COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL April 29, 2015
Pet First Aid
“
April is ‘Pet First Aid Aware-
ness’ month,” said Lisa Wagner,
Director of Walks ‘N’ Wags Pet First
Aid. (Note the similarity between the
company’s and her name.)
Many have taken a human CPR or
fi rst aid class but have no idea that pet
fi rst aid classes are also available.
It is a miracle that Lisa is so deeply
involved with pets because her child-
hood dreams of becoming a veterinar-
ian were dashed with “...poor marks in
high-school biology,” said Lisa.
“I had a passion for animals, just not
for science. No one suggested alterna-
tive careers such as veterinary techni-
cian, Humane Society, guide dogs,
groomer, etc..”
Instead, she earned a psychology
degree but inwardly knew that is was
not her life’s passion, so she accepted
a ‘regular’ job.
At work, she sat staring at her dog’s
photo wishing she could be with him.
Then one day, she realized she could if
she started her own dog-walking busi-
ness!
With her customer service and busi-
ness experience, and love of dogs, it
was the purr-fect future for her. Bril-
liantly, she moved forward by taking
business classes, pet fi rst aid classes,
and creating a website. She built a suc-
cessful dog walking and in-home cat
sitting service.
Lisa’s life changed again after com-
pleting the ‘Pet First Aid Instructor
Class,’ and once teaching it, she real-
ized that “love of pets and their health
is my life’s passion!”
Imagine the emotional benefi ts of
empowering pet parents to save their
pets’ lives in an emergency, injury or
choking episode!
Following the thread of her business
she found ‘World Vets International’.
Volunteers from North America travel
the globe helping communities and
their animals. Lisa’s fi rst trip was to
Guatemala at the tail end of a tropical
storm. Both people and animals were
displaced, hungry and in dire need of
support. The rewarding experiences
had her immediately signing up for
further travels to Tanzania, Colombia,
Honduras, Peru and most recently to
Soi Dog Foundation in Phuket, Thai-
land. She also traveled to Nicaragua
for ‘Pet Rescue’ and ‘Animal Disaster
Response’ classes.
“People around the world love their
pets,” said Lisa. “Many don’t have the
advantage of a Veterinary staff’s help.
We convert buildings into makeshift
veterinary clinics and soon their hall-
ways are lined with pet parents, cats
and dogs. Over three days, we neuter/
spay and provide free veterinary care to
as many pets as possible.”
“In Cusco, Peru a dog arrived with
one of its legs tightly wrapped close to
its body in a tensor bandage. The owner
explained that her dog had been hit by a
car three weeks prior.
“She didn’t have funds to access vet-
erinary care; however, she had heard
that World Vets was coming and made
her dog as comfortable as she could
while she awaited us. The dog’s leg
had to be amputated, but it was won-
derful knowing that we were able to
end the dog’s pain and saved it’s life.”
Three legged dogs are resilient, and
World Vets gave it a new “leg up” on
life.
“Our exhausting workdays are 10-12
hours,” adds Lisa, “but it doesn’t mat-
ter — our passion driven group is eager
to start early the next morning. I’m ad-
dicted to this group’s mission and have
made lifelong friends. It is deeply ful-
fi lling making a difference. If I could
afford to volunteer full time, I would!”
Thailand’s ‘Soi Dog Foundation’
is a large animal rescue organization
that also advocates ending the illegal
dog meat trade out of Thailand. I was
proud to volunteer at their animal shel-
ter, spay/neuter/health clinic.” www.
SoiDog.org
Taking care of animals, in any com-
munity, in any country, is a bit like the
analogy of the man tossing star fi sh
into the sea when someone asked him,
‘Why are you doing that? There are
so many on the beach. You can’t save
them all.’
‘It makes a difference to this one,’
declared the man as he tossed another
starfi sh into the surf.
In Colombia, Lisa helped neuter/spay
208 animals and gave fi rst aid to 99 oth-
ers, making a difference to them.
“I hope my story inspires others to
take a leap of faith in their life when the
time is right,” adds Lisa.
7A
Lisa Wagner’s
dream of
helping pets
has come
true! She
travels with
‘World Vets
International’
response
teams helping
pets in need.
Here she is in
Honduras, with
two very lucky
rescued and
now spayed
strays.
Courtesy Photo
TIPS
Lisa’s fi rst aid pet tips!
- Any time a pet is vomiting blood,
hiding for 12 hours and won’t come
out, and won’t eat or drink it is an
emergency. Run, don’t walk, your pet
to the closest vet clinic.
Paws-ible Heat Stroke Signs:
- panting
- brick red gums
- increased body temperature and heart
rate
- diffi culty breathing
- confusion
- initial excitement which turns to
lethargy
- vomiting
- seizures
- coma
FIRST AID for Pet’s Heat Stroke:
- Place animal in a cool, shaded
area.
- Submerge animal in cool water,
keeping its head above water.
- If you only have a hose, set it to
spray the animal.
