Indigo Rescue

Join us March 23 for Indigo Unplugged
New "Indigo Anti-Abandonment Campaign" works with Property Managers.
Mookie, the Dane mix, rescued at last.
New Spay/Neuter Program
Cable Show Addresses Animal Causes

Join us March 23rd for Indigo Unplugged

Join us for Indigo Unplugged. It's a cocktail party featuring live acoustic folk/blues music from our own Heather Hines and her musical friends Ken Ewing and Ray Beran. Come join us for delectable edibles, divine drinks, and the ever valued opportunity to shmooz with like-minds.

Read about the event here.

New efforts to deter animal abandonment

Indigo Rescue & Adoption has launched a new effort called the "Indigo Anti-Abandonment Campaign" In April of 2001, we sent 480 copies of a letter out to every property management company and apartment complex manager in Washington County. In the letter we sympathized with the management of rental properties who have an epidemic problem with irresponsible tenants who move out and leave their cats behind. Usually un-spayed or neutered, these cats continue to have more litters of homeless cats on the property. The cats struggle to survive, and the only option for the management is hiring an agency to come out and trap the cats, which is costly to them and fatal to the cats.

Of course we feel that the core reason people abandon their pets is because they have never formed a bond with their pet. If they did, how could they just leave it behind to fend for itself? Another reason we believe people so frequently abandon their pets is because they are not aware that it is illegal. In our letter we asked that the management companies include a paragraph in their rental agreements, which clearly states that the tenant understands that animal abandonment is illegal in the state of Oregon, and what the penalties are for conviction of this crime. This would be a signed document.

Currently even if someone knew of an abandoned animal, it is difficult to prove this crime without being able to identify the owner of an abandoned cat. We suggested that rental properties require that all tenants show verification that their pets have had a microchip implant so that they can be easily identified if lost or abandoned. This would also increase the likelihood of successfully prosecuting a case of animal abandonment.

We included with the letter, a brightly colored poster which can be hung in offices, club houses and laundry rooms, stating the law and offering low cost spay/neuter information.

There are copies of the letter and poster available on our Web site, and the poster is available in Spanish as well. Also, we have provided legal language for the property management companies to include in their rental agreements. See our page on Abandonment for more info.

How can I help?

This program has a lot of potential, yet with every idea that requires change, it takes strong support to make it happen. If you live in a rental property, please ask your managers to participate in this program. Explain to them that trapping and removing the cats is not a solution to the problem because more will be left behind soon enough. Provide reminder copies of the letter and poster, and continue to follow up with them until they have changed their rental agreements. We are happy to provide any additional information necessary. Contact us at info@indigo-online.org

Also in the works:

We are attempting to get approval from Washington County for a billboard campaign. Our hope is to have Washington County businesses sponsor/fund the billboards. We would have billboards mounted in various widely traveled areas of Washington County, alerting people to the law against animal abandonment, as well as the penalties, and a phone number you can call if you know of someone who has commited this crime.

Terry Travis from KINK FM 102 has helped promote our campaign on their "Subject Earth" segment, and The Oregonian Tuesday Pet Page writer Deborah Wood is planning on doing a story as well.

Meantime, tell everyone you know that it is illegal, irresponsible and inhumane to abandon your pet. A pet is a lifetime commitment…

THINK AHEAD, IF YOU CAN'T COMMIT, DON'T ADOPT!

Mookie, the Dane mix dog, rescued at last.

We are happy to report, that on July 15, 2001, the Dane mix dog who had survived on her own for three years at the Tillamook Creamery, was successfully trapped and brought to a foster home in Hillsboro.

Read the full story about Indigo's involvement here.

Indigo Rescue & Adoption and
Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter Start

New Spay/Neuter Program!

We're pleased to announce POP (Pet Overpopulation Prevention project) developed in cooperation with Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter (also known as Washington County Animal Control).

Update: Scheduled to start soon!

Washington County will be the first shelter in the state of Oregon to spay and neuter all of the animals on-site prior to adoption.

A room at the shelter will be remodeled soon to be the new surgery room for onsite spaying and neutering. The program will begin with cats only, using the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon's Mobile-Surgical-Unit during the week. After the surgery room is complete, all of the animals will be spayed and neutered at the shelter, prior to their adoption. In addition, each of the animals adopted from the shelter will be treated for routine health concerns such as fleas, worms, and ear mites. Dogs and cats will receive standard vaccines, and cats will be tested for FeLV (Feline Leukemia).

The benefits to the animals as well as the community are numerous. POP will reduce the long-term pet overpopulation problem significantly.

By reducing the number of pets being born, the likelihood of abandoned pets getting new homes will increase. The shelters and rescue groups will have more opportunity to educate adopters on how to responsibly choose and care for their new pet.
An increase in the number of animals adopted from the shelter is expected, by promoting within the community, that animals adopted from the Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter have already been spayed and neutered.
Fund-raising efforts to assure the continued success of the program will be a perpetual project.

Currently, Indigo Rescue & Adoption is looking for volunteers experienced with writing grants and fund-raising. Volunteers experienced with veterinary care for spay/neuter clinics will always be needed. Indigo welcomes any fund-raising suggestions or support. Please contact Indigo for more information.

We thank the staff at Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter for their interest in taking a gigantic step toward a more humane future for our companion animals. The staff at the shelter has been very enthusiastic and willing to accept a great deal of change in their daily activities to help make this program a reality. Let them know how much you appreciate their hard work and efforts. Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter is located at 2650 S.E. Tualatin Valley Highway Hillsboro, Oregon 97123.

Cable Show Addresses Animal Causes

Indigo Rescue & Adoption is producing a new cable access show called "A Cause For Alarm." The show airs the first and third Wednesday of every month. Tualatin Valley Cable Access program broadcasts the live call-in show at 8:00 p.m. on channels 6 and 21. The show runs 50 minutes, and features guests on topics related to animal care and behavior, as well as various causes and events pertaining to animal welfare. Heather Hines from Indigo Rescue & Adoption hosts the show and offers callers from the community an opportunity to call in and ask the guests questions. Sponsored by the Bethany Family Pet Clinic, upcoming guests include:

November 7, Wayne Geiger, Director Humane Society Willamette Valley who speaks on successfully prosecuted animal abuse and neglect cases.
November 21, Matt Rossell, former employee at the Oregon Regional Primate Center who speaks about the horrendous treatment and scientific fraud in the use of animals for medical research.

Contact Indigo with your suggestions for guests or for information on becoming a sponsor.

Special thanks to our volunteer technical staff and contributors:
Claudia Wood, Patty Robison, Manuel Perez, Sandy Rasmussen, Malynda Rasmussen, Jackie Kubat, and Lorrie Biggs.
Original music donated by Bob Hines