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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2021)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | JULY 22, 2021 | 3A Betty Kaiser: Chatterbox Dealing with Deer Betty Kaiser You would think that after many years of flow- er bed and vegetable gar- den destruction by deer, my husband and I would be used to it. We are not. However, this year we softened a little when a mama deer brought her two tiny twin fawns to the property. So there were now three parttime resi- dents. I was a city girl when we moved here and I thought that the deer would only be interested in eating meadow grass. Wrong! We quickly became aware that anything that we planted was fair game. Summer after summer, night after night, plants were wiped out complete- ly. In 2001, I even posted some chomping rules in the newspaper. I know that deer can’t read but it made me feel better. It went like this: “Now, Dancer and Prancer, we are reasonable landlords. We are willing to share five of our six- acre meadow with you. The catch being that we maintain complete con- trol over the one-acre that includes all of our flower and vegetable beds. The roses and all other edibles are mine! Got it? If, my ‘deer’ friends, you don’t agree, it’s time for you to move on. You need to dance and prance off to the nearby parks where the campers will appreci- ate you. Blackberry season is right around the corner so you won’t go hungry. And don’t forget to visit our neighbors. Some of them are very generous and probably still serv- ing USDA approved deer food. Despite our persistence, nothing worked to deter their destructive rounds. Not blood meal, deodor- ant soap, hair clippings, bright lights, clanging bells or barking dogs worked. They would even walk up our deck to de- vour hanging plants. Each flower bed massacre really ticked us off ! Our dogs barking in the middle of night were of no help. The electric fence didn’t always work, auto- matic lights made eating easier and they seemed to like the sprinkler sys- tem. “Deer Away” was our best bet but putting it out nightly was a nuisance. So, I proposed a truce. “We do have other of- ferings, you know. How about this: I’ll smell the roses while you munch the meadow. Deal or no deal? It’s your choice. (Signed) Your rosy land- lords.” There was no an- swer. This year, when the young Mama Deer with tiny spotted twins, start- ed visiting us, they didn’t eat the roses! Instead, they would have breakfast next door and then jump the fence to our “deer forest.” Mom would leave her ba- bies here while she went looking for food and then return to pick them up and all would disappear for the night. It was a fine arrange- ment. Normally, healthy fawns are left alone during the day by their mothers while she forages for food. Mom will stay away from them during daylight hours to avoid leading predators to her young. She will return and always gather her babies togeth- er unless she senses some kind of danger. Last week, however, for several days in a row, one baby deer disappeared. And there were only 2 of them. We were terrified. After all, there are cou- gars and bears up the hill! Finally, last Sunday, the three of them surprised us in the middle of the day by tearing through the property and jumped the fence to safety elsewhere. What a relief ! They are all together again. It was a safe, mom leadership ar- rangement and they didn’t eat the roses! They must know how to read after all! Now I may now have to eat my words and let them have a few flowers to nibble on. Contact Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox at 942-1317 or email bchatty@bettykaiser.com Free rides offered between Eugene and Roseburg Umpqua Public Trans- portation District (UPTD) has started a new bus route called the Lane-Douglas Connector (LDC). This new service offers safe, reliable, accessible transportation to veterans and the general public in rural communities for bet- ter access to healthcare ser- vices and shopping oppor- tunities. Lane-Douglas Connector operates from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays with scheduled stops at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Roseburg, Ray’s Food in Drain, Walmart and PeaceHealth Medical Center in Cottage Grove, and the Veterans Affairs Clinic in Eugene (LTD bus stop nearby). The stop in Drain serves as a connection point