CO Pets 2020 Spring

Spring 2020

DOGS ON TRAILS: HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

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TRUFFLE HUNTERS THE COMPANIONS WHO BRING HOME DINNER

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Editor

Nicole Vulcan Yoda’s mom

Design

Shannon Corey Agatha’s mom

Contributor Isaac Biehl Sancho’s dad

Contributor Damian Fagan Mia’s Dad

Advertising Timm Collins Idgy’s dad

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Darris Hurst Kahuna Matata’s dad

Copy Editor Richard Sitts Hicoo’s dad

Contributor Cayla Clark Bubba’s auntie

Intern

Miina McCown Percy Junior’s Mom

Welcome to the spring edition of Central Oregon Pets! With so much uncertainty in the world, pets remain one constant source of comfort—that friendly face to welcome you, no matter what, when you get home from a long day, or when you need a pick-me-up during times of trial. Thank goodness for them!

Inside this issue, we ask the question, how much running is too much for your pet—a salient question for our active Central Oregon lifestyles.

We also take a look at the fun and fruitful work of truffle hunting dogs, as well as getting a glimpse into a population not meant to be pets at the High Desert Museum, that brings joy not at home, but in a place for all to enjoy. We also offer info on acupuncture for pets, and share a fly-on-thewall perspective on what a conversation between Bend dogs and cats would look like. We’re also giving you a little window into the world of Central Oregon Pets’ staff animals—including our adorable cover model, Gracie, plus much more.

So hug those dogs, cats, horses and other furry friends tight, and let’s hear it for their unwavering love!

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How Much Exercise is

Too Much?

With sports such as mountain biking, local experts say less is better for your dog

By Nicole Vulcan

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hose who spend any time on Central Oregon’s many trails might have seen them: A human and dog combo, tearing through the woods— human on mountain bike, wearing a big smile; dog on four paws, tongue lolling out of its mouth. With the ability to be off a leash and rushing through the forest, it’s natural to think the dog may be having the time of its life. And it very well may be—but how much is too much of a good thing?

Seeing a dog running behind (or ahead) of its bikeriding human on a trail is a fairly common occurrence, both in pet-friendly Oregon as well as other locales. But according to Kristin Wolter, a veterinary tech certified in canine physical rehabilitation and canine fitness, there can definitely be too much of a good thing.

“We have seen many patients that were avid mountain bikers,” said Wolter, who works at Stride Canine Rehabilitation & Fitness Center in southeast Bend. At the clinic, Wolter, along with Stride’s veterinarian, see plenty of injuries related to overuse and/or overactivity. A lot of younger dogs get injuries to the joints and ligaments as a result of “repetitive retrieving,” Wolter said, which might involve playing chuck-it or Frisbee over and over. In addition, the clinic also sees patients whose athletic lifestyles lead to pain.

By the time the dogs make it to Stride Canine Rehab, they’ve already been diagnosed by their own vets with strains, joint degeneration or other issues. Stride helps injured dogs treat pain as well as increase strength, mobility and function.

With dogs who run as their humans bike, in particular, Wolter said it “can be pretty hard on them in the long run.

“I think dogs in general are designed to run at short distances at speed and cover a lot of ground at a moderate pace,” she said. “Mountain biking or exercise that is at speed for a long duration—that’s not something necessary for dogs to be healthy or fit.”

Some humans believe their dogs need intense bouts of exercise to help them calm down or relieve anxiety, Wolter said—but that can actually be harmful.

“I certainly think it’s appropriate for dogs to run, and run full-out, but it needs to be in moderation—not every day, and in fact, there are many studies that show it can increase stress in dogs from all of that running and chasing, and can really impact their mental state,” Wolter said, adding that it can sometimes create more behavioral problems than it fixes.

Running within limits While taking a dog biking long distances has the element of speed attached to it for dogs, running or jogging with your dog doesn’t pose the same risk, Wolter said. It’s generally done at slower speeds, for one.

Bendite Renee Metivier, a marathon runner who just competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials, has a Siberian Husky, Raider, along for many runs—but that comes with a lot of caution. Metivier’s partner, Chris Patterson—also a distance runner—trained Raider from a pup, but says he didn’t start any runs with her until she was 9 months old. At the start, Patterson said, Raider didn’t enjoy running long distances. Little by little, she began to enjoy longer runs.

