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Dishing the News on Pets and Animal Welfare Issues Feb. 2008 |
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What better way to say “I Love You” than to adopt a very special dog or cat on Valentine’s Day? The Oregon Humane Society makes it easier than ever by reducing adoption fees to only $35 for a special group of furry friends.
These “special needs” pets are looking for tender, loving care from a new companion. All of them will make great pets, but have conditions that make finding the right owner more difficult than usual. There is Little Girl, for example, a beautiful tortoiseshell cat who loves to cuddle but has limited vision. Max, a collie mix, is a sweet and gentle older dog who needs medication to treat an ear infection. These Valentine’s Day Pets are all deserving of a family to love them—why not celebrate by making one of them your new best friend? And if you cannot adopt, you can always click on the "Sponsor Me" link next to the pet's picture. Every donation helps OHS care for animals in need. A total of 37 cats and 18 dogs will be Valentine’s Day Pets at OHS. Their adoption fees, which normally run as much as $85, will be reduced to $35 for a three-day period from Feb. 14th through Feb. 16th. The Valentine’s Day Pets can be seen on the OHS Website starting on the evening of Feb. 13th. Guilty Plea Reached in Horse Neglect Case
The owner of two ailing horses seized almost one year ago entered a guilty plea today to two counts of animal neglect. Shellie Ann Anderson, of Beavercreek, Ore., is expected to be sentenced next Tuesday in Clackamas County Circuit Court to ten days in jail, a ban on owning livestock animals for 60 months, and approximately $2,500 in restitution to the Oregon Humane Society. Her two horses, a 26-year-old mare named Lady and her colt Duran, were seized by the Oregon Humane Society in Feb. of 2007. Both horses were malnourished and severely underweight, one by as much as 250 lbs. A tip from a private citizen in Sept. of 2007 resulted in the arrest of Anderson last year, after she failed to appear in court to face charges. The OHS Livestock Rescue Network, a group that came together in response to a string of prominent horse neglect and abuses cases in 2006, provided stables and pasture for the Lady and Duran until they fully recovered and were adopted. OHS Humane Investigators are commissioned by the Governor of Oregon with the authority to enforce animal cruelty laws throughout the state. Last year, OHS investigated over 800 cruelty complaints. Their work is supported entirely by private donations. Fight animal cruelty: donate to the OHS Investigations Department. OHS Volunteers Honored
Portland, OR – It was Oscar night for the volunteers of the Oregon Humane Society, with a gala party at Portland's Melody Ballroom. OHS relies on over 1,000 volunteers to help with virtually everything—from adopting almost 10,000 homeless pets each year to educating nearly 20,000 students. OHS gave special kudos the evening of February 5th to 44 individuals, including:
Other valuable volunteers honored for their contributions included: DOG WALKING TEAM ANCHOR AWARDS: Roger Price, Lori Lacell, Shawneen Betha, Keely Koenig, Mark Evans, Jill Howard, Jennifer Jackson, Jessica Bliss, Patti McKinney, Stacy Westbrook, Janet Bates, Jan Meyer, Lynne Kimmel, Debbie Chin, Barry Malmanger, Ernie & Sherri Brown, Megan McMorris, Carol Finney, Lou Chapman, Natalie Graham, Michelle Olson, Dorma Mammano, Gene de Haan, and Anika Moje To learn more about each of these awards and the volunteers who won them, visit the Volunteer Awards News page. And better yet, learn how to become a volunteer by visiting the main OHS Volunteer page. Watch the Video: Each year, employees at OHS star in a video that gives special thanks to the volunteers. Write in "10" and Help Animals Training Classes Open to the Public
Training classes for problem pooches and finicky felines are now open to the public at OHS. The classes focus on understanding why animals behave the way they do and on using positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior. The sessions take place in the Animal Medical and Learning Center, a great new facility that is attached to the existing OHS shelter in NE Portland. Help Stop Dog Fighting OHS urges the public to contact their elected officials to support a bill now pending in the special Oregon legislative session that dramatically strengthens the ability of police to crack down on dog fighting. The bill, SB 1072, would:
The legislation is strongly endorsed by the Oregon Humane Society as well as such groups as the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association. It is sponsored by the president of the Oregon Senate, Sen. Peter Courtney. Although dog fighting is a felony in Oregon, prosecution is difficult. When police raid a fight in progress, for example, it's difficult to determine who is organizing the fight because spectators, facing only misdemeanor charges, rarely cooperate with police. To read the complete text of the bill, click here. How you can help: Please take a moment to contact your Oregon state senator and representative and tell them you support SB 1072 (click here to find your state legislator; do not send to congressmen Wyden, Smith, Hooley, Blumenauer or Walden as they are US legislators). Phone calls or postal letters are best, but emails also make a difference; if you email your official, please send a copy of the email to OHS at: action@oregonhumane.org. When writing, it's best to polite and brief (just a few sentences are needed--no more than one page). Tell your elected official that you believe this legislation is needed to combat a barbaric crime against animals, a crime that is tough to prosecute because of the loophole that prevents police from charging spectators with anything more than a misdemeanor crime. Urge them to vote "Yes" on SB 1072. Top
Animal lovers will not want to miss one of Oregon's largest garden shows, which begins this Friday at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. When you come to the Yard, Garden & Patio Show, you'll be able to:
OHS pets and behavior experts will be at the ProGrass booth Saturday afternoon. A special seminar on pet-friendly gardens takes place 3:30 - 4:30 pm Saturday, and includes Tanya Roberts, OHS behavior specialist. Roberts will help answer questions about how pets can be expected to behave in gardens. Other speakers will address issues such as fencing and plant selection. Don't miss the celebrity containers at the show. The Oregon Nursery Association is donating all of the proceeds from the celebrity container auction to OHS. And don't forget to get the special coupon that donates $2 to OHS when you buy a ticket to the show. When & Where:Yard, Garden, & Patio Show presented by ProGrass.
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