area news
Ribaya Dogs Find Sanctuary

The story of pit bull dogs in-
volved in the attack of farm animals has
come to an end, but it was not the end that
many thought would happen to the ani-
mals in this case. The dogs were seized
from a farm in Scappoose July 3rd, 2009
after attacking and seriously wounding a
calf. After the seizure of the dogs, it was
determined that the dogs were owned by
Mr. Ribaya, who has long history of be-
ing involved in animal fighting.

After a public hearing on the
matter, the County Board of Commis-
sioners imposed the maximum fine pos-
sible on Mr. Ribaya and ordered the two
dogs to be euthanized. The dogs were
held and cared for by the Columbia
County Animal Control during the sev-
eral month long appeals period. During
that time, the dogs demonstrated highly
aggressive behavior to other animals,
but not to humans.

In January 2010, The Columbia
County Circuit Court ruled in the favor
of the County Board of Commissioner’s
order to have the animals euthanized
pending a 30-day grace period for Mr.
Ribaya to file an appeal of the Circuit
Court order. During this appeal time,
Ms. Bethany O’Driscoll with Ananda
Farm Sanctuary of Saint Helens, Or-
egon offered to try and locate a suitable
Sanctuary for the animals. After consid-
eration of the offer, the Board of Com-
missioners agreed to allow for additional
time for Ms O’Driscoll to locate a suit-
able placement for the dogs. Because of
the characteristics of the dogs, this task
was not easy.

A suitable location for place-
march9
2010
ment of the dogs was found. On Febru-
ary 24th, 2010, after being spayed and
neutered, the dogs were transferred to
the Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks
Washington. This Sanctuary was found
to be experienced in sheltering dogs with
similar histories as the Ribaya dogs. The
Sanctuary plans for life time care of the
dogs and does not re-place the dogs.

This case has raised public
awareness of the issue of animal fighting
in Columbia County and the need for co-
ordination between the Columbia Coun-
ty Sheriff’s Office, the Columbia County
Animal Control Program and Oregon
Humane Society Investigators on inci-
dents involving possible
dog fighting and other ani-
mal abuses. These agen-
cies are in the process of
7
developing a coordinated strategy for
responding to future incidents involving
aggressive dogs and the training of dogs
and other animals for the use and partici-
pation in illegal animal fighting events.

This incident underscores the
fact that Columbia County is not im-
mune from the problem of dogs and
other animals being trained for fighting
purposes. But the County’s experience
with this incident has provided the ba-
sis for better agency cooperation in re-
sponse to future incidents and awareness
of resources available for the humane
placement of even very aggressive dogs
and other animals.
Mist-Birkenfeld RFPD To Receive New Apparatus

Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire Protection District
is the recipient of an Assistance to Firefighters Grant
totaling $210,000 toward the purchase of a new Wa-
ter Tender. The cost of the new unit is expected to be
between $230,000 and $236,000, with the fire district
providing the cost of the apparatus above that provided
by the grant.

The grant was requested in April of 2009 to
replace a 1976 Ford 4000 gallon water tender that is
unsafe to drive under emergency conditions. “The
opportunity to replace it is a real blessing,” said Mist-
Birkenfeld RFPD Chief, David Crawford. “Our fire-
fighters will operate safer, the district will be better
served, and our surrounding emergency service provid-
ers who depend on our help will get it faster and more
efficiently.”

The new Water Tender will be a 2010 Interna-
tional 7600 Chassis with a 410 hp diesel and an Allison
automatic transmission. “It will carry 3000 gallons of
water that can be dumped from the rear or either side
from the driver’s seat,” said Crawford. “It will have an
on-board 3000 gallon portable tank that can be quickly
set up to hold a full load of water and then allow the
unit to quickly get back to the fill site for more. It also
has an on-board 750 gallon-per-minute pump in case it
needs to supply an engine directly. Finally, it will come
with three pre-connected hose-lines that can be used
when needed.”

It is difficult for Rural Fire Protection Districts
to find money to replace apparatus. “When the only
available way is to increase the tax load of the already
struggling community, capital replacement of equip-
ment takes a back seat to local economics,” said Craw-
ford. “Occasionally, grant opportunities like the Assis-
tance to Firefighters Grant become available, making it
possible to replace old, unreliable, unsafe equipment.
It is almost the only way most rural districts are able to
ever see a new engine or water tender.”

This is the fourth Assistance To Firefighters
Grant the Mist-Birkenfeld RFPD has received.

The thirty-three year old truck that is being
replaced was originally owned by Don Soderback as a
dump truck. It was retired in 1990 and purchased by
the fire district for conversion to a Water Tender. Ac-
cording to Chief Crawford, it had more than 210,000
miles on it at that time, much of it off-road. The Mallo-
ry Company got the contract for the conversion, and in
1991 it was placed in service. “For more than 19 years,
it served the community, keeping the fire engines sup-
plied with water,” said Crawford. “However, its age
began to show as the cost of keeping it going increased
dramatically. More importantly, it became unsafe to
drive.”

The new Water Tender is expected to arrive
sometime around August of 2010.

In addition, the Mist-Birkenfeld Rural Fire
Protection District Board of Directors have awarded a
contract to Pacific Emergency Apparatus for a new am-
bulance. The new unit will replace the fifteen-year-old
ambulance currently in service. “Transport times from
our district are forty-five minutes to one hour under the
best of conditions,” said Chief Crawford. “The second
ambulance is held in reserve and ensures quick and
reliable service in the case of a second call.”

Funding for the new ambulance is provided
by the funds paid for emergency transports. “Recog-
nizing that the ambulance would need to be replaced
every fifteen years or so, the district created a reserve
fund to provide for its replacement, “explained Craw-
ford. “One hundred percent of the receipts from every
ambulance transport is set aside to fund the cost. As
a result, ambulance replacement is fully funded by its
usage, without resorting to additional taxes.”
Opportunity for Artists: St. Helens Arts & Cultural
Commission Requests Proposals For Street Banners
The St. Helens Arts & Cultural
Commission seeks artists interested in
creating decorative street banners as
part of the commission’s Gallery Cor-
ridor Project. Aluminum banners are to
be mounted on poles and placed along
Old Portland Road, Columbia Blvd. and
Gable Rd. in St. Helens. Future phases
of the project call for more banners and
placement of complementary art proj-
ects throughout the city.
Selected artists will receive a $1000 for
each banner they are commissioned to
create. A 2’ by 6’ aluminum sheet, do-
nated by Pacific Stainless Products in
St. Helens, will be provided to commis-
sioned artists for execution of the ban-
ner design. Paints and cover coats must
ensure weatherability. While the com-
mission is open to creative strategy and
concept, they do have an interest in his-
torical content and kinetic design.
Banners should correspond with
the City’s 20/20 Vision Statement, tour-
ism messaging and target audiences and
conform to requirements set forth by
City ordinance. See related documents
online or request more information from
John Walter at 503-397-4544, ext. 102.
Requests for Proposals can be found on
the City’s website at www.ci.st-helens.
or.us, or can be requested by phone at
503-366-8218.
Interested artists are asked to
submit a proposal by Monday, April 19,
2010, at 5:00 p.m., either in person at
265 Strand St., in St. Helens, or via mail
to the attention of Kathy Payne, City
Recorder, at the City of St. Helens, P.O.
Box 278, St. Helens, OR 97051. Fac-
simile and e-mail submissions will not
be accepted. Incomplete proposals and
those received after the deadline will not
be considered.
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