“I just made sure to keep it fun for her,” Patterson said. “I run because I enjoy it. The goal was to have it be something she enjoyed. The minute she seemed not into it, I was out. And I let her dictate the pace.”

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Performance Center, who Slowly, Raider began specializes in biomechanics adding more miles. and performance training, “She was stalled at about Metivier also knows the 5 miles for a long time, value of recovery tools such for the first few years I as massage. had her,” Patterson said.

“I check out her paws, “We kept it at that, but I give her little massages at about age 4, suddenly at night… just like I get we were doing 8, 15-mile massages!” Metivier said. runs. Now her longest is 23 in the winter.”

Final thoughts Patterson and Metivier Exercise is an important emphasized the value of nd s te Re ur ne o component of a dog’s healthy watching their dog’s cues. Just eM -C e. e ti er vie h lifestyle—but always keeping like humans, dogs don’t always have s re g oe nj o ya on snow a pti C moderation and the dog’s needs in mind the same level of energy on certain . y k y ru n w it h R ai de r th e H u s is vital. Raider the Husky may tromp 23 miles days, they said, and they’re careful not to through the woods with her humans—but that came take Raider on long runs every day. In the summer, with a long tapering-up period… and ends with plenty Raider’s thick coat means she needs more water, more of rest. breaks, and more swim time instead of so much running.

Wolter, the canine rehab vet tech, also cautions people Rest days are also key.

“I ran her a little less during my Olympic Trials buildup, to avoid running puppies. In general, puppies should be at least 12 months old before doing any repetitive running, because I didn’t want to put my own personal agenda as earlier running can lead to degenerative joint disease. into her training,” Metivier said. “That’s where people go In general, a few long walks during the day, followed by wrong—they put their own needs on the dog and bring off-leash hikes a couple days a week is just about right them along when it’s not good for them.” for most dogs, she said.

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Spring 2020 | 7

Acupuncture For Dogs?

As Eastern medicine gains popularity and credibility among humans, local dogs appear to find the treatment beneficial

By Laurel Brauns

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ogi the toy poodle is one of Dr. Steve Blauvelt’s smallest—and hardest working— patients. Yogi regularly volunteers for Partners in Care, a hospice organization in Bend. At only 4 pounds, 6 ounces and a “teddy bear” haircut, Yogi is “great with frail patients,” according to Yogi’s human, Bonnie Smith.

But Yogi’s sympathetic qualities—which provide a source of comfort and joy to those who are struggling— can sometimes overwhelm him: he might get an upset stomach or growth lethargic, Smith said.

“Because he’s so small, and so sensitive, that makes him more susceptible to stresses in the world in general,” Smith said. “Acupuncture helps him relax.”

Yogi turns 5 in May and he’s on an all organic diet and eats many herbs prescribed by Blauvelt. Smith expects him to live more than 20 years. But Yogi often experiences inflammation in his hind quarters from his knees flipping out of joint, which is not uncommon in this breed, Smith said.

“After acupuncture Yogi feels so great,” Smith said.

“He’s running around, jumping, playing, making jokes and 8 | bendsource.com/copets

hiding things and trying to find them.”

Smith embraced acupuncture for her own general health maintenance years ago and thought it could be helpful for Yogi because she suspected he might be in pain.

“A lot of clients come to me and say, ‘Well, we go to a naturopath; we like it for our own health, so we’d like more of a holistic approach for our animal,’” Blauvelt said. He’s been practicing veterinary medicine for 32 years and first trained in animal acupuncture in 2003.

He runs Four Paws Wellness Center in Bend, one of a dozen or so clinics that offer Eastern approaches to pet health.

“People get frustrated with conventional medicine because drugs are so expensive,” Blauvelt said. “There is a fair amount of discontent in the human world with health care.

“I appreciate the value of Western medicine, allopathic medicine, especially for acute care emergencies, but I think for chronic disease and chronic illness—that is where integrative medicine can be a benefit,” Blauvelt said.

Dr. Scott Shaw, owner and chief veterinarian at Westside Pet Hospital, said acupuncture is particularly appropriate for treating more chronic conditions. Shaw values both Eastern and Western medicine for different reasons.

“Herniated discs are a good example to understand the two different approaches,” Shaw said. “This is painful for the animal and paralyzes its hind legs.

In Western medicine you can surgically remove part of the bone to release the compression, but there is nothing to relieve the damage to the spinal cord itself.

