We Need More SAFE & TRUSTWORTHY Animal related Services.

Sept 22, 2023: Episode 131

True: Bend Residents Love Animals. Also True: We Need More Safe & Trustworthy Animal Related Services.

There are many things that our animal loving community would benefit from. More dog daycare options, more dependable groomers, an improved plan for lost pets, assistance with obtaining & training service dogs, an indoor dog park where weather isn't a factor, et cetera.

1. Our lost pet situation is out of control. Without fail, every single day there are postings of lost dogs & cats.

Bend doesn't have a separate Animal Control agency. Rather, animal control is yet another responsibility of the police department. Keith & I were both surprised to hear this from the Humane Society & Police Department. Keith responded that he had resided in a smaller city, with fewer animals, that had an animal control agency.

When my daughter & I found stray or lost dogs, the police told us that there aren't any CSO's working on the weekends, that the Humane Society was closed until Monday, & that we could house the dogs or release them back onto the streets. Of course, we kept the pups safe. Yet, we have a small home without a backyard or garage. We need to keep any unknown animals separate from our pets to minimize the transfer of illness or communicable disease, so that they don't fight, etc. Lucky for all parties, the pups we found were small. We would've needed another option for a Great Dane. Our community needs a safe haven which is open on weekends & after 5pm for these animals to go to. This haven needs to have trained staff present 24/7.

Animal control is one of the numerous responsibilities that fall upon our police department. According to the City of Bend's Communication Manager, there are a total of 10 Community Service Officers who respond to calls regarding animal control, motor vehicle accidents & more.

Here's an excerpt from a Sept 1, 2023 Nextdoor posting by City Of Bend Communications Manager Sheila Miller. This post is regarding parking complaints. I'm showing here the number of calls that these 10 CSO's are responsible for triaging, responding to, etc. Of course, it's heartbreaking if your pet gets lost. Your lost pet may be waiting to be searched for, after the motor vehicle accidents of the day.

"The Bend Police Department has 10 Community Service Officers who take a huge number of calls for service that are not specifically related to crimes or law enforcement. They are responsible for a variety of calls, including motor vehicle accidents, animal complaints, parking issues, and lost and found property. Our CSOs prioritize those calls based on public safety. If a call indicates a parked car is a hazard, is blocking traffic or is otherwise creating a public safety issue, they are handled as quickly as possible. Simple parking or abandoned vehicle complaints are coded as a lower priority and will be handled when a CSO is available – which could take hours or days, depending on our call load. For context, Bend Police receive an average of more than 230 calls for service each day."

2. The needs for dog daycare are high. Hospital workers have admitted to leaving their dogs in their vehicles during their 12 hour shifts, as they can't leave their dogs at home & all the daycare spots are taken. I'm not sharing this information so that people can be judged, but to demonstrate the intensity of the need. There are local daycares with dozens of dog owners on their waitlists.

3. Our own senior pup was hurt by a local groomer. We weren't notified at pickup. My husband tipped the groomer heavily. Then upon arrival home, I discovered four injuries. This isn't acceptable. Upon calling the owner, I was told that they have so many dogs every day, that they cut the dogs on a regular basis, use Quikclot to stop the bleeding, & move on. They never notify the customers, who regularly call them in anger. All of this dialogue has been retracted by the business owner, of course. We need trustworthy people to groom our pets.

I've considered opening up a grooming school. Keith could compose the curriculum & train the students. He spent 12 years as General Manager to 2 Southern California grooming salons. He also groomed cats & dogs during that 12 year period. The school would be modeled like the beauty schools, where students are overseen by mentors, prices are reduced for the members of the public who patronize the school, seniors & veterans always receive discounts, etc. We have a demand & need for skilled groomers. If we could infuse skilled, trustworthy groomers into our community, we'd all benefit.

Conclusion: Keith & I opened a nonprofit organization earlier this year. We have ideas that we'll transform into reality. However, we are only two people who are busy. We run a household, a small business, care for disabled people (as 5/6 of our family members are disabled), attend a multitude of medical appointments, etc. We are capable of improving our community. Yet, this will all take effect at a faster pace with more energy, time, capital, etc. Should you want to join us on our mission, please contact me at 541-4CANINE, or 4wigglyk9@gmail.com.

Nakala Matthews