Suppose you adopted a small child that had been in foster care in Washington County. Also suppose that the child had been abused and had both physical and psychological injuries that had never healed. To make matters worse, your child had been so neglected that he didn’t trust other humans at all and tried to run away every time he saw an opportunity. What if he did succeed at running and became lost, and there was no one to help? And what if the area where he was last seen was not only expansive with acres of undeveloped land but also fraught with the dangers of a busy highway and scary critters like coyotes and snakes?
I’m sure that, like most of us, you would be scared, frantic, and outraged. You would probably call every agency you could think of and demand action. What if everyone you talked with expressed regret but just didn’t have the resources to help? You would gather your friends and acquaintances and organize search parties. You would post information on social media and plaster the area with flyers and pictures in hopes of finding someone to help. If you didn’t do these things, you would be an irresponsible parent and probably be under constant scrutiny.
If your child was not found, or worse, perished; you would be heartbroken and question your actions for the rest of your life, wondering if you could have done something differently for a happier result. Such an epic tragedy would leave a hole in your heart and lasting scars. It would also leave you angry that you, your friends, and people you don’t even know worked so hard to try and find your child but there were no additional resources to help.
Now substitute the word “child” for “dog.” Change the “he” to “she” and you have the story of Maggie. You can blame Marianne Mansfield for the word swap. I may have borrowed the idea from her. However, I can think of no better way to illustrate my point.
My friends Robyn and Gary adopted Maggie from a foster rescue group. She obviously had a rough life. Her jaw had been broken and never healed properly. She was skittish and harbored a deep-rooted mistrust of humans. Robyn and Gary loved her anyway. They were exemplary pet parents. They didn’t care that she wasn’t a purebred; they walked her daily, scheduled play dates with other dogs, and made their home hers. Unfortunately, Maggie was not able to overcome her trust issues and bolted at the first opportunity. The search was on. Because we have no Washington County Shelter, it was up to us to find her. We posted on Facebook, left fliers everywhere, and called one another. We got in our cars and on our bikes and walked in the rain. Several of us spotted her, but no one could catch her. Robyn and Gary set up a live trap at their house along with a security camera that they monitored around the clock. After three weeks, Maggie returned, thinner and tired but otherwise unscathed — or so we thought.
Robyn sacrificed her Christmas present in lieu of a fence for their hilly backyard. Unfortunately, just days before the fence was completed, Maggie went rogue again. Manpower, feeding stations, traps, and cameras were again implemented. Curious woodland creatures, including a ring-tailed cat and a fox, made their way into the trap and were released. Skunks and raccoons were contained, but unfortunately Maggie was now trap-savvy and refused to be caught. There were many sightings, but she was faster than we were. This time, the outcome wasn’t good. After about three months on the lam, Maggie was finally hit by a car and killed. Even her red harness with I.D. couldn’t save her this time. Her death affected our entire community.
Maggie is one reason we need the Washington County Animal Shelter. There are many more reasons. The Washington County Animal Shelter would provide a safe haven for lost, abandoned, and abused companion animals. Many inmates will have the opportunity to experience unconditional love for the first time. Training an animal takes time, and inmates have plenty of it. They are also responsible for the welfare of a living being and are rewarded for their efforts by developing a mutual trust. It’s a win-win for all. Many cities nationwide have adopted similar models with huge successes. I can’t help but wonder if Maggie could have been saved had we had such a program.
Washington County Commissioners Victor Iverson and Zachary Renstrom, and Washington County Sheriff Cory Pulsipher all support building the Washington County Animal Shelter. So does Josh Warburton, who is running for County Commissioner. Josh is a great guy, and I’m not just saying that because he is the publisher of The Independent. He really cares about animals, people, and Washington County, seriously! I never met a Josh whom I didn’t like. Numerous animal advocates support the proposed Washington County Animal Shelter, too.
But, as always, there is one deterrent to achieving our goal. Yep, you guessed it. Money. So let the harassment begin! For some family-style fun, join us at SunRiver June 4 for the Pet Festival and Bark Blitz. There will be fun activities and demos, and if you are willing to donate a small (or large) sum, we promise not to stalk you until you take home a puppy. Just saying.
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