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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 2015)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL August 19, 2015 7A Photo by Mary Ellen “Angel Scribe” Bilingual Dog P laying the purr-verbial puppy-rozzi at a Vancou- ver, Canada, ‘bark park’, I found myself in the midst of four pet parents chatting up their ca- nines. One of them said, “I ad- opted my dog from the U.S.A.,” the other three chimed in that they had too! A lady passing us added, “I adopted my dog from Taiwan.” ‘Are you kidding!’ I thought. ‘Canada doesn’t have enough adoptable dogs at shelters? Ap- parently, their neuter/spay pro- grams must have put a dent in pet homelessness. I asked Tsukasa if her cute Rat Terrier/Chihuahua and part wind-up-toy dog, Cooper, was named after TV reporter Ander- son Cooper. She smiled, and in the loveliest Japanese accent, said, “I’m Japanese, and ‘coo’ in our language means ‘sky’, so I named him Cooper because of its sound. He easily accepted this honorable name and he’s bilin- gual; he responds to commands in Japanese and English.” Now, most think that dogs just “know” what you are saying. But a French family’s dog can no more understand a German person asking it to “sit “or if it “wants a treat” than you could. is,’ Joe said. The adoption agency made sure we would be good pet par- ents, and then we were permit- ted to take the dog for a ‘test run’ on the runway. Crossing the border back into Canada went smoothly because we had Cooper’s necessary vac- cination certifi cate.” It did not take long to discov- er Copper’s mysterious past. He knew nothing about people or living in a home! “Yes, he is adorable,” said Karen, “but he was not friendly, or good with people, and he did not know how to play. The fi rst time he heard a TV he was star- tled. We believe in letting a dog get to know you and patiently teaching them to become a lov- ing pet. He quickly transformed, and today he listens to us and is no longer anxious. In fact, he’s a real Californian dog who’s be- come so relaxed and ‘cool’, that he loves sun bathing, on his back, on our balcony. While I practice my fl ute, he sleeps...so he en- joys music. He’s also learned to play. He grabs his stuffed toys (stuffi es), and shakes and chases them. He’s such a nice dog now, and we are happy that we chose him.” “No matter how long we walk Cooper,” said Tsukasa, “when Learning languages is a skill, and Cooper has learned two! This is amazing considering that he was either a street dog or a breeder’s ‘toss away,’ because when he arrived in Tsukasa’s home he did not have any ‘man- ners’. He did not know how to interact with her family or play —typical signs of neglect and no human interaction. At his adoption, she learned that Cooper’s life was one of triumph over tragedy. He was in a ‘high kill’ shelter from the age of one for eight months, un- til his miraculous ‘fl y the coop’ fl ight to Canada. Tsuaka’s children, Karen, 15, and Joe, 8, began looking for another pet after the passing of their 14-year old dog. “It was diffi cult to fi nd a small dog,” said Tsukasa. “We looked on PetFinder.com for months before a friend mentioned ‘a big dog adoption event’ at Belling- ham, Washington’s airport. We drove two hours to the air- port, where an airplane arrived from California with 130 dogs. The dogs were unloaded and the chaotic race was on amongst 250 potential pet parents! The rule was ‘fi rst one to snag a dog — it was yours’. My son found Cooper and it was love at fi rst sight, ‘Mum, look how ‘cute’ he we step back in the house, he takes off running — as fast as he can, like a race car! He tilts his body for maximum speed, and we can’t catch him! He then jumps from bed to bed and the couch like a ninja!” Obviously, the minute Coo- per walks through the door into his ‘home,’ his heart explodes with happiness. He can’t con- tain himself and ‘jumps for joy’ off their fur-niture because he’s experienced both homelessness and the joy of a family who loves him! “It’s funny that during our 1- ½ mile walks or at the dog park,” adds Karen, “Cooper doesn’t run that fast — only at home! Our next plan is to take him on challenging hiking trails! I hope we can keep up!” Just like Anderson Cooper, we know that Cooper’s fame from appearing in this article won’t go to his head. The experience will just add another happy end- ing to his rags to riches story. TIPS “I love Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales,” said Brenda, a reader in Ken- tucky, “the stories make me smile. Also, thank you for keep- ing readers updated on animal safety/health. I pass the articles Tsukasa’s bilingual, three-year- old dog, Cooper, blows the expression “dumb dog” right out of the water! He is smart- er than most of us! on to help others. Dogs eating jerky treats are still dying, so I don’t feed my dogs store-bought