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.
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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.