for passengers of the North Douglas Betterment shuttle. The route is operated by South Lane Wheels as a pi- lot project funded by the Rural Veterans Healthcare Transportation grant. For service information and timetable go to: www. southlanetransit.com, or to schedule a ride, call UPTD dispatch toll-free at 888- 232-8121. London Road becomes ‘Safety Corridor’ The “Safety Corridor” designation on London Road became effective on July 4. Both “Safety Corridor” and “Fees Double” signage have been installed. Public education postcards have been mailed to the entire Cottage Grove ZIP code inviting people to complete an on-line survey to help develop a DUII prevention tool kit. For more information, contact Lane County Senior Transportation Planner Becky Taylor by emailing becky.taylor@lanecountyor. gov or by calling 541-682- 6932. Visit the project website at www.lanecountyor.gov/ LRSC. Follow these tips to keep your pet protected in soaring summer temperatures. NEVER Leave Your Pet in the Car Even with the windows open, your pet can suffer from fatal heatstroke within minutes if left in the car. On a 75-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can climb to 100 degrees in just 10 minutes. When it’s 90 degrees outside, the interior of a vehicle can quickly heat up to 160 degrees. Starfi re Lumber Company www.starfi relumber.com The Bookmine 702 E Main Cottage Grove 541-942-7414 Protect your pup’s paws by keeping walks to a minimum during the hottest hours of the day. Hot pavement can burn the sensitive pads of pet paws, and proximity to the hot ground will cause your pet’s body to heat up quickly. Pinocchio’s Pizza 795 E Main St Cottage Grove 541-942-5531 Brads Cottage Grove Chevrolet 2775 Row River Rd Cottage Grove 541-942-4415 Some Pets Need Sunscreen Keep Pets Cool & Hydrated Make sure pets have access to plenty of drinking water, and avoid exercising your pet during the hottest times of the day. Keep pets inside during periods of extreme heat, and make sure they have access to shade when outdoors. Hoyer Accounting 516 E Whiteaker Ave Cottage Grove 541-942-8241 Avoid Hot Sidewalks & Pavement Adventure! Children’s Museum 490 Valley River Center Eugene 541 653-9629 Pets with fi ne hair and pink skin can suffer from sunburn, and should be protected with a sunscreen product formulated for animals. Talk to your vet about which type of sunscreen is best for your pet. Keep in mind that shaving your dog leaves them susceptible to sunburn and overheating, and should be avoided. Hitch Pro & Tow 4701 W 11th Ave Eugene 541-434-2403 Cottage Grove Police Department 400 E Main Street Cottage Grove 541-942-9145 Fireworks Frighten Pets Protect Pets Around Pools Booming fi reworks scare many pets. Never use fi reworks around pets, and keep them sheltered in a quiet, escape-proof area of your home during fi rework display times. Many dogs can’t swim, and should always be supervised when in the water or around pools. Put a pet life preserver on your pet whenever boating, and be sure to rinse his or her coat of chlorine or salt after swimming! Fort Rock Construction 33100 Whetham Way Cottage Grove 541-767-1611 Old Mill Farm Store 327 S River Road Cottage Grove 541-942-3042 South Willamette Veterinary Clinic 255 Emerald Pkwy Creswell 541 895-5665 Companion Animal Clinic 5620 Main Street Springfi eld 541-747-2307 Keep Away Edible Hazards Know the Signs of Heat Exhaustion Keep alcoholic beverages away from pets at summer cookouts, and be mindful of toxic lawn and garden insecticides that may be harmful to dogs and cats if ingested. If you suspect your pet has eaten a poisonous substance, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888.426.4435 immediately. Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy panting, vomiting, diarrhea, unsteady legs, bright red or blue gums and tongue, and excessive drooling. If your dog shows these symptoms, move to a cool spot and place cool, wet cloths on his or her neck, in armpits and between hind legs. Give your dog access to cool water, and gently wet ears and paw pads. Placing heat-distressed pets in ice water can lead to shock and should be avoided. Overheated dogs should be brought to a vet as soon as possible. Goldworks Jewelry 169 E. Broadway Eugene 541-343-2298 Rogers & Son 1324 East Main St Cottage Grove 541-942-0500 Cottage Grove Sentinel 1498 E. Main Street, STE 104 Cottage Grove 541-942-3325
