After a mishap involving a bag of prunes, Roscoe is no longer living at Jamie’s Place.
Roscoe, the friendly chocolate lab, had his trial run at Jamie’s Place cut short when a resident slipped him an entire bag of prunes.
Two months prior, Roscoe was found in Black Canyon. His life took an adventurous turn when Black Canyon residents tipped off OkanDogs to his plight. At the time, the friendly, calm, senior lab seemed a good fit for a trial run at Jamie’s Place — Methow Valley’s only residential long-term care facility for seniors — as the resident pet.
Roscoe’s calm demeanor and friendly smile bonded him with residents, staff and family at Jamie’s Place. Roscoe’s experience provