Pearl, a female believed to be pregnant, is afraid of people. She is among the dogs rescued Wednesday from a Harney County property where more than 100 dogs were suffering neglect.
Marcus Larson
News-Register

Patricia Tawney, daughter of kennel owner Joan Cooper, cuddled four rescued puppies who were frightened by their new surroundings. At just four weeks old, the puppies have seen little of people.
Marcus Larson
News-Register

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Five puppies newly arrived at Coopers’ Boarding Kennel in Amity have known people only for a few hours, but already they’re figuring out that these initially frightening creatures have gentle hands, loving voices, food and warmth.

For two adult dogs, the transition will be harder.

All seven animals were rescued Wednesday from a rural Harney County property in eastern Oregon.

Earlier this month, the Oregon Humane Society rescued more than 70 dogs, but some 60 or more remained on the property, where they were receiving food, but little or no care. Most had little shelter from the bitter winter weather.

Harney County lacks the resources to take the animals in and care for them.
Deputies were called to the property about 20 miles east of Burns by county social workers who were investigating an unrelated complaint.

Three people are facing animal neglect charges: Anita Anderson, 55; Ronald Anderson, 43; and Kathlean Fuchs-Goyogana, 34. Both the Andersons and Fuchs-Goyogana live in mobile homes on the property, the sheriff said.

The Andersons are under a release agreement to help round up the dogs and feed them properly, Harney County Sheriff Dave Glerup said. Some of the dogs were living underground in holes covered with planks, while others were chained to farm equipment with little or no shelter, officials said.

On Wednesday, Melanie Epping of the rescue group Harney County Save a Stray, who has been trying to find shelters for the remaining animals, drove a U-haul trailer to the property where she succeeded in capturing 23 dogs, including six puppies.
She loaded them into crates in the trailer and drove to Salem, to distribute them among several shelters that had agreed to help.

Another 40 animals remain on the property, and Epping is continuing to search for places able to take them in. She found a woman in Longview, Wash., to foster a few dogs and said the Meridian Valley Humane Society from Meridian, Idaho will take some more dogs on Saturday.

The 20 rescued dogs were divided among Joan Cooper, owner of Coopers’ Boarding Kennel, and 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.

Wednesday evening after arriving home from Salem, Cooper’s adult daughter, Patricia Tawney, sat on the floor of one of the runs holding a lapful of puppies, all of them shaking in fear of the strange new surroundings, and the barking of boarding dogs in the adjacent runs.

At just 4 weeks old, the puppies are new to the world as well as to people. As they gradually calmed down, they began climbing down to lap from shallow pans of food, explore their surroundings, and find places to relieve themselves.

Tawney’s daughter, Elizabeth, cuddled a frightened 2-month-old puppy that was also from the rescue group.

Cooper is working with Linda Watkins of the Pet Adoption Network, and agreed to take in some of the animals, provide them with medical care and socialize them in preparation for adoption.

“I’ve worked with Linda Watkins before and taken care of some of her rescue dogs,” Cooper said. “We try to help when we can. It’s really hard to find foster homes for them, and the right adoptive homes.”

The puppies won’t be ready to leave her facility for another two weeks, she said, but prospective owners are welcome to visit and help get them used to humans.

“The sooner we can get adoptive families to help socialize and adopt them, the more dogs we can rescue,” Tawney said.
They also hope to adopt out the two adult animals, whom they have named Pearl and Cooper, the latter in honor of Cooper’s late husband.

That, however, may be a longer-term process. Both are frightened of people. Pearl appears to be pregnant, and Cooper has a badly injured paw that healed poorly.

“My husband just passed away last week,” Cooper said. “He was a very tough, loving man. ... I thought, this dog has to have a tough, loving name, he’s got a long way to go.”

Watkins said that any help people can provide will be welcome.

“Mostly what works out really well are donations of gift cards to places like Wilco, BiMart, Petco — places that sell pet supplies ... gift certificates to something like Valley Feed,” she said. “What we’re going to need is mostly dog food, training treats, toys. Cash donations, too. All the dogs have to be spayed, neutered, we have to give them all their shots, worming, all of that kind of stuff.”

To offer donations, go to the Pet Adoption Network website www.pan.petfinder.org. For information about adopting or helping with the Amity animals, call Coopers’ Boarding Kennel at 503-835-3647.

In addition, Watkins said, Epping is looking for volunteers to help capture, transport, foster, socialize, and adopt a dog.
Animals that cannot be captured and placed may be shot by county authorities, she said. Call 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.

Financial donations also may be sent to the Save a Stray account at US Bank or mailed to HCSAS; PO Box 403; Burns, OR 97720.