As the animal improves offer it small
amounts of drinking water.
Monitor body temperature until it is
back to normal (temperature for dogs
and cats is roughly 38.5 degrees (+/- 1)
Celsius, or 101 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Stop the cooling process.
- Dry the animal.
- Seek veterinary care.
Learn more about Lisa and her pet
fi rst aid classes: www.WalksnWags.
com
What is your pet’s story?
angelscribe@msn.com
“LIKE” Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales
https://www.facebook.com/PetTip-
sandTales
Adopt Loving Pets
www.PetFinder.com
Humane Society for Neuter/Spay
Assistance Program. (541) 942-2789
Giant snakes, screaming children— welcome to Uncle Ned’s daycare
BY NED HICKSON
News Media Corporation
I
have a good friend who is a
childcare provider. So when
she found herself in a bind, I
told her I’d be happy to watch
the kids for a couple of hours;
eight children, all under the age
of four.
I did this yesterday.
Today, I’m writing to you
from a locked treatment facility
for the emotionally disturbed.
Being a parent, it’s not like I
didn’t know what to expect.
I was prepared. I came with
a plan. I had ideas for things to
do.
And, if all else failed, I came
with a bungee cord large enough
to wrap all eight of them togeth-
er in the middle of the lawn.
For the purpose of this col-
umn (or, more specifi cally, for
the purpose of protecting my-
self from an investigation by the
Child Protection Agency) I’ll
only refer to the kids by nick-
name. “Bonnie and Clyde,” for
example, were both less than
two years old and always plan-
ning a getaway. I know this
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because they would often sit
together babbling quietly, then
suddenly climb to their feet and
make a break for it, stumbling
across the yard with both hands
in the air. I have no idea where
they planned to go once they
made it to “the outside” (which
seemed to be anywhere beyond
the grass), but I took the keys to
the Barbie Jeep anyway.
Let me just say that, for any
men who might fi nd themselves
in this situation, I’d suggest
wearing an athletic cup. That’s
because, for some reason, all
children believe that the only
way to get your attention is to
stand directly in front of you,
wait until you’re not looking,
and then poke you directly in
the [censored].
I say this all in retrospect,
having NOT brought an athletic
supporter and, instead, resorting
to the next best thing: Duct-tap-
ing a coffee mug to myself. This
worked just fi ne and was fairly
comfortable. So comfortable,
in fact, that I completely forgot
about it until went into the local
coffee shop and asked for my
free refi ll. At which point I was
told the policy would be chang-
ing — effective immediately.
As anyone will tell you, the
key to supervising children is
keeping them active. Provide
them with things to do and they’ll
be totally unaware that you are,
in effect, slowly going insane.
To accomplish this, we played
softball, soccer, hopscotch and
then colored a giant dragon that
I drew on the sidewalk in chalk.
Thanks to this planning and or-
ganization, these activities kept
everyone entertained for well
over 15 minutes.
Which left me with another
hour to fi ll.
Desperate, I did what any
good childcare provider would
do in this situation:
I kindled their imaginations
by telling them I had a giant
snake in the car.
This, of course, was very ex-
citing, and we spent the next 10
minutes talking about how big
it was, where it came from, and
whether or not it had once been
an executive from ENRON.
Everything was going great
until, naturally, they demanded
to see it. Now, because I didn’t
actually HAVE a 50-foot ana-
conda in the car, I was left with
only one option, which was to
tell them it must’ve escaped.
If you’ve never heard the
sound of eight small children
screaming at once, you can
experience the same thing by
sticking a bullhorn next to your
ear and pushing the siren button.
Even “Bonnie and Clyde,” who
had no idea what was going on,
began screaming — hands in
the air and stumbling across the
grass to freedom.
I should explain that our my
friend’s home is somewhat se-
cluded, which is what kept any-
one from reporting a strange
man with a coffee mug strapped
to his pants chasing down a herd
of screaming children on the
front lawn. On the bright side,
it did shave another 20 minutes
off the clock, which left me with
just enough time to get everyone
calmed down and back inside
before anyone showed up.
To the parents, I apologize for
any future psychological treat-
ment your children may require.
To my friend, I’ve gained an
even higher level of apprecia-
tion for what you do.
And to my wife and family:
They say I can leave any day
now — just as soon as I give up
the coffee mug.
Ned is a syndicated columnist
with News Media Corporation.
His book, “Humor at the Speed
of Life,” is available online at
Port Hole Publications, Ama-
zon Books and Barnes & Noble.
Write to him at nedhickson@
icloud.com
W orship D irectory
6th & Gibbs Church of Christ
195 N. 6th St. • 541-942-3822
Pastor: Aaron Earlywine
Youth & Families Pastor: Seth Bailey
Services: 9am and 10:30am
Christian Education
Nursery for pre-k - 3rd Grade
www.6thandgibbs.com
Calvary Baptist Church
77873 S 6th St • 541-942-4290
Pastor: Riley Hendricks
Sunday School: 9:45am
Worship: 11:00am
The Journey: Sunday 5:00pm
Praying Thru Life: Wednesday 6:00pm
Calvary Chapel Cottage Grove
522 E Whitaker • 541-942-6842
Pastor: Jeff Smith
Two Services on Sun: 9am & 10:45am
Wednesday Service 6:45 pm
Child Care 10:45am Service Only
Youth Group Bible Study:
Wed. 6:45 pm & Sat. 6 pm
www.cgcalvary.org
Center for Spiritual Living Cottage
Grove
700 Gibbs Ave (Community Center)
Rev. Bobby Lee
Meets Sunday 3:00 p.m.
Info: 541-767-0182 (Mrs. “T”)
Church of Christ
420 Monroe St • 541-942-8565
Sunday Service: 10:30am
Cottage Grove Bible Church
1200 East Quincy Avenue
541-942-4771
Pastor:Bob Singer
Worship 8:30am, 11am
Sunday School:9:45am
YouthGroup Mondays 6:30pm
AWANA age 3-8th Grade,
Wednesdays Sept-May, 6:30pm
www.cgbible.org
Cottage Grove Faith Center
33761 Row River Rd. • 541-942-4851
Lead Pastor: Isaac Hovet
www.cg4.tv
Sunday Service: 9am and 11am
Full Childrenʼs Ministry available
Delight Valley
Church of Christ
33087 Saginaw Rd. East
541-942-7711
Pastor: Bob Friend
Two Services:
9am - Classic in the Chapel
10:30am - Contemporary in the
Auditorium
First Baptist Church
301 S 6th St 541-942-8242
Pastor: Steve Johnson
Sunday School: 9:30am
Worship: 11:00am
Come Worship with us
First Presbyterian Church
3rd and Adams St • 541-942-4479
Pastor: Rev. Bruce Cameron
Worship: 10:00am
Sunday School: 10:00am
www.cgpresbynews.com
Grove Community Church
77820 Mosby Creek Rd.
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
541-942-0123
Pastor: Bryan Parsons
Worship: 10:30 a.m.
Nursery: Infant - Pre-K
Kidʼs Church: K to 5th grade
Hope Fellowship
United Pentecostal Church
100 S. Gateway Blvd. • 541-942-2061
Pastor: Dave Bragg
Worship: 11:00am Sunday
Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday
www.hopefellowshipupc.com
“FINDING HOPE IN YOUR LIFE”
Living Faith Assembly
467 S. 10th St. • 541-942-2612
Pastor Rulon Combs
Sunday School All Ages 9am
Worship & Childrenʼs
Church 10:30 am
“The Bridge” Saturday Evening Service
6:00pm
Youth ABLAZE: Wednesday 6:30pm
Childrenʼs Breakout Class:
Wednesday 6:30pm
Non-Denominational
Church of Christ
1041 Pennoyer Ave * 541-767-0447
Preachers: Tony Martin & Robert Evans
Sunday Bible Study:10:00am
Sunday Worship:10:50am & 5:30pm
www.pennoyeravecoc.com
Old Time Gospel Fellowship
103 S. 5th Street • 541-942-4999
Pastor: Herb Carson
Sunday Service: 10:00am
Sunday Bible Study: 6:00pm
We sing the old time hymns.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
and St. Philip Benizi
Catholic Churches
1025 N. 19th St.
541-942-3420 / 541-942-4712
Pastor: Roy L. Antunez, S.J.
Euch. Liturgies; Sat. 5:30pm
Sun. 10:30am
St. Philip Benizi, Creswell:
552 Holbrock Lane • 541-895-8686
Sunday: 8:30am
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
1301 W. Main • 541-767-9050
Rev. Lawrence Crumb
“Church with the fl ags.”
Worship: Sunday 10:30am
All Welcome
Seventh-day Adventist Church
820 South 10th Street
541-942-5213
Pastor: Kevin Miller
Bible Study: Saturday, 9:15 am
Worship Service: Saturday, 10:40 am
Mid-week Service: Wednesday, 1:00 pm
Trinity Lutheran Church
6th & Quincy • 541-942-2373
Pastor: James L. Markus
Sunday School &
Adult Education 9:15am
Sunday Worship 10:30am
Comm. Kitchen Free Meal Tue & Thur
5:00pm TLC Groups
trinitylutherancottagegrove.com
United Methodist Church
334 Washington • 541-942-3033
Pastor:Jerry Steele
Worship: 10:00am
Adult & Sunday School: 9:00am
Comm. Dinner (Adults $5, Kids Free)
Mon. 5-6:30pm
cottagegroveumc.org
“VICTORY” Country Church
913 S. 6th Street • 541-942-5913
Pastor: Barbara Dockery
Worship Service: 10:00am
Message:
11:00am
“WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES”
Our Worship
Directory is a
weekly feature in
the newspaper. If
your congregation
would like to
be a part of this
directory, please
contact the
Cottage Grove
Sentinel
at 541-942-3325.