With electro-acupuncture, it transmits a low-intensity electric current through needles which decreases pain and stimulates nerve function. I also use an herbal combination that relieves inflammation and stimulates nerve conduction.”

Dr. Leslie McIntyre of Sage Veterinary Alternatives began her practice in Bend in the 1990s, when she was one of only two vets in Oregon providing acupuncture to pets; now 14 vets in Bend provide the service, she said.

“It’s gone from being a truly fringe practice to very mainstream,” McIntyre said. “Just in the past couple of years vet insurance companies began to reimburse for acupuncture.”

She uses needles to treat a range of conditions, both chronic and acute pain, as well as immune disorders and skin and intestinal problems.

“Acupuncture supports organ function which may prolong a pet’s life,” McIntyre said. “We treat a lot of cancer here.”

“Sometimes we have a dog that is paralyzed or extremely weak,” she said. “Acupuncture can get them walking again without surgical intervention. Seizures are another example of a condition that responds well to a combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs.”

Unlike many other vets in Bend who use acupuncture in an integrative way in their practice, McIntyre focuses exclusively on alternative practices like acupuncture, cold laser therapy and chiropractic, and it’s paying off. She just welcomed Dr. Stephanie Sheen to her clinic in January in order to meet the demand of her growing clientele.

For humans interested in acupuncture treatment for their pets, over a dozen veterinary clinics in Bend offer alternative and complimentary medicine including acupuncture, chiropractic, Chinese herbs, physical therapy and more. All vets performing acupuncture in the U.S. are first trained as animal doctors and then have additional courses to learn Eastern medicine.

Local Veterinary Clinics Offering Acupuncture Sagevet.com Fourpawswellnesscenter.com Westsidepethospitalbend.com

Spring 2020 | 9

Training

Truffle Hunting Dogs

Scent-trained dogs sniff out elusive fungi delicacies

By Damian Fagan

Camilla Welhaven and her two rough-coat collies take a breather by Mt. Bachelor Photo by Loren Waxman

10 | bendsource.com/copets

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hroughout the world, truffles have long been a delicacy favored by royalty and commoners alike. Recipes featuring the Italian Piedmont white truffle or the French Périgord black truffle date back to the first century during the reign of the Roman Empire.

Fast forward to today and the Pacific Northwest, where the highly sought-after Oregon white truffle is found. Tuber oregonense, and the Oregon black truffle, Leucangum carthusianum, grow from Vancouver Island to San Francisco—mostly in Douglas fir woodlands west of the Cascade crest. Both are irregularly-shaped fungi which resemble very small, knobby potatoes, rarely exceeding 2 inches in diameter. These “little black diamonds” are the fruiting bodies of mycorrhizal fungi, which grow underground and require an experienced nose to find them.

Mature truffles put out an aroma which trained dogs can detect, alerting their handler to the fungi’s location.

“Once you teach your dogs the concepts of nose work, you can work with lots of different things in terms of what you want your dogs to find,” said Camilla Welhaven, owner of Ain’t Misbehaving, a reward-based dog training business that includes nose work, truffle training and behavior and training consultations. “Truffle hunting is another level of being outside and in the dirt, which feeds into a dog’s natural instinct to hunt.”

Continued on page 13

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Spring 2020 | 11

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Welhaven recommends starting simple and making it significant for the dog. Bob Walker, operations manager of Tucker’s Oregon Truffle LLC and master of ceremonies at the Joriad National Truffle Dog Championship held in Eugene this past January, agrees that finding “the hook,” an activity or high-quality treat reward, is critical to that which turns a dog on to find truffles.

Welhaven teaches a six-week truffle dog training course in Bend. After starting out with the basics of nose work and scent detection, she moves onto using truffle scented oil.

“Dogs have a natural ability to locate items by scent, but they don’t have to do anything for themselves. They need to be incentivized,” explained Welhaven. Initially, Welhaven uses a controlled interior environment. Once the dogs learn to locate an object, such as a hide or small container scented with truffle oil, then the training move outdoors where the Sniffing the forest for the truffle trees. aroma palette is a lot more complicated.

Outside there are numerous distractions: farms in the Willamette Valley, and use their dogs to hunt squirrels, deer, other animal poop and a host of other for truffles, rather than raking an area which can destroy the tantalizing scents. Handlers work hard to focus on a particular immature truffles. odor the dog wants to find in order to receive a reward.

