Hypocrisy of animal rescues.

The hypocrisy of animals rescues and adoptions.
Let’s face it there are way too many unwanted animals in the world today. In fact too many unwanted people but that’s a different rant. I also understand after 18 years in the veterinary field that rules are necessary to function. What I don’t understand is the hoops that rescue organizations force their potential adopters to jump through/over and around in order to adopt an animal.
I’ve had an experience with a chicken rescue here in Minnesota that will not allow me to adopt a chicken, even though she admitted I was a great home, took excellent care of my animals and insured that they get all of their needs met specific to the species, that she herself would love to live at my farm but…………. Because I chose to eat the eggs my chickens produce that made me ineligible to adopt. I pointed out to her that it seemed to be a bit of a hypocrisy unless every one of their adopters is a vegetarian. Many studies have proven that plants suffer a measurable response when faced with picking/pruning etc of the plant so who’s to say that just by virtue of being a vegetarian makes a better adopter. She also did not like the fact that we occasionally butcher our cows, completely disregarding the facts that a) I prefer to eat food that I know where it came from b) no hormones/antibiotics added c) humane treatment d) that I am helping to preserve a heritage breed. I also highly doubt that everyone of their adopters uses or wears no leather or leather products. I am offended too that she mentioned that she occasionally buys eggs at the grocery store to feed her chickens and the majority of eggs purchased at a store even when labeled: cage free, free range or organic may not be so. Cage free/free range only means that the birds are not in a small confined individual cage, but they may be in a larger group cage and it does not mean that they are allowed access to fresh air or outside. Organic does not mean that they are treated humanely, only that the food they are fed is ‘supposed’ to be organic. Hate to tell you but, organic has become a catch all phrase and that animal products may be fed to these organic chickens. I wonder why if there is such a moral dilemma to eating chicken eggs why don’t these rescuers limit the amount of light the chickens have access to prevent egg laying. Egg laying is an amazing use of nutritional resources by the hens and to lessen their egg laying allows more nutrients to be available to the hen itself………oh wait that would make sense.
I strive very hard to insure that all my animals are able to live as they were originally designed for. Example horses have a very specific range/roaming requirement in order for their bodies to work the most efficiently, do I have enough acres to fully satisfy this requirement? No, but I certainly allow them complete access to their 17 acre pasture where they and the cows are free to roam, socialize and be themselves, in fact the chickens are completely free roaming, daily foraging for bugs, dirt and whatever thing a chickens may find exciting to do.
In closing as I told the women at the rescue I fully believe that their personal views and opinions are preventing animals from being adopted by caring, responsible, educated people. Rules are necessary to function but logical needs also be applied. I believe that these people care about these animals but have become misguided in their rescue efforts. Well I’m going to go out to the barn to visit Joe chicken, who comes when called, gets lots of treats and seems to not care that I eat eggs from the hens, in fact I’ve never had a hen even notice that I have taken eggs, meaning that they don’t come screaming and pecking into the barn when I collect the eggs. Maybe they do get upset, but as a certified animal behavioral consultant I have never seen any behavior that would indicate their indignation at losing a egg, and once an egg is laid the hen leaves the nest and roams about the yard.
I've added a picture of some chicken girls enjoying their day, here at the funny farm