Comfort and Convenience: Animals at Z.M.S.
by Derek

At Zuni Mountain Sanctuary, in the mountainous region of northwestern New Mexico, there are plenty of chances to see all kinds of wonderful wildlife such as bears, elks, large cats, coyotes and not - so - wild dogs, cats and humans. By sharing with you some personal reflections which, by the way, originated while on the shitter staring at the chickens in their coop, I hope to reveal some of the options animals (including myself) have regarding comfort and convenience. And, I hope what follows shatter any and all expectations (yours and mine) of grandeur, scholasticism, and/or research. Shall we?

The chickens: Day in and day out, from sun up to sun down, the eighteen Rhode Island Reds here at Z.M.S. peck away at the ground, and thanks to errant coffee grounds in their diet, at each other. Completely caged in by fencing, these perfectly humble, albeit skittish, creatures frantically dash about in less space than I sleep in. In plain view, a prison if I've ever seen one! What is their quality of life? What are their comforts and convenience? Well, if I may speak on their behalf: they have food and water every day, a shelter from the cold and rain, and protection from any predator. In trade, these chickens choose to go without their freedom, their dignity and privacy, their eggs (daily), and sadly (if they don't produce any more eggs) their very life.

Yet, if they were to cry out "FREEDOM!" and overthrow their oppressors, I'm confident that their choices and their future would look completely different. O! Brutas, our noble bully rooster, how would you view this revolution when Cupid and Zia (collectively known as the dogs) pay you that fateful visit know only in their dreams? Would the outcast chicken Crazy Sally, after all the dust and feathers have settled, purge her victimization, realize her power and reclaim her authority as their humble leader? What ever these new choices for equal rights are, I'm sure my future visits to the shitter will be entirely enlightening. Raif (our ambassador liaison) please keep us posted!

The dogs: By day, Cupid and Zia experience the best of both domestic and wild life. On the one hand, they toil in the daily rut of pure, unadulterated BOREDOM (the same 'ol food) and then, in the blink of an eye; their up and running in a mad dash for another bunny rabbit (or squirrel, mouse . . .) By night, they go to their second job: performing a barking ensemble in concert with the melodic yelping of the local coyote troupe. (all performances are free; sure to please the most distinguished tastes.) Their comforts seem to include lots of food, fairie entertainment, security, and a live action exercise program (pond included) What are the downsides to being dogs at Z.M.S.? Boredom, bland food, and the emotional and physical stress of having their reproductive organs taken away by the "evil" doctor. The conveniences of food served daily and a protected haven allow these dogs to pursue a higher state of consciousness: being a carnivore. One or more thing: if you happen along our dirt path, please keep this in mind - when Cupid and Zia are charging you (teeth a-glaring) and you don't see any bunny rabbits, well then this is what they're trying to say, "Thank you very much! Thank you very much! This day was positively boring until you came!"The cats (Viole(n)t, Alice, and Gertrude): These three cats choose an even more subdued lifestyle. Violet is the old veteran noted by her quirky temperament and the tangled fur tufts over her body. On rare occasions (usually when there is no food), she'll venture out of the Tea Room House. What are her choices? She eats, drinks, sleeps (a lot), and (just ask Mika) she hunts (rabbit is her favorite!) With the newly arrived twin sisters - Alice and gertrude _ on the scene, Violet has expanded her comforts by being especially attentive in showing the young ladies around the place, particularly up in the trees. Conveniently, all violets' comforts are in one location - Tea Room House. Except when we forget to feed her, she ain't complaining. As for the youngsters' daily choices here - you guessed it - it's pretty much the same as Violets', except their innocence and virtuosity require the Main house as their domicile. (the word out is there are more servants who open doors and give massages.)

For all these deluxe accommodations and luxurious comforts, the canines and felines are expected to support their servant/master Fairies by chasing away the coyotes (or just singing with them) and eating mice (or just playing with them.) Sound like a bargain?

The wildlife: What can this human say about wildlife and their choices? Not much, so I'll be brief. Survival: it's the ultimate choice, a reckoning day, every day! Whether young, old, weak or strong, republican or democrat, when you snooze out the wild, you really lose ("Hey, look what I brought home for dinner!") I can't imagine not being in the moment out there. I'm sure they vary in detail, although hunting for food, making a shelter (or not), keeping secure, and procreation are pretty constant.What about their convenience? Perhaps a physically challenged prey is a convenient dinner for their predator, or 'special' hunting grounds, or certain weather conditions (rain for birds); or (how original) trash in garbage barrels for the rodent populations. Here's a couple more examples. Maybe it's convenient for a few houses to be located at the foothills of a New Mexico mountain (sound familiar?) having straw walls, electrical wires on the ground and in cars, and cozy sleeping spaces in the rafters. Should you blame the mice, squirrels and rabbits who indulge? Probably not but, speaking on behalf of those who live with them, they're affecting our comforts and convenience! In short, this is war! And, of course, the humans: Being slightly more qualified to speak on humans' behalf, I have noticed our choices to be similar to all other animals (surprise?!) We eat, drink, shit, procreate (O! I mean "make love"), sleep and die. Except when we fast, abstain, get constipated. These things are constant in our lives. These, I think, are our bodily comforts. Of course, humans have evolved, so the list of earthly comforts simply begin here. But they are essential, as noted in this illustration! (1 Take one group or family of polite, courteous, righteous, well-mannered humans and 2) subtract food and drink for 3) awhile (weeks) and then 4) add one bowl of green mashed potatoes in front of them and 5) finally, watch chaos in action. Do you think this fine upstanding group will give a damn about which fork to use? I'd bet against that possibility and for the greater potential of one getting stabbed with a fork if they reach a bit too soon.

This leads to the usual question: What comforts and convenience do humans choose? Well, looking around at the Fairie folk here at Z.M.S., I have some insights to those questions. As we enter the twentieth century, We make the usual choices of food, drink (lots of coffee) indoor shelter (with half the wild life population), and good 'ol wood - burning - stove - warmth. Other comforts are a pottery studio to be creative, solar electricity for lighting, video movies, and computer correspondence' long walks, spiritual meditations, community gatherings, and writing long drawn out newsletter articles! What about our conveniences? Thanks to the giving natures of Fairies everywhere, we experience the outdoors by choice now, sleep with some privacy, and get our water inside the buildings. Hopefully, real soon, we can add to these things an organic garden, a sauna, and a bath house - for the grand experience of a sanctuary! Fairies and a hot shower - Yes!

What has been the risk for me in choosing to live at Z.M.S. ? Well, so far, it's been that long journey I take each night when I walk from the Main house to the Juniper house, filled to capacity in earthly delights, yet instantly horrified by the off-chance that a BIG BEAR will cross my path . . . hungry, cold and wet.