mar 14, 2013.  AT that time, the commissioner deferred making any decision to May 14, 2013 on the case (ZA-20130025) to allow them time to clean up the property and to "adequately address the concerns raised by the Zoning Administrator and the residents of adjacent properties."

The 2nd hearing on May 14 had more of the neighbors present and objecting to their request to run a donkey rescue on less than 3 acres of land in a mostly residential area.  The Zoning Administrator's decision after the 2nd hearing was to DENY their request for a conditional use variance.

The rescue had until 12:00 p.m. today to file for an appeal, which they did.  Now, according to Zoning, this goes somewhere else and if they are again denied, they can appeal again & again & again.  When does this stop?

When do my rights as a landowner & taxpayer actually be taken into consideration?

Myself and others in the neighborhood are fed up with being awakened at all hours of the day & night by braying.  We are sick & tired of the stench of the urine emanating from the property.  We are sick & tired of these people abusing the system. When is enough enough?

Why hasn't BernCo Environmental Health issued them citations re: noise & land pollution?  Why hasn't BernCo Animal Services issued them citation re: disturbing the peace?  Why are they being allowed to run a business without proper authorization & all required documentation?  Why are they being allowed to operate even after they were denied by zoning?

When I asked the Attorney General's office Charity Division, Elizabeth Korsmo, "So, is it OK for them to solicit and accept donations from the public, even though they are not a sanctioned equine rescue facility as required by the state?", she told me, "It is not prohibited by the Charitable Solicitations Act which is the law we are authorized to enforce."

Gee, does that mean I can put out there that I'm a charity and get people to donate to me and not face prosecution for fraud?

Oh, the reply to my first email to the AG asking if their accepting donations and running a non-sanctioned equine rescue, in violation of existing NM law, was allowed, I received the following from Heather Winkle, "Ms. Summerhill - Edgewood Longears Safehouse (46-0907101) has begun a registration as a charitable organization with our office.  Please continue working with or contacting NMLB regarding registration with that agency."

These donkeys are 50' from my bedroom window.  Some of us work real jobs, unlike those running the rescue.  I'm still trying to figure out how they can afford to feed their 5 personal "pets", when neither of them are employed outside of that rescue.  Hmmm...  funny thing that...

Anyway, when is enough enough?  What steps would you recommend the neighborhood take next?  I'm absolutely disgusted by this entire mess - the donkeys as well as the government's lack of action.

Any answers????

Business as Usual...

Well....  It's been 9 days since the Bernalillo County Zoning Commissioner handed down his decision regarding the neighbors requesting a variance to allow them to run a donkey rescue, the Edgewood Longears Safehouse, in a residential neighborhood.  The Commissioner, Nick Hamm, DENIED their request.  However, it's still "business as usual" down there...  donkeys coming & donkeys going, all at $300 a pop!

The NM Livestock Board page says,

"No persons, facilities or organizations other than those listed below are recognized by the State of New Mexico as equine rescue, sanctuary or retirement facilities.  Any efforts by any individual, facility or organization to promote such a facility and/or solicit donations or funds for such a facility not currently on this list should be reported to the New Mexico Livestock Board office or the New Mexico Attorney General's Office."

• The neighbors do NOT have a NM Business License;
• The neighbors are NOT a sanctioned rescue as determined by the NM Livestock Board;
• The neighbors are NOT a registered charity in the State of New Mexico;
• The neighbors do NOT have their own Federal EIN as a recognized charity (no 501(c)3);  
• And, the neighbors have been DENIED a zoning variance to operate a donkey rescue on their property.

Yet, they continue to thumb their noses at everyone and at New Mexico laws.  They act as if they are above the laws.

I contacted the AG's office,

"I am looking to see if the referenced organization is a registered charity in the State of New Mexico.  As far as I am aware, they are operating illegally as they are not sanctioned by the New Mexico Livestock Board as an equine rescue.  And, they are accepting donations from the public."