Many folks might imagine a bloodhound as the ideal “Really, the key factor is the human-dog connection,” said truffle dog, but really, any trainable breed will work.

Welhaven. “Owners need to understand their dog and all Welhaven, who searches for truffles with her two roughthe behavior that precedes an alert.” An alert may coat collies, believes that generalist-types be the dog sharply changing directions, digging of dogs such as German Shepherds, or pawing at the ground or touching the Labradors, Malinois, retrievers or ground with their nose before sitting. These Ain’t Misbehaving doodles make fine truffle hunting dogs. behaviors can be taught to the dog through “Bloodhounds are so specialized, with Dog Training training, but also rely on the handler to their noses to the ground, tracking and www.aintmisbehaving.com be aware. It’s a team effort between the running after their quarry,” explained human picking the right area where truffles Welhaven. Another popular trufflemay be found and the dog picking up the scent. hunting dog is the Lagotto Romagnolo, a The dog doesn’t really care about the truffle; it’s the curly-coated, mid-sized dog named after Italy’s reward after the treasure hunt that they are after.

Romagna region.

“The hardest thing about finding truffles is finding a place No matter the dog, finding truffles for fun or profit is a to search,” Walker said. Walker and his wife, Deb, lease tree growing endeavor in the Northwest.

Spring 2020 | 13

It’s a Dog’s World in Bend.

Cats Are Just Living in it A conversation between two of the pet community’s most important figures

By Isaac Biehl

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ere at Central Oregon Pets, we love and appreciate all kinds of furry (or scaly) friends. We believe it’s important to raise awareness for what’s happening within all pet communities or animals that have stories to tell in the area.

In an email, we got word that Smokey, the chair of Cats of Bend and Lucky, the chair of Dogs of Bend, would be sitting down for a very high-profile meeting.

We decided to invite them over to hold the meeting in our office with exclusive media rights. Below is a 100% authentic and accurate transcription of the meeting that 100% happened in real life.

Lucky: I’m glad we could come together to sit down and talk today, Smokey.

Smokey: Agreed. Thank you for hearing me out. As the chair for Cats of Bend, it feels great to speak on behalf of the rest of the cat population.

Lucky: Dogs of Bend is glad you’d like us to work together more in the future. What is it you wanted to bring to my attention?

Smokey: Well… Equal representation, equal opportunity and just equal rights along with all the dogs in the community.

Lucky: Uh, what do you mean?

Smokey: Do you see any cat parks around here? Dogs in Central Oregon are treated like royalty. While we just get left at home with a litterbox and some catnip, you guys are out having beers with the family and enjoying the weather. Does that seem fair to you? Cats like the outside, too, you know.

Lucky: I didn’t think cats really liked anything, honestly.

But what about the bird population? And what if you guys ran away? For the most part we dogs tend to come back or hang out with our humans. We’re man’s best friend.

Smokey: I’d be open to a cat harness. And have you seen those backpacks with the little window for cats? You can take us on your next hike to enjoy the view together!

Lucky: I mean, I guess that makes sense. It’s just that dogs, you know… we listen. We’re the ideal companion for all the outdoor enthusiasts here. We’ll go on long runs, go paddle boarding...

Smokey: Wait. I never said cats wanted to run. You can have that. And paddle boarding? Cats can stand or lie on a board. As long as we don’t fall in the water, we can make a nice addition to any paddle boarding day.

Lucky: I suppose. How do you propose we fix this then?

Smokey: For one, humans should adopt more cats at animal shelters. We need homes too, and with how fast dogs get snatched up these days, cats can sometimes build up in shelters. There should be a cat cafe in town, where humans can go and enjoy a latte and play with adoptable cats and even take one home. Kind of like Purrington’s Cat Lounge in Portland.

Second, we need more cat-friendly hangouts in the area, where already housed cats can be taken to go play. Maybe an indoor cat playground? I believe Central Oregon has the pet infrastructure available to accomplish these things, and it wouldn’t take away from dog opportunities at all.

Lucky: There is definitely room for more cat-related amenities in the area. Bend will probably always be known for being one of the dog-friendliest places in America, but I don’t see why life here for cats can’t be improved.

