The donkeys jeered loudly (see video) as the Bedlam Farm Shutdown entered it’s acrimonious and bitter second day. No carrots or treats, the barn cats lost their porch chairs, the chickens were in the woodshed, the dogs had no biscuits, and Red and Zelda continued their increasingly unyielding confrontation, there were no negotiations, just a great deal of posturing and positioning and finger-pointing. Zelda claimed sheepherding is insidious and unacceptable to sheep everywhere, and Red insisted he was carrying out an ancient mandate and he would never yield to ruminant extortion. Each blamed the other and increased their demands, no talks were scheduled.

Simon brayed loudly in protest when denied his carrots, the barn cats sulked and hid in the barn, the chickens were lying on pallets,  Red and Zelda stared at one another across a deepening mound of smelly manure. Maria was caught on camera sneaking apples to her beloved donkeys in violation of the shutdown – security guards stood by helplessly.  Come and see for yourself. Hey, I told them all, it’s happening to people also, just look at the news from Washington. “I’ll pass,” said Simon,”I can’t believe they call us asses. The one thing humans seem to know how to do is talk.”