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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2016)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL September 28, 2016 7A How to draw the line against deer BY KYM POKORNY OSU Extension Service able to keep Hudson, but if a home return for her loved one is not paws-able, Hudson has a good home with her and King Arthur. Purr-obably the King would miss his purr-sonal court jester’s absence. “Thankfully, Arthur who continues to rule our land,” said Lynne, “has re- sumed our pre-dog routines and is once again purring.” Surprise! It’s a Dog! “When I adopt/foster a pet, a warm-fuzzy feeling envelopes me,” said Lynne, “but for Hud- son, it was – unadulterated an- ger! Our 90-year-old relative en- tered short-stay nursing care. His spoile, elderly heavyweight dog, Hudson, was being taken care of by neighbors who were raised thinking that dogs be- longed outside. They tied poor Hudson up to a fence. It was un- dignifi ed, just so they would not have to let him out to ‘potty’. The weather was cold and he was exposed to more than just the elements - the neighborhood has a roving pit bull! I drove over to check on Hudson and was shocked to fi nd him tied up with no shelter and sitting on the frigid ground without food, water or shade. Chewed particle board was strewn around him. Had he tried to eat it? Hudson is old, and he was cold! A short haired design- er dog is NOT an outdoor dog, and he was fi lthy. I couldn’t get him out of there fast enough. That morning, fostering a dog was not on my ‘To Do’ list! Especially since I have a senior kitty, King Arthur, who’s been our castle’s ruler for years. (I have met the ‘real’ Prince Charles and as nice as he is, I instead knighted my cat King Arthur.) The ‘King’ welcomed the dog to his ‘royal court’ amid hushed hisses. I could barely keep Hudson’s water dish full! The poor dog drank and drank, worried that it was going to be his last. Starva- tion is a terrifying reminder.” Lynne’s dog and her aristo-cat are learning to co-exist. “Hudson has such a sad ex- pression,” said Lynne, “if I for- get and pay attention to Arthur and not him. The fi rst day, as Hudson mournfully watched me pet the cat, he responded by uri- nating on the carpet. Luckily I TIPS Courtesy photo Lynne did not set out to adopt a dog and you can bet that it was the furthest thing from her cat, King Arthur’s, mind too! But ‘Voila’, Hudson, the lowly court jester, ar- rived in time for a royal cat nap! fi gured out what was going on so now I must simultaneously brush and pet both. Neither like their ears cleaned, so if I am do- ing one, that is the only time that it is OK not to ‘share’.” Her pets are slowly becoming familiar with each other, eating together on the fl oor a “safe” distance apart. When Hudson sleeps in Ar- thur’s fl oor beds, Arthur takes the high road and elevates him- self above the lowly dog on a lofty purr-ch, the Fur-niture! Arthur has never had the purr- ivelage of observing a dog close up, so he cautiously approaches Hudson for a safe-sniff when the dog is asleep - snoring. Arthur is totally purr-plexed as to Hudson’s ignoble behav- ior of chasing and returning a tossed ball. Arthur knows that a regal cat’s job is to look at the ball and a dog’s is to retrieve it. Hiss-torically, when Arthur wants something he puts his paw on Lynne’s leg. But now he’s taught Hudson this success- ful behavior! “I secretly think that Arthur wishes the dog would leave,” confesses Lynne, “yet he’s a bit protective of him. Arthur speaks in soft hisses while ca- sually stretching and giving a warning air swipe with his paw, yet he never touches Hudson. Yet, things are nicely pro- gressing with the inter-species friendship. The other day, both the cat and dog accompanied me to our apartment’s elevator. It was adorable. Today, when I arrived home both the dog and cat were lined up at the door to greet me. Ar- thur was behind Hudson, only because Hudson needs space for his ‘happy dog’ dance to the music of his jingling dog tags. While I am at work, the ani- mals are entertainment and company for each other, like a living-furry TV. Hudson’s addicted to me and howls when I leave. Arthur con- siders this rude behavior, espe- cially when it disturbs the King of Naps. But Hudson has never been alone nor lived with an- other pet. I don’t think his elderly pet parent walked him very often, which explains his weight gain. When we go walking, he has a blast! To say Hudson is happy is an understatement!” Lynne is not sure if she’ll be “I tried introducing the ani- mals by separating them,” said Lynne. “However, Hudson fi g- ured out how to open the kitchen door, and then he knocked down the pet gate because he wanted to be with us. Since neither animal is aggressive, I let nature take its course. I gave both pets the Bach Flower remedies, Rescue Rem- edy and Walnut to help them through this transition - it seems to have helped. I placed the cat’s food/wa- ter up high and gave the dog a food place that had never been a cat eating station. That helped, but Hudson has designated The King’s fl oor placemat to be his sleeping mat. Their blending moved faster by royally ‘up- ping’ the treats when they are together! They have learned that their ‘new friend’ comes with rewards!” Submit Pet Tips, Tales, Pho- tos, Adventures and Travels angelscribe@msn.com Follow Pet Tips and Tales on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/ PetTipsandTales Pet Adoptions www.PetFinder.com Contact the Humane Society for Neuter/Spay Assistance Pro- gram. (541) 942-2789 A garden is like a box of bonbons to deer, and ho- meowners fi ll it with the candy they love most. “Deer are looking for the highest quality food and our yards often offer the best smor- gasbord,” said Dana Sanchez, a wildlife specialist for Oregon State University Extension Ser- vice. “When taking loving care of our plants – watering well and fertilizing – we’re produc- ing a really superior plant com- pared to what’s in the natural environment. They are more tender and have more nutrition and water content.” In the wild, deer and na- tive plants evolved together, so plants developed defenses like waxy leaves or prickles that make them more adapted to sur- viving grazing. Even when they do get nibbled, natives are more likely to survive than the succu- lent plants in our gardens. “We’re often selecting plants from other parts of the world that didn’t get to learn through evolution about the herbivores in our ecosystem,” Sanchez said. “They’re ‘naïve.’ Even ros- es that have prickles don’t have them around the beautiful blos- soms, which the deer just snap off. They easily take what they want.” Choosing native plants – or other plants less attractive to their palate – helps deter deer. Get ideas from an Extension publication of deer-resistant plants. The list was developed for central Oregon, but the plants can be grown in other parts of the state as well. Check the har- diness zones to be sure they’ll grow in your area or check with your local master gardeners, who will also be able to steer you to plants that gardeners in your location have found suc- cessful. Deer explore our yards for more than just plants. They’re delighted with supplemental food provided deliberately by humans who believe they’re being kind; a practice Sanchez strongly discourages. Feeding deer gives them more motiva- tion to wander into suburban, sometimes even urban, yards. The feeling of safety once they arrive makes them want to stay. The large carnivores that prey on them aren’t around and humans aren’t hunting them. Deer even become desensitized to dogs unless there’s a close confrontation, which usually ends poorly for the dog, San- chez said. “Places where humans live are a great place for deer to hang out, which makes it diffi cult to keep them away,” she added. But it’s an important effort to make. As more deer con- gregate, there’s potential for parasites and disease to spread among themselves and possi- bly to humans. For instance, in some Midwest and East Coast states, deer carrying the ticks that pass on Lyme disease pose a signifi cant health issue. Plus, the large carnivores they’re try- ing to escape may follow them into neighborhoods, setting up a dangerous situation. “We don’t want large plant eaters or the meat eaters that prey on them hanging around,” Sanchez said. “Keeping wildlife in the wild is best for humans and the animals.” But thwarting the high-jump- ing animals takes quite an ef- fort. Eventually, many hom- eowners plagued by deer resort to fences, whether an enclosure around a prized rosebush or an 8- to 10-foot barrier around the entire yard. However, deer fencing, made of a robust mesh material, is an expensive initial investment. Another option is a single strand of electrical wire extended from a regular fence. Some people use motion-con- trolled scarecrow sprinklers, which blast water when acti- vated. “That’s more of a shock-and- awe deterrent,” Sanchez said. “It Please see DEER, Page 11A Cottage Theatre presents 2016 A sensational showcase of dancers, hopes, and dreams Th e Bohemia Mining Days Festival has evolved from an all-volunteer planning committee in 1959 into a four-day, jam-packed summer event that draws thousands of participants, performers and vendors and is eagerly anticipated by young and old. Sadly, the world is much diff erent now than it was 50+ years ago. BMD is still run by a handful of dedicated volunteers who, today, face greater challenges in producing Cottage Grove’s largest summer festival. All nonprofi t organizations must face the reality that volunteerism is down, the economy uncertain, disposable income is less, grants are very competitive and restrictive, government regulation is greater and lawsuits are common. Th erefore, to produce a high quality community celebration these days requires year-round planning and monthly administrative expenses for offi ce and storage rent, phone, website, offi ce equipment, a part-time festival coordinator, insurance, membership dues in organizations that help us promote the festival year-round, advertising & printing, post offi ce box, taxes, professional services, etc. October 7 – 30 Conceived, Originally Directed & Choreographed by Michael Bennett Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Edward Kleban We are proud to be recognized as one of Oregon’s Heritage Traditions. Our Board remains committed to growing the cultural heritage aspect of the festival and providing an economic boost to our local businesses and entrepreneurs in a fun, safe environment. We are busily planning BMD 2017 and look forward to seeing you next year, July 13-16. Directed and Choreographed by Lanny Mitchell, Music Direction by Mark VanBeever Parental discretion advised; contains some mature content. Sponsored by: Tickets available online, by phone, or at the door one hour before performance Thursday−Saturday 8:00 pm; Sunday 2:30 pm. $25 Adult, $20 Youth (age 6−18) www.cottagetheatre.org • 541-942-8001 • 700 Village Drive • Cottage Grove We appreciate ALL of our sponsors for without them BMD would cease to exist. Th e Bohemia Mining Days Board of Directors is grateful to the following individuals and businesses for their support of our year-round expenses. Please join us in thanking and supporting all BMD sponsors whenever possible. If you would like to be added to the list below please contact Festival Coordinator Cindy Weeldreyer at 541-942-5064.
