Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Page A-3
Annual Airport Animal advocates come
Days set date together in the Valley
2nd Annual Airport
Days Grants Pass, Oregon -
Josephine County Commis-
sioners and
Airport Advisory Board
announce 2nd annual Airport
Days: Saturday, September 6
at the Grants Pass Airport.
This year’s event em-
phasizes the many ways in
which aviation is growing
with Grants Pass.
The day kicks off at
8:00 a.m. with a pancake
breakfast by the Experi-
mental Aircraft Association
(EAA). Throughout the day
visitors are up close and per-
sonal with vintage, classic
and home-built aircraft and
pilots and builders.
There will be fly-bys
of iconic aircraft and a dis-
play of aerobatic flight by
the Rogue Valley Flyers R/C
club.
At mid-day the skies
will fill with paragliders ar-
riving from their jump site
atop Mt. Walker.
This year special em-
phasis is focuses on those
middle school-high school
students and their parents
who are considering future
career directions.
Aviation businesses are
expecting many job vacan-
cies over the next decade as
military veterans begin to
retire from the industry. The
opportunities for young peo-
ple will abound.
Airport Days: Satur-
day, September 6, 8:00 a.m.
- 3:00 p.m. - No admission
charge - Free shuttles from
parking areas - Food vendors
throughout the day - free ac-
cess and photos to all the air-
craft.
Additional information:
Please contact Art Kelly,
541-472-9683.
Skate Park Memorial for Nathan Ray Gerber.
By
Annette McGee Rasch
IVN Senior Contributing Writer
A group of experienced Illinois Val-
ley-based animal advocates has come to-
gether to improve the plight of countless
stray or under-cared for animals in the
area.
“We’re organizing resources and
seeking more volunteers,” said Valley
resident Linda Sisson, who is helping lead
the local effort.
About one fifth of the people living
in Josephine County reside in the Illinois
Valley and according to volunteers and
professionals involved with animal wel-
fare issues throughout the region, the Val-
ley has some of the highest rates of animal
neglect.
“Animals need advocates,” Sis-
son said. “I believe we’re most effective
in creating change when we first work
within our circle of influence, and where
we live is ground-zero for our circle of in-
fluence. The well-being and management
of animals is both an individual and com-
munity responsibility that needs guidance
and support.”
Sisson is a board member with the
Grants Pass-based “Shelter Friends,” a
nonprofit organization that supports the
Josephine County Animal Shelter and
has done a remarkable job of boosting
the numbers of shelter animal adoptions.
Now, Sisson’s goal is to create a local net-
work tailored to the specific needs of Val-
ley animals.
“Our biggest priority is to iden-
tify more short-term emergency ‘foster
homes’ for both dogs and cats,” Sisson
said. “If people have securely fenced-in
areas or a kennel, and a little extra time,
they can make such a huge difference and
help alleviate much suffering.”
Sometimes the need is just for a day
or two, until more permanent arrange-
ments can be made or the animal is ad-
opted into a “forever” home.
“There are quite a few of us who are
willing to do this rescue work,” said Il-
linois Valley Working Dogs head trainer
Theresa Dugas. “But our ability to make
a real impact hinges on people helping us
foster needy dogs right here in the Val-
ley.”
Dugas believes dog training is criti-
cal to keeping dogs off the streets and out
of shelters.
“We will pre-qualify potential own-
ers,” Dugas said. “To adopt a dog, people
must make a commitment to training.”
Several regional animal welfare
organizations help low-income Valley
residents cover the costs of rabies shots,
spaying and neutering, and help provide
fencing for yards and kennels to get dogs
off chains.
“We’re all thrilled to see people or-
ganizing in the Illinois Valley,” said Linda
Milner, co-founder of the family-based
Jo Co Spay & Neuter Fund that has paid
for getting hundreds of pets fixed in the
Valley. “We all work together really well,
Jo Co Spay and Neuter, the Toby Fund,
Shelter Friends, Animal Control and the
Rogue Valley Human Society, we’re all
friends.”
Milner says it’s very sad when ani-
mals have to be euthanized because pet
owners shirked or ignored their responsi-
bilities. She also says there are few good
reasons to breed cats and dogs and that
getting them fixed improves their health
and temperaments.
“Our biggest problem is the high
number of un-spayed and un-neutered an-
imals that breed and create more animals
that end up suffering,” Milner said.
Nationwide, out of all puppies who
go into new homes from their birth lit-
ters, only three out of ten will remain in
these homes for their entire lives. Seven
out of ten dogs will be moved from home
to home, or are abandoned, get hit by
cars, shot, poisoned, succumb to disease
or starve to death. Overall, 80 percent of
these dogs will be dead before they are
three years old, according to the Humane
Society of the United States. One major
issue is how many people adopt pets when
they are young and cute, but when they
reach adulthood, many “get rid” of their
pets who have become an inconvenient
problem.
“We need more education and this
needs to start with middle-school kids,”
said group member Nancy Lindquist. “We
must teach children about the adverse sit-
uations that cats, dogs and other pets too
often find themselves in and the impor-
tance of spaying and neutering.”
Child psychologists say small chil-
dren do not distinguish between cats,
dogs, horses and people. So, when kids
witness animal neglect and suffering, they
learn that some life forms don’t matter
— and this can contribute to bullying and
racism.
“We also want to provide pet fos-
LAST DAY AUG. 29
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100% rating by the JoCo Health Department
tering services for victims of domestic
abuse,” said group member Linda Nay-
dol. “We’re aware that some people won’t
leave their abusive situations because they
have no place to take their animals. Some
abusers threaten their spouses with poten-
tial harm toward their pets.”
Sisson said people need to get in-
volved when they see animals suffering.
“Animals, like children, cannot de-
fend themselves,” Sisson said. “People
need to say or do something when they
witness neglect, abuse or abandonment.
We must be their voice.”
The new group will also work to dis-
cern ways to cope with feral cats, mother
cats with kittens and more. Sisson wants
people to know if volunteers foster ani-
mals already in the county’s shelter pro-
gram that fostering costs will be covered.
A recent rabies clinic in the Valley
was well attended and another will be
held on August 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
in Shop Smart’s parking lot. For $15 peo-
ple can get a rabies shot for their pets and
receive a county license.
“A license is a ticket home for a lost
dog as well as supporting the animal shel-
ter, so it’s a win-win,” said group member
Anita Savio. “Too many people are very
lackadaisical about putting identification
tags on their dogs and that only costs a
few dollars. Without tags, we go through a
lot of trouble to reunite dogs with owners.
Dog ownership is an important responsi-
bility, it’s not a trivial thing.”
The group also plans to offer assis-
tance for all species of animals, including
horses and goats.
“The Illinois Valley is home to many
equines and other hooved animals,” Nay-
dol said. “I would like to see a system of
resources that includes a “hay bank” to
help animals in dire need and assist own-
ers who find themselves facing problems
associated with care and maintenance.”
Naydol wants to partner with other
large-animal rescue groups to help re-
home horses or provide transportation
during emergencies.
Donations of fencing, poles, dog and
cat beds, pet gates, crates of all sizes, cag-
es, collars and leashes, dog and cat food,
hay, straw, bags of feed, and of course,
time, labor and money are needed. Any-
one wanting to donate or get involved can
contact Sisson at spacepug@yahoo.com.
Smaller items can be dropped off at the
Illinois Valley News Office in Cave Junc-
tion.
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541-592-2200
Art’s
Arts Red
Garter
Firday
Aug. 22
Night Open Friday,
@ 5:30 p.m.
Mic and
Taylor’s
Karaoke!
Auzzie
Mark
Country Store
0235
131 N. Redwood Hwy
Guppy
Sat. Aug. 23 @ 6 p.m.
Every Friday
Jay Barley
Every Wednesday
Open Mic. Night
From
6-8 p.m.
Saturday
night Pool
Tourney
@
Sportsmans
Tavern
MADD
MOOSE
Kate’s
Redwood
Bar and Grill
Rosie of Silas Wolf
and
Dawna Crocker
Tuesday to Sunday
Noon
to Jones
Close
Motel
$3
Happy
Hour 3-5
Saturday Aug. 9
Aug. 22, 8 p.m.
Kate and Mamie
McGrew’s
Stop 6-9
in and
p.m. see
Today!