Smokey: I’d also like to see local companies do more social media with cats. Dogs with glasses of beer are a given on any brewery’s Instagram. It’s time local businesses accurately represent the cat population here. We’re pretty cute. And with help from Dogs of Bend, we feel we’d be able to get through to the humans and better address these things.

Lucky: Do you smell that?

Smokey: Oh sorry, we’ve got bacon frying in the kitchen.

And that was the end of the meeting.

Editor’s note: This all really did happen... in our minds.

Cats and dogs would never sit down together, silly...

Spring 2020 | 15

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Planning for Pets

What happens to your pets when you’re no longer around?

By John Myers

W

hen most people think of their pets, they think of a valued member of the family, almost like a child. In the eyes of the law, however, pets are considered tangible personal property—the same as your cell phone, your furniture and your laptop. Many would consider this classification to be an insult to our best friends, our companions we’re so proud to take everywhere here in Central Oregon while hiking, walking, skiing and biking.

If your pet is the same as your cell phone in the eyes of the law, what happens to your pet when you die? Unless you have a will or trust in place, your pet would be split up between your family members in the same manner as all of your other stuff, under Oregon’s “laws of intestacy.” At the top of this list is your spouse, if married, then children, then grandchildren, then parents, then siblings, then aunts and uncles, then cousins, etc. If none of the people on this list want your pet or are unable to care for it, it will likely be sent to a shelter. For many, this is a nightmare.

The good news is you do have options to avoid this unfortunate result. If you have a will or a trust, you can make preparations for your pet after you die, just like they were your children.

The first thing you can do is name a caretaker in your will or trust. It’s a good idea to spend some time thinking about who this person should be. Do they already own pets? Do their pets get along with yours? Do they have the space for another pet? Can they afford it?

The best way to decide on a guardian for your pet is to talk to your friends and family about who would be the

best candidate to take them. You never know, someone you know might be more than happy to fill that role. Another little-known option if you can’t find someone you know is to include a gift in your will or trust to an animal shelter, which will in turn promise to find your pet a forever home after you die. Talk to your preferred animal shelter to see if this is an option.

The next most important preparation you can make is to leave a specific gift in your will or trust to the person who’s going to take care of your pet for the purpose of feeding and caretaking. In practice, this looks like: “I give $2,000 to John Doe. I hope he uses this money to provide food and pay for veterinary bills for Fido.” If that isn’t good enough for your pet, Oregon law allows for a pet trust. To set up a pet trust, you appoint a trustee to manage the money you have left for your pet and set aside a specific amount of money to provide specific care, such as paying for veterinary bills, grooming and food for the pet for its lifetime. A pet trust can even come into play if you’re incapacitated. The trust remains in place until your pet dies, and the leftover money goes to a person or entity of your choosing.

Although it can be hard to face planning for the end of your life, it’s good to know that there are options available to you to make sure that your best friend and companion will be well taken care of.

-John Myers is an attorney specializing in estate planning at Two Spruce Law in Bend.

Spring 2020 | 17

Creepy Crawly

Critters

Kelsey Yates has dedicated her life to eradicating stigmas and protecting Oregon wildlife

By Cayla Clark

I

Courtesy High Desert Museum

n a self-proclaimed dog town, it can be easy to overlook the importance of other creatures, especially when it comes to the proper functioning of our ecosystem. Kelsey Yates, the associate curator of wildlife at The High Desert Museum, has spent the majority of her adult life advocating for the slimy, scaled and shelled creatures that often get overlooked in lieu of dogs, cats and hamsters. Yates worked as an aquarist for several years before finding herself in the high desert, looking after a wide range of creatures in the museum Desertarium. “It’s so important to have creepy crawlies on display,” she said. “Our main goal is to foster a positive view towards these animals. They’re crucial to a healthy ecosystem.”

What does a day in the life of a wildlife curator look like? “When I get to the museum I start by visiting the animals, making sure that everyone is healthy and happy,” she explained. “I get the animals prepared for the visitors and then I go behind the scenes, working with the animals on training 18 | bendsource.com/copets

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and conditioning. Eventually, I move into enrichment; changing up the enclosures, adding new features. We have volunteers come by throughout the day to talk about the animals while I work with them hands-on.”