The reply received in return indicated that the AG's office is working with them, after the fact, to get them the required "registration as a charitable organization with our office."

A followup email to the respondent asked, 

"They have been soliciting donations for 2 years, since the Summer 2011, without being sanctioned and without proper zoning.  Is it OK for them to solicit and accept donations from the public, even though they are not a sanctioned equine rescue facility as required by the state?"

Replies seem to indicate that the Charitable division of the AG's office doesn't care that the neighbors are accepting donations and calling themselves a charity, when so much indicates that they are not, i.e., no tax exempt status, no business license, not sanctioned by the NMLB, and not registered as a charity in the state with the AG's office.

"It is not prohibited by the Charitable Solicitations Act which is the law we are authorized to enforce.  I am not able to determine whether it is prohibited by another law, such as the one which requires equine rescue facilities to be approved by the Livestock Board.  I do not even know if animals besides horses are covered by the statute, since it refers specifically to 'horse'."

Donkeys are members of the equine family, which is why they can breed with horses to make mules. Everything I've seen on the NMLB site says "equine rescue" and one of the sanctioned rescues listed on their page specifically states "donkey".

Lucy's Pasture Donkey Sanctuary

4745 Franklin Rd SE

Deming, NM 88030

http://www.lucyspasture.com/

Anyway, inquiring minds want to know what's happening to those donations?   Are those donations being used strictly for the "saved" animals or are they also being used for their personal pets?

Donkey shelters built with scrap materials

They state on their various webpages that they've saved near 80 donkeys.  That comes up to about $24,000.  Yet, they're begging people for fencing, for feed, for vet care, and for anything else one thinks a donkey rescue could need.  They've built ramshackle shelters in the pens out of scrap materials.  (Done without a building permit.)

Backside of the Ramshackle Shelters

They are still collecting donations, running auctions, and selling items - all without a Tax ID.  That just doesn't seem right to me.  Seems fraudulent to pass oneself off as a legitimate charity when one is not registered as such with the governing authorities.  It also seems to me that the AG is not doing their job.  Wonder if there's a conflict of interest there?

Oh...  as an aside, neither of the principals involved hold a regular job and they have FIVE (5), personal donkeys as pets.  

Nothing.... Zip.... Nada...

The more I think about the veiled threats against me, mine, and my neighbors, the angrier I become.  Who are these people?  Who do they think they are?  What do they think the Edgewood Longears Safehouse is?  They are nothing special.  They are nothing but bullies!

No one for any reason has the right to threaten anyone for speaking against another's actions!  No one for any reason has the right to threaten people for expressing their thoughts as guaranteed by our 1st Amendment rights.

These kind of bullying tactics have become way too common in recent years and they have been employed by the current administration in Washington D.C.  Look at the current hearings being held regarding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and their targeting Conservative groups.

They have crossed way over the line of decency.  Even tho' I feel sorry for the donkeys, I hope these people are denied the variance and that they are forced to remove the donkeys from their property, if for no other reason than because of their disgusting actions.  Asshats!  Talk about asses...

UPDATE....

Well, that was unpleasant....

I was out in my front yard, planting squash when I noticed one of Dorothea Lotter's personal donkeys eating a plastic grocery bag.  Now then...  any animal eating plastic is NOT a good thing.  It can cause gastroenteritis, impactions, and a host of other nasty problems, which may be deadly.  So, being the animal lover that I am (yes...  even donkeys...  they can't held responsible for their human relations), I tried to get the bag from him.  Thankfully, he was more interested in what I might have, since I've given them carrots & apples in the past, that he dropped the half munched bag.  

Since Dorothea "posted" their property the other day, I was hesitant to reach through the fence and was relieved to see her walking down the hill from up above our property.  Now then, she should NOT have been up there as this is a private road and it doesn't belong to her, but I was happy to see her.  I told her about the bag and she basically flipped me off!

When the donks saw her, they went over to where she was and I reached through the fence and retrieved the offending bag.  I held it up and told her I retrieved it for her so she didn't have to worry.  That effin' ingrate!  She proceeded to chew me out for fetching the bag!