jerky, raw- hide, pig’s ears or treats. They only get homemade treats. I eat organic food, so my motto is, “If I won’t eat it, then neither should my dogs!” Spending a little more $$$ and time now, investing in my pets’ health, makes sense compared to spend- ing $$$ on future health issues. Here is a link for your readers on jerky adversely affecting pet health.” http://truthaboutpetfood.com/ walmarts-private-label-jerky- treat-linked-to- 23-sick-dogs-3-deaths/ Share your pet tips and tales. angelscribe@msn.com “Follow” Pet Tips ‘n’ Tales on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ PetTipsandTales Adopt Loving Pets www.PetFinder.com Humane Society for Neuter/ Spay Assistance Program. (541) 942-2789 COMMUNITY BRIEFS PeaceHealth Med- ical Group to host hiring event www.andreasons.com On Monday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., PeaceHealth Medical Group will host a hir- ing event at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riv- erBend in an effort to fi ll more than 40 Certifi ed Medical As- sistant and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) openings. Medical Group clinic manag- ers will be on hand to conduct interviews with all candidates who meet the following crite- ria: 541- 485-6659 Small changes can lead to big energy savings. Current Medical Assistant certifi cation or course of study that would allow you to sit for the Medical Offi ce Assistant exam by October 2015 or a cur- rent Oregon LPN License. PeaceHealth said that inter- ested applicants should note that medical assistants are now required to be nationally certi- fi ed in order to meet updated regulations related to electronic health record management. “This hiring event is a great opportunity for certifi ed medi- cal assistants and LPNs who want to make a change from long-term care to our new Pri- mary Care Model,” said Charles Norris, supervisor, PeaceHealth Medical Group Talent Acqui- sition. “These positions will include both new and existing jobs across our Eugene/Spring- fi eld/Cottage Grove/Florence clinics and help provide much- needed access to primary care in Lane County.” The event will be held in one of the second fl oor conference rooms of Sacred Heart Medical T H E Center at RiverBend. Applicants with questions about this event may contact Heather Mitchell at 360-729-1453 or at HMitch- ell@peacehealth.org. USS Hornet Asso- ciation plans 67th reunion For those who served on the USS Hornet (CV-8, CV-12, CVA-12, CVS-12), the 67th Re- union will be held Sept. 9-13, 2015 in Lexington, Kentucky. Those seeking more information may contact Darlene Ash in Cot- tage Grove at 541-767-1230 or email her at DarleneAsh1230@ msn.com with subject: Hornet Reunion in the subject line. 2nd Infantry Division Alumni Sought The 3rd Brigade of the Ar- N A T I O N A L MODEL TRAIN SHOW OFF OFF OFF F F O F F O Portland Expo Center | Aug. 28th-30th $ $ F F O F F O $ $ $ F F O O F F F F O NATIONALTRAINSHOW.ORG my’s famous 2nd Infantry Di- vision will inactivate and be re-designated as the 1st Brigade in a 2 p.m. ceremony on Sept. 15, 2015 at Joint Base Lewis- McChord, Wash. The brigade has invited veterans of both bri- gades to attend the ceremony and associated events, which include an alumni golf scramble and reception on Sept. 14; a me- morial service and reception on Sept. 15 and a unit organization day on Sept. 16. Veterans who are interested in attending can contact Mike Davino for more information at 919-498-1910 or 2ida.mail@charter.net. Veterans offered legal help Military veterans who fi nd themselves facing legal issues are invited to attend Access the Law's Veterans Legal Clinic the last Wednesday of each month from 5-7 p.m. at the old federal courthouse, located on the sec- ond fl oor at 211 E. Seventh Ave. in Eugene. Those interested in scheduling an appointment with an attorney can also call 541-242-0445. Help is available with issues related to criminal and civil cases, divorce, custody, parenting time, child support, bankruptcy, landlord/tenant and other areas. $ PUUBHF ( SPWF 4 FOUJOFM Our Community Newspaper since 1889 fan on off auto 78 © 2015 Pacifi c Power wattsmart is registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Offi ce. Join us for a free energy workshop. Pacific Power customers are invited to a workshop to get on the path to greater energy efficiency and lower bills. WHEN: Wednesday, September 2 Join us and: • Hear about no-cost/low-cost ways to save energy • Learn about different types of heating and cooling equipment • Discover the difference between incandescent, CFL and LED lighting • Learn about cash incentives for home energy improvements 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Village Green Resort 725 Row River Rd. Cottage Grove Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited. Reserve your spot today at pacificpower.net/bewattsmart.