Yates explained that handling the animals is a vital part of the job, because it helps get them accustomed to human interaction for off-site presentations. She works with everything from lizards and snakes to tarantulas and turtles. A good amount of her time is spent training tortoises for human interaction. “The desert tortoises are highly intelligent,” she explained. “I’ve been training them for at-will participation. Basically, the tortoises decide for themselves whether or not they want to participate in a presentation. They touch their noses to a little target if they want to be handled, and they sit on a small station if they want to be touched. For the most part, they love participating. They like the attention and they like the treats.”

Yates has been working with many of the same tortoises since she started at the museum in 2018. “People don’t generally realize how long reptiles and amphibians live, but we’ve had a lot of our animals since the early 2000s,” Yates explained. “The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife brings us a lot of our animals; our collection of reptiles and amphibians is mostly comprised of former pets. ODFW will bring us confiscated animals that were being kept illegally. Very, very rarely we’ll wild collect, though we try not to. A couple of our reptiles were collected from the wild so that we can offer a comprehensive educational experience. Of course, we never wild collect animals that are rare or protected.

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Additionally, all of the animals that we have are non-releasable, usually because they were taken from the wild and kept as pets illegally. An animal becomes non-releasable when it spends too much time outside of its natural environment.”

She explained how important it is for the public to be aware of which native species are protected or threatened.

Sadly, it isn’t uncommon for native creatures to be ripped from their homes and kept confined. “Oregon’s native turtle species are protected, and it is illegal to remove one from the wild to keep as a pet,” Yates explained in a recent blog post. “There are a few exotic turtle species in Oregon that are illegal to possess, the most well-known being the red-eared slider. It’s now invasive in Oregon thanks to the exotic pet trade. The message here would be to always do thorough research when deciding whether to acquire an exotic pet, because they are not always legal. They often require care that is beyond what the average person can provide.”

Some of the other Desertarium dwellers were purchased legally as pets, but were relinquished after it became clear just how much time and energy went into caring for a reptile or amphibian. “I want to emphasize how important responsible pet-ownership is,” said Yates. “It’s so important for people to do their homework before acquiring a pet. Reptiles and amphibians have care requirements that are so different from those of cats and dogs. If you purchase a tortoise, you’d better expect to care for that tortoise for 90 years!”

Spring 2020 | 19

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By CO Pets Staff Pet: Tucker, 9.5 Owner: Ashely Sarvis, Sales Perfect Meal: Surf and turf! A nice free-range roast chicken with a side of wild caught salmon, meow!

Ideal Day in Central Oregon: A nice jaunt around the gardens of local neighbors followed by a nap in the sun, preferably in the garden as well.

Favorite Road Trip Song: “9 Lives” by Aerosmith.

D

ing, ding, ding! Welcome to Meeeeet The Pets! Hosted by yours truly, the Central Oregon Pets magazine!

Our staff is filled with pet owners and lovers of all kinds. Each animal has their own interests and desires but are all perfectly amazing in their own way. Let’s get to know a few of these furry friends in this issue’s installment of—say it together now—Meet. The. Pets!

Pet: Agatha, 3 Owner: Shannon Corey, Designer Perfect Meal: Cutie orange and whatever I can lift off the coffee table…. Old French fries are good, too.

Ideal Day in Central Oregon: Breaking trail snowshoeing followed by a beer and nap.

Favorite Road Trip Song: “Rocky Mountain High”

by John Denver.

Pet: Gracie, 8 months.

Our cover star!

Owner: Ban Tat, Sales Perfect Meal: Costco Rotisserie Chicken. It’s a delicacy!

Ideal Day in Central Oregon: Walk through the Old Mill Trail so that I can stop and say hi to everyone I walk by!

Favorite Road Trip Song: Run-D.M.C featuring Aerosmith – “Walk This Way.”

Pet: Idgy (short for didgeridoo—she’s an Aussie Doodle), 3 Owner: Timm Collins, Sales Perfect Meal: Kibble and bacon—it’s the new peanut butter and jelly.

Ideal Day in Central Oregon: Start the day off with a group snuggle with my pack, followed by long walks and a swim at the Rim Rock Trail.

Favorite Road Trip Song: “9Hearts and Bones”

by Paul Simon.

Pet: Sancho, 11 months Owner: Isaac Biehl, Staff Writer/Digital Producer Perfect Meal: A fluffy waffle with some peanut butter and whipped cream.

Ideal Day in Central Oregon: Maybe hike Paulina Peak or Broken Top. Cool off in one of the lakes. Cap it off with a nap in the sun on a brewery’s patio.