I walked over to the road and gave her the bag, wanting to tell her what she could do with it.  However, there were very young children present so I didn't.  I did, however, tell her that she was an "ungrateful wench" and walked away from her.  Effin' witch...

What really galls me is that I'm on my property and she has the nerve to tell me not to go over by the fence and her donkeys.  Uhm...  excuse me....  I'm on my property and I'm going to go where the hell I please!  It's MY property!

I know one thing, the next time I see her donks eating plastic bags, they can have at it.  That's the last time I'll ever try to be neighborly for the sake of her animals.  

Edgewood Longears Safehouse - The Continuing Saga

Sigh....

The saga concerning the Edgewood Longears Safehouse continues without relief for the neighbors of this dung heap.

The 2nd zoning hearing was held on May 14 at 9:00 a.m.  The Edgewood Longears Safehouse situation was the first item on the agenda and there were speakers both for & against the business.  Consistent with their modus operendi, supporters for the place, at times perjured themselves and stretched the truth more than a little.  One such instance was when a supporter who lives on Quiet Valley Loop states she lived "1/4 mile away from the rescue".  The closest terminus of Quiet Valley Loop is 1.1 miles away and the farthest end is 1.6 miles away.

The woman, who stated she lived on Quiet Valley Loop, said that she didn't hear any noise from the donkeys.  Well...  gee....  you live more than a mile away, I guess you wouldn't hear any noise!  Duh!  Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why!!!

Anyway, the Edgewood Longears Safehouse had about 6 or 7 supporters there to speak for them. Most of them did not live in our neighborhood, except for the guy with the llamas.  He lives about 500-550 feet north on County Line.  His neighbors aren't very happy with him either because of the llamas and the wreck he's made of his place.  What's the saying?  "Birds of a feather flock together."

Another of their supporters, Aleta, makes her living as a psychic. I've nothing against psychics and I believe that all people have a predisposition to psychic abilities, which explains "gut feelings", etc.  However, this woman is known to stretch the truth. This is being said based upon her comments at the zoning hearing, which attempted to portray, to paint our neighbor, Gary, as a lunatic.  The man is an engineer and is anything but loony.  She portrayed him as being somewhat violent, "ranting & raving", "beating" on her door, "screaming" at her, etc.  Uh...  yeah....  right....

After hearing all those who signed in, the zoning commissioner stated we'd be notified of his decision in about a week.  Today is day 7....  all are waiting on tenterhooks for the decision.

The past week, post hearing, has been very stressful but not because of the wait. It has been stressful because of the behavior and the comments of the Edgewood Longears Safehouse and their supporters. Some comments, which appeared on FaceBook, show they have a tendency towards violence and implied that they are going to take "armed" action against others.  The comments were so upsetting that I broke protocol and sent an email to the zoning commissioner with a graphic of their comments. My husband called the Sheriff and reports were filed. If anything happens to any of us who oppose the Edgewood Longears Safehouse, they will be going there first in the course of their investigation.

Here are some of the comments, copied and pasted from the Edgewood Longears Safehouse FaceBook page.  These comments have been saved as screen shot pics.

• Dorothea Lotter We're setting up an armed neighborhood watch group right now. Stay tuned!

  Like · Reply · 15 · May 16 at 8:42am

• Carol Huff Oh, so glad you DID get a tag number. Great job!! You can PM me and let me know how your call to the sheriff went. Luke and Joseph will be there later this afternoon to go over the plans with you. (Celeste will probably drop them off so your nosey neighbors don't see them.) I will text you when they head in your direction. I believe Luke said he is "armed and dangerous," whatever that means! LOL! He wanted me to ask you to go ahead and get the No Trespassing signs put up, too, so he can lower the boom if need be. You need signs on all sides. Just know that THIS WILL STOP. We have your back.

  Like · Reply · 8 · May 16 at 8:55am

• Dorothea Lotter Carol, I'll get the No Trespassing signs up asap!

  Like · Reply · 5 · May 16 at 10:53am
• 

  Carol Huff Good, Dorothea. The sheriff said that gives you permission to "protect your property" in the event someone has any ideas not in your best interests. It also gives anyone "hired" by you permission to blast away and ask questions later. wink wink

  Like · 5 · May 16 at 12:12pm
• 

  Dorothea Lotter Cool; I can't wait for the person to come back, lol!

  Like · 1 · May 16 at 2:38pm

• Rhonda Stock Carol, I talked with Luke this morning. He is very confident that he has everything under control. Twelve years as a bouncer in a New York City dive means he can handle just about anything. He's seen it all.

  Like · Reply · 4 · May 16 at 9:23am via mobile · Edited
• 

  Carol Huff Glad he's on our friends list. I wouldn't want to meet him in the dark... he's a scary person, but always on the side of those who have been wronged. Joseph has his own background going on, too. Do you know about him?

  Like · 3 · May 16 at 9:36am
• 

  Carol Huff joseph is a former sniper.

  Like · 2 · May 16 at 9:37am
• 

  Rhonda Stock I never met Joseph, but Luke told me about him. He's scary good! Didn't Celeste serve with him? I'm so glad these guys are animal lovers.

  Like · 2 · May 16 at 10:05am
• 

  Carol Huff I believe she did, Rhonda... in fact, I think they may have been involved together. I don't really know much about her other than she says she can shoot straighter than Joseph. I don't know and don't really want to find out. If I was the person causing this trouble with Dorothea and Andrew, I think I would pack up and move out of town. If all 3 of them get involved in this, hell is coming to town.

  Like · 2 · May 16 at 12:09pm
• 

  Rhonda Stock No kidding! You don't mess with animal rescue where Luke is concerned.

  Like · 1 · May 16 at 12:43pm

The Edgewood Longears Safehouse has crossed a very dangerous line, when they IMPLY that they are going to take "armed" action against people.  I don't know what game they are playing, but it is a very dangerous game.

As previously stated the Sheriff was called.  The first post was read by me and it was made eleven (11) hours prior to my reading it on May 16.  The Sheriff's Department dispatched 2 units and 4 deputies to our home.  Two deputies were shown the FaceBook posts and the other two walked the shared property line between our home and the property owned by Andrew Cross & Dorothea Lotter, the founders of the Edgewood Longears Safehouse.  After some discussion, it was decided that I take whatever legal action is appropriate to ensure the safety of me & mine.  Since that time, I've been carrying a sidearm on my property, whenever I am outside.  I have also been sleeping with a sidearm on the nightstand.  Like I said, they are playing a very dangerous game.

The Edgewood Longears Safehouse and its supporters give those participating in animal adoption and rescue a very bad name and a big black eye.  They should be ashamed of themselves.  They are nothing but bullies, who are attempting to take away our voice, our 1st Amendment rights to speak out against them... our right to LEGALLY PROTEST their presence in our formerly quiet neighborhood.  The words of one of their supporters ring true, but they'll never truly understand them, 

• Jules Balsiger when people start to understand they are on the losing side/the wrong side they just hold so tightly onto what they know out of fear/ignorance. These are childish actions and show that they are feeling desperate as they know they don't have a reasonable/logical leg to stand on. Be careful and be safe  IMO people who do things like this should be publicly shamed - it's unfortunately the only way they will learn to grow the f-up.

  Like · Reply · 4 · May 16 at 12:59am

Those words were said to be used against we the people who do not support this effort in our neighborhood.  Our neighborhood isn't appropriate for this kind of operation, which should have a minimum of 10 acres, not less than 3 acres in a primarily residential area.

We believe we are in the right with regard to this issue.  The Edgewood Longears Safehouse is showing their true colors with their bullying ways. We believe they are desperate and, like the current administration in Washington D.C., they are reassigning the blame for their failure to "the enemies", their neighbors. 

Sadly, this may be "the only way they will learn to grow the f-up."