FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Harney County Hoarding Dogs Leaving White Christmas Behind
Multiple rescue groups convene to bring 20 of the dogs to warmth and safety.
December 22, 2009–Salem, OR–At least 20 dogs and puppies from the Princeton, OR hoarding case will be able to avoid a white Christmas this year – instead of burrowing under discarded lumber piles and huddling in empty 55-gallon drums to avoid the below zero temperatures and snow, the dogs will be in warm kennels, well fed and out of the elements while awaiting their forever homes.
Harney County Save a Stray will arrive with a U-Haul trailer-load of puppies and dogs taken from the owners’ property. The caravan will meet representatives from Greenhill Humane Society in Eugene, Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis, Willamette Humane Society in Salem, and Pet Adoption Network, a Philomath-based rescue group.
Each organization has committed to taking several dogs, each of which will receive medical exams and treatment and be temperament tested before being put up for adoption. The puppies will be going into a foster home with Pet Adoption Network where they will be socialized, receive veterinarian exams, and be temperament tested for a couple of weeks before being put up for adoption.
About 70 dogs were picked up by the Oregon Humane Society and taken to their Portland facility on December 9. Since then Harney County Save a Stray has been scrambling to find placement for the estimated 60 dogs and puppies that remained on the property.
Melanie Epping, Save a Stray Founder, has been begging for places for the remaining dogs to go. “Some are living in pens, walking on the beef carcasses that they were fed and on their own waste,” said Epping. “Last week it was 15 degrees below zero and there were dogs chained outside with only a 55-gallon drum for shelter. Our biggest challenge now is to capture the remaining dogs running loose and getting them transported. Any dogs we don’t catch and place soon will be killed – most likely by shooting them.”
Epping said the Burns Safeway manager, Merle Reid had six pallets of dog food brought in and donated to help feed the dogs.
One group of puppies will go into Cooper’s Boarding Kennel in Amity, OR where kennel owner Joan Cooper will help them get used to humans and also work on house training and general socialization. Cooper became aware of the dogs’ plight while talking with a PAN volunteer and decided that she could be of some help.
Epping said Save a Stray is looking for volunteers to help capture, transport, foster, socialize, and adopt a dog. At this point, time is running out for the dogs not already placed, and any help is welcomed. Contact Melanie Epping at 541-589-1104 or visit the website: www.harneycountysaveastray.com
Donations of food, supplies or money can be made to the individual shelters taking the dogs, or financial donations to the Save a Stray account at US Bank or mailed to HCSAS; PO Box 403; Burns, OR 97720
Salem Transfer Event Specifics:
When: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Where: Lowe’s parking lot, 1930 Turner Road Southeast, Salem, OR http://www.lowes.com
Contact: Linda Watkins (Pet Adoption Network) cell: 208-484-2534