Favorite Road Trip Song: “Love On Top” by Beyoncé.

How does she do it?!

Spring 2020 | 21

Pets’

Free Pass

Photo by Laurel Brauns

Pixabay

Sorting out the myths of traveling with the pet you depend on for emotional support

By Laurel Brauns 22 | bendsource.com/copets

S

health professional testifying that the animal’s owner needs the animal to help with a recognized psychiatric disorder.

This letter is usually what online ESA services sell, along with certificates and official-looking ESA vests.

The best way to get an ESA letter is to develop an established relationship with a psychologist, psychiatrist, licensed professional counselor or licensed social worker, preferably one who understands the therapeutic nature of animals. While the best bet, those professionals cannot guarantee that booking a series of appointments will definitely lead to the production of an ESA letter.

“If a mental health therapist is going to write a letter in support of a client benefiting from having an ESA, to be truly ethical about this, such a letter should not be generated without knowing the client and how the ESA would truly help that individual to cope and better manage their life,” said Jim Mockaitis, director of Juniper Mountain Counseling in an email to Central Oregon Pets. “Otherwise, it would be much Crjs4 52, Wik im like a doctor who has no relationship with ed ia Co m a patient, but prescribes medication m on without knowing if it’s appropriate.

We just can’t do this sort of thing if we’re to be honest to our profession and our clients.”

ESA owners could also be required to produce documentation for their animal when they are moving into a rental where the landlord either does not allow pets, or requires a deposit for a pet. Under the federal Fair Housing Act, no type of support animal can be barred from the property or held to standard pet rules (like extra fees).

Mockaitis said his agency receives an increasing number of calls from people likely experiencing impediments to housing because of their animals. He said usually these potential new clients want the letters quickly to use in a new rental contract or to avoid extra rental deposit fees. While some of these potential clients get angry, others actually decide to begin counseling regardless of the outcome.

“We’ve even had requests for both a letter and an animal!” Mockaitis said. “FYI… We don’t have boxes of puppies or kittens behind our front desk.

“This misunderstanding is really unfortunate, as ESAs, when appropriate, can be a great comfort and support to individuals who struggle with mental health challenges,” Mockaitis said. “We even have clients who bring their dogs to counseling sessions, and the counselor will incorporate the presence of the animal into work around emotional regulation, relaxation techniques, exploration of trauma, depression and other purposes.” s

ome pet owners have taken advantage of laws meant to protect people with disabilities and mental illness. More and more pets are permitted on airplanes, in apartments and inside grocery stores and restaurants because they are considered Emotional Support Animals. Legitimate ESAs help their owners with mental health issues, ranging from anxiety and depression to post-traumatic stress disorder and agoraphobia.

For other pet owners, claiming ESA status is no more than a ticket to unrestricted access to public places with pet in tow. ESA status doesn’t give pet owners the same rights as people who need their dog to safely cross the street, though it’s easy to see why these two kinds of support animals may get confused.

Part of the debate lies in the interpretation of several federal laws that apply differently depending on your location: Air travel, housing and restaurant access all have a different set of rules and protections. The Americans with Disabilities Act protects people with service animals who perform tasks to move freely in public spaces and private businesses without being interrogated. But the ADA does not protect ESAs, even if their owners depend on their pets to manage their anxiety in public places, for example.

Because this distinction is unclear, dozens of online companies now profit off people’s emotional attachments to their animals by promising to provide fake certifications and ESA letters from mental health providers.

In the U.S., there is no federally recognized certification process for ESAs. Online ESA services are essentially a scam.

At the same time, a dog wearing an officiallooking ESA vest can often enter restaurants and grocery stores with no questions asked, so it’s not surprising more people want to get their pets a free pass.

National Service Animal Registry (one of the many forprofit ESA certificate sellers) had 2,400 emotional support animals in its “registry” in 2011. As of March 2020, that number was over 200,000.

The two most common situations in which people could be required to prove their animal helps them with a diagnosed mental disorder is when planning air travel or trying to move into a new housing situation. The Air Carrier Access Act requires airlines to allow ESAs, but some are cracking down with stricter rules. Delta Air Lines requires owners to submit proof of animal vaccination two days before the flight. United Airlines also requires 48-hour advanced notice of the traveling ESA, along with a letter from a mental

Spring 2020 | 23

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