I had an interesting experience this week. I have my own ideas on the government's involvement in my life, and I would love to hear yours' as well.
A couple of weeks ago I got a notice on my door. It was from the Lane County Animal something or another, and they were citing my basically for abusing my cat. She had gotten out a couple of times, and one of the neighbors reported that she was "underfed, sick, and has fleas." It is true that I have been fighting the flea battle with her, she's on meds. But I was surprised to discover (by way of government involvement) that I was basically abusing her. The citation said that I had to take her to the vet or I would basically be taken to court for animal abuse and fined $1500.
Like a good little citizen I took Mina to the vet. She looked over my cat and concluded that she's very healthy for her age. Her weight is totally normal for her size, her heart and lungs are strong, and she's doing great for a 13 year old. I got her vaccinated and dewormed (just to be on the safe side) and my total bill was $150. I could have gotten her vaccinations at PetsMart for $30.
So here's the question. Does the government have the right to tell me that I'm abusing my cat and then force me to spend $120 to avoid a lawsuit? I'm glad that they're looking out for the cats and dogs in the world, and people definitely should take care of their pets, but still, I'm $120 out because one of my neighbors decided to be a jerk.
Well, at least my mind is at peace. I was a little freaked out to have the government inform me that I was abusing my cat.
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5 comments:
You put forth an interesting question... at what point is the government too intrusive. Maybe it's just from being in Germany, and thinking about the history here, and the fact that today is anti-nazi day here in Oldenburg, but the fact that your neighbor "turned you in" is kinda creepy to me. What happened to the good old days when people would talk to each other first, and then bring the government into it? Of course, you live in a more liberal part of the country where people are more accustomed to having the government address more and more of their problems and generally have a higher involvement in the lives of the citizens.
So that's what you get for asking for feedback.
I agree with your frustration, while sometimes government intervention is a good and necessary thing, it can be quickly abused and make many things take three times as long with three times the cost and one third of the result. Living here, near the ultimate source of notices like yours I lose faith more and more in the system and the ones making those decisions...I do think that the more the government takes responsibility in general the less the citizens do...and many other thoughts that warrant a much longer discussion than a comment can handle. Let's talk sometime.
Again I am reminded of the universal and timeless teachings of scripture. If your neighbor had talked to you first, they would have found out that the battle against fleas is ongoing (who isn't fighting that battle) and that you are indeed taking care your furry senior citizen. If we all lived out these Truths there wold be so little need for government intervention.
PS- Sonora likes kittens, our neighbors have five.....
Umm, aren't you like totally your neighbor's apartment manager? Slap her with a few undeserved fines for late payments, late-hour noise, and littered drug paraphenalia, then when she complains, evict her as a unruly tenant. That's what I'd do. Revenge is how the government wants you to respond, anyway. It makes everyone live in fear.
Well. it is interesting to see the reactions of your siblings and cousinette. Having just been thinking about the East German history as is Valerie, and having recently watched "Lives of Others" and this morning reading the link on Zeb's blog about the reconstruction of Stazi files... and being old and worried about Sonora's future, I say keep thinking about the importance of thses questions. And... pets are always more expensive that you would ever anticipate.
Mm
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