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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (July 26, 2012)
viewpoint BY CARY LIEBERMAN Greenhill Transition Changes in Lane County and Eugene animal control n July 1st, Greenhill Humane Society began providing sheltering and adoption activities at the former Lane County Animal Services facility. Greenhill now operates two facilities in Eugene — one on Green Hill Road and one on West 1st Avenue. Also on July 1, the city of Eugene took responsibility for animal enforcement and dog licensing inside the Eugene city limits. O What does this mean for pet owners? If you live outside the Eugene city limits, or in unincorporated Eugene, you will probably experience no changes. Lane County Animal Services still provides animal enforcement and licensing to unincorporated Lane County. The phone number to contact Lane County’s Animal Control Offi cer remains the same (682-3645). Springfi eld has not changed its animal control services, nor have any of the other cities within the county. Do g licensing for these areas also remains the same. For Eugene residents, there are two city of Eugene Animal Welfare Offi cers providing service seven days a week. The Eugene Animal Services direct line for reporting lost and found pets, dogs at large and animal abuse, as well as obtaining additional information, is 687-4060. The city of Eugene is now issuing its own dog licenses. However, Lane County licenses issued to Eugene dogs prior to July 1 will remain valid for the term of the license. When the Lane County dog license expires, owners will need to purchase a city of Eugene license. City of Eugene licenses can be purchased in person at the 1st Avenue Shelter or on-line at http://wkly.ws/1bs If you have lost a pet anywhere in Lane County, including the city of Eugene, check the 1st Avenue Shelter. The phone number for the shelter is 844-1777. Animals in the shelter are viewable on-line at www.green-hill.org What does this mean for stray, abandoned, abused and neglected pets? Stray and impounded animals will continue to be cared for at the 1st Avenue Shelter, and repeat visitors may recognize some familiar faces — Greenhill now employs several of the former LCAS employees. Greenhill is committed to providing a high level of care, both for the stray, abandoned, abused and neglected pets at the 1st Avenue Shelter, as well as the owned and transferred pets at the shelter on Green Hill Road. Animals are never euthanized because of space limitations. Greenhill euthanizes only in situations involving animals that cannot be safely handled — either because of aggression or contagious disease, or where the animal is suffering and a reasonable level of treatment would not be effective at improving quality of life. Greenhill employs a shelter veterinarian and trained animal care staff who evaluate and provide treatment and care for each animal. Additionally, Greenhill’s Animal Care Committee, which includes staff and professional veterinary volunteers, meets monthly to discuss animal care practices in an effort to ensure that the organization is always striving to improve the level of care provided to homeless pets. How do I volunteer or donate to help homeless, stray, abandoned, abused, and neglected animals? Donations and volunteers are needed now, more than ever, for the activities at both shelters. For information about volunteering at the shelters, call 844-1777 or 689-1503, or visit www.green-hill.org and click on “Volunteer.” Donations can be made by phone, on-line at www.green-hill.org/ donate, or by mail sent to 1st Avenue Shelter, 3970 W. 1st Ave. Eugene 97402 or Greenhill Humane Society, 88530 Green Hill Road, Eugene 97402. Checks can be made to Greenhill Humane Society or 1st Avenue Shelter. Donors can dedicate their gifts specifi cally to the activity of sheltering stray, abused and neglected animals, to the Mend-a-Friend fund, which is used for providing life-saving medical treatments, or to the general fund that supports on-going operations at both shelters. Where do I go to adopt a new pet? Although the primary goal at the 1st Avenue Shelter is reuniting stray animals with their owners, both shelters have animals awaiting adoption into new loving homes. All animals available in both shelters can be viewed at www.green-hill.org. Cary Lieberman is executive director of Greenhill Humane Society. If you have questions about animal welfare services in your neighborhood, call 844-1777 or 689-1503 for more information. 4 JULY 26, 2012 EUGENE WEEKLY letters TO THE EDITOR STERILE VISION FOR 4J I am deeply grateful for Mark Gillem’s recent analysis [cover story 7/19] of the fl aws in the proposed 4J Facilities Master Plan. He did not say it, but I will: The emperor has no clothes. Bigger is not better. Newer is not better. More expensive is not better. At one time, the South Eugene region contained Dunn, Fox Hollow, Laurel Hill, Whiteaker, Parker and Condon Schools in addition to Harris, Edison and Edgewood. Within the memory of many residents is also the Glenwood neighborhood school. The proposed Master Plan would reduce what once were nine schools into two. After almost 40 years of rejecting simplistic solutions in favor of a nuanced, complex and diverse combination of homegrown neighborhood, alternative and charter schools, I cannot imagine that the voters of Eugene or the patrons of 4J will embrace this sterile vision of our city’s future. Speaking for myself, as a parent, taxpayer, educator and homeowner, I will vote “no” for the fi rst time in my life on the upcoming bond levy that proposes closing and combining more schools in our community. I feel certain that I will not be alone in that choice. Mary Bauer Eugene PUBLIC SAFETY BLACKMAIL Springfi eld and Lane County love to use the fear of jail closures to promote property tax increases. Why not have a graduated property tax like the income tax, only skewed toward an equal burden not in favor of downtown developers, the timber moguls, etc.? A sales tax inherently puts the burden on the poor because it takes a larger percentage of their net worth than the rich. Vince Loving Eugene STARTING A CONVERSATION Eugene has a proud history of great schools with community support. The district is in the early stages of developing a comprehensive facilities plan that will help continue this history. [See cover story “Which Way, 4J?” last week.] Most of Eugene’s school buildings are 50 years old or older and some are in marginal condition. The district has maintained these buildings well, but many of these buildings were not optimally designed or constructed. Most were also built at a time when educational, energy effi ciency, and technological expectations were dramatically different than they are today. In developing a plan, the district’s educational vision includes school buildings that support learning, appealing programs in all four regions of the district, and effi cient use of resources. Maintenance of strong neighborhood schools and consistency with educational best practices will also be guiding principles. The facilities study prepared for 4J builds upon the facility plan developed in 2002 that had wide community input and provides an analysis of the condition of our buildings and a possible district confi guration. This initial proposal is intended as a starting place for the community discussion, not the ending place. Any discussion will need to include careful analysis of whether to remodel or rebuild schools. The School Board will hold its fi rst work session about the facilities plan Sept. 12. The board’s initial discussion will require the board to decide what plan to forward for input. My hope is that community conversation will result in a plan that the community supports and serves all our children well. Jennifer Geller Chair, 4J School Board Eugene EARTH WITHOUT US Re: “Death to Oysters” [Letters, 7/19]: I am all in for global warning and don’t deny it in the least. I believe we should keep up on overfi shing, industrialization, clear cutting and burning copious amounts of fossil fuels and coal to put a large cloud over the world. The quicker we kill ourselves off, the better. Then we could allow the Earth to live and thrive as it once has in its true state: human-less. Chris Maher Eugene WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
