A8
Wildfires
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Pet and livestock supplies
donated Ior ¿ re victiPs
Everything from food to food bowls is available at the pavilion
By Nancy McCarthy
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Eagle/Sean Ellis
Those who brought donations from Sandy
on Saturday to the Grant County Fairgrounds
talk to firefighters who are camping out at the
fairgrounds. The donations were a surprise for
the firefighters.
SANDY
Continued from Page A1
The Sandy Fire Depart-
ment, which has firefight-
ers fighting the Canyon
Creek Complex fire, do-
nated $500 and escorted
the convoy to the county
line in the department’s fire
trucks.
Botts estimated the value
of all the donations at about
$15,000.
Weems said ¿ re¿ ghters
were À oored by the dona-
tions.
“This is actually a little
overwhelming; it’s fantas-
tic,” she said. “They drove
all the way from Sandy, and
it took them ¿ ve hours to get
here and they said they just
wanted to help the commu-
nity.”
Donations have poured in
from many groups and plac-
es, and it means a lot to the
¿ re¿ ghters both in practical
terms and on an emotional
level, Weems said.
“When there’s such an
outpouring of caring and
giving, it makes a big dif-
ference to them,” she said.
“I think it helps boost the
¿ re¿ ghters’ morale.”
JOHN DAY — Pets that
have been affected by the
Canyon Creek Complex ¿ re
aren’t being forgotten.
An estimated $35,000 in
monetary donations and pet
supplies have been given to
New Hope for Eastern Ore-
gon Animals, a local animal
rescue organization.
“It’s incredible and re-
markable how much has been
donated,” said Lisa Weigum,
chairwoman of the Grant
County chapter.
Weigum and the organi-
zation’s board members and
volunteers are stationed at
the Grant County Fairgrounds
Pavilion to help distribute the
goods to those who have lost
their homes or who have been
displaced or otherwise were
affected by the ¿ re.
At least 124 animals are
listed as needing assistance,
but, Weigum said, “We think
it’s considerably higher.”
In addition to dogs and
cats, there are horses, cows,
chickens and other animals
that need help.
Contributed photo
Elaine Mezzo, above, board member for New Hope for Eastern Oregon Animals,
was instrumental in obtaining donations to help local pets and livestock
affected by the Canyon Creek Complex fire. “We wouldn’t have been able to do
this without her commitment to ensuring every displaced animal receives care,”
said Lisa Weigum, chairwoman of the organization’s Grant County chapter.
Donations are coming
from throughout Oregon and
Washington from individ-
uals and companies. Big R
and Pioneer Feed and Farm
Supply are among the local
businesses that have provided
livestock supplies; Petco gave
a $5,000 grant and PetSmart,
$2,000.
“People in the animal wel-
fare community are very giv-
ing,” Weigum said.
In addition to money and
food, collars, toys, treats, pet
the ¿ re-affected residents are
welcome, she said. The group
also will deliver items.
Supplies will be provided
as long as they’re needed.
“If there’s anything we can
do to alleviate stress, we want
to,” Weigum said. “At a time
like this, people get comfort
from their companion ani-
mals.”
Those who want to donate
supplies should visit the pavil-
ion to ¿ nd out what is needed
¿ rst, Weigum said.
‘Dozer,’ the
kitten, becomes
¿ re¿ ghters’ mascot
Hermiston
firefighter
Harry Moffitt
holds a
small gray
kitten he
found
Saturday
hiding in the
engine bay
of a dozer.
The kitten
has become
an unofficial
mascot at
the Canyon
Creek
Complex fire
base camp
in John Day.
By Sean Ellis
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed photo
by Traci Weaver
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carriers, beds and pet bowls
also were donated.
“We could open a pet shop
without the pets,” she said.
Weigum and her crew ask
those who come to the pavil-
ion for personal supplies if
they need anything for their
animals.
“We’ve been in touch with
most of the folks,” Weigum
said, but, she added, some
people are reluctant to ask
for help. “Advocates,” who
want to speak on behalf of
JOHN DAY — The Can-
yon Creek Complex ¿ re base
camp in John Day now has a
mascot.
A small gray kitten that was
discovered hiding in the en-
gine bay of a dozer truck trans-
port Saturday is capturing the
hearts of ¿ re¿ ghters.
“Everybody loves her,”
said ¿ re public information
of¿ cer Traci Weaver, who has
unof¿ cially adopted the kitten.
The kitten, which appears
to be about 4 months old, was
found by ¿ re¿ ghter Harry
Mof¿ tt of Hermiston as he and
other ¿ re¿ ghters were report-
ing to duty at a drop point on
Marysville Road south of John
Day where they left their dozer
and transport truck overnight.
“The dozer was parked
there and she just climbed up
in it,” Weaver said. “It was
probably trying to get warm or
hiding.”
The ¿ re¿ ghters fed the cat
part of their lunch and let her
curl up in their truck to sleep.
They later called base
camp, and that’s when Weaver
got involved.
She said naming the cat
was easy.
Because the kitten was
found in a dozer transport,
µDozer’ was the ¿ rst name that
came to mind,” she said.
The kitten has a hurt right
leg and was checked out by a
local veterinarian. She’s be-
ing doted on by ¿ re¿ ghters at
base camp and hangs out at the
work tent that houses public
information of¿ cers.
Weaver, who is from west-
ern Wyoming, said her daugh-
ter, whose 7-year-old cat re-
cently disappeared, is excited
about the prospects of caring
for Dozer.
“She’s seen pictures of
Dozer, and she’s pretty ex-
cited but now she’s worried
that with all the attention
Dozer’s getting, maybe
the owners will show up,”
Weaver said.
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