Ever since I was young, I've been an animal lover and protector, most often putting animals ahead of my own wants/needs. My late mother, also a devoted animal lover, raised my sister and I this way. We see animals as one of life's greatest gifts and that we must do everything we can to treat them with kindness and love, and to always protect them.

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Since living on the reservation, I have been taking in many stray dogs, cats and other animals who are sick, neglected, abused, ignored, and starving. There are so many of them. These animals belong to no one and are running free which leads to the spreading of contagious diseases, often resulting in their death. There are also many, many pregnant stray mothers who bring up stray babies, with most youngsters not making it to their first year of life. In addition, there are several groups of wild dogs who go around killing cows, their babies, horses and other animals on this open range. These dogs are dangerous, not at all afraid of people, but they were all once innocent puppies themselves. My husband said he would prefer to come across wolves rather than a pack of wild dogs. Wild dogs are unpredictable. 

It is nearly impossible for me to get through a day without worrying about those helpless animals who are subjected to so much here on this reservation. I am out constantly looking for them, sometimes in the harshest of conditions such as in the middle of snow and ice during winters.

The tribe once had a woman, Nancy, working at the Warm Springs Indian Health Service department who I would call whenever I needed a little extra help with the animals I rescued. For many years, she was in charge of a generous donation left to the tribe by an elderly woman in Jefferson County, Oregon who passed away a number of years ago. Nancy retired a few years ago, and there is no longer anyone within the tribe who I have been able to contact and who is actively on hand to assist me with my rescues and their needs.