June 17, 2025, is a day Mick Phillips wonโt soon forget. The 51-year-old resident of Crooked River Ranch owns A2Z Security and was working for a client in Bend when he got an evacuation notification on his phone due to the Alder Springs fire that broke out on Crooked River National Grasslands. โIt went from […]
Central Oregon Pets
The Star of the Show
A miniature donkey from Montana has become a celebrity in Central Oregon. Cimarron Kid was relocated to Crook County in 2000, from Bart and Marion Bartonโs donkey farm, Bartonโs Brayinโ Assets. He found his Oregon home with their daughter, Kim Griffin, who also owns a variety of animals including a mustang, chickens and goats. The […]
The Happy Little Hero
As Roger Caras, an animal rights activist, once wrote in “A Celebration of Dogs,” “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” This sentiment certainly captures how Ed Jackiewicz felt about his pup, Smooch. When Ed’s daughter first expressed her desire for a dog, her mother was skeptical. After being turned […]
Take Your Pet to Work Day โ Everyday!
With more than 40 restaurants that welcome dogs, nine off-leash dog parks, miles upon miles of dog-friendly trails, and even dog-specific food carts and menus around town, itโs no wonder Bend is known as โDog Town, USA.โ The city of Bend has more than 12,000 licensed dogs, many of them on the go daily and […]
Herd Mentality
Every other Saturday, at various pet stores in Bend and Redmond, the nonprofit Herding Dog Rescue of Central Oregon hosts adoption events, inviting the public to come meet the herding dogs available for fostering or adoption. At a recent event at Local Paws in Redmond, HDRCO President Jessi Harrison was joined by dog trainer Ali […]
CO Pets Photo Contest – Vote Now!
VOTING IS NOW OPEN The winners will beย featured in our Central Oregon Pet issueย in print and online! The winning photo from each category will receive a free 8″ x 10″ or 11″ x 14″ print from our friends atย High Desert Frameworks. Voting will close March 5 at midnight! Take a look at last years winners!
Gentling Neglected Horses Back to Health & Happinessย
Each week, 3 Sisters Equine Refuge receives five to six requests to surrender from horse owners around the state who can no longer care for their horses. According to Board President Amber Holm, they often have to turn them down. Volunteers are currently caring for 30 rescue horses, many of which are high needs. Some […]
Life With Fancy Ratsย ย
When you walk into Shaena Iveyโs spotless home north of Bend, you see a giant bird cage against the wall. Itโs the kind that might hold a cockatoo or parrot, but instead it holds three fancy rats who spend every waking minute racing from floor to floor, climbing up wire walls, zipping through plastic tunnels, […]
A Program Keeping Pets with Low-Income Owners Expandsย ย
A new partnership between the Council on Aging and the Humane Society of Central Oregon is helping to expand a program that supports low-income adults and their pets. Pet Pals began when the Council on Aging saw Meals on Wheels clients struggling to afford pet food and vet care. It launched in 2021 with 30 […]
Taking Dog Training to the Next Level
It is often said that the bond between a human and dog is unlike any other. Khasidy Lefthand, or Khas, as she prefers, is a freshman at Crook County High School. She has experienced this bond firsthand and has taken it to the next level with her canine friends. Lefthand has been in 4-H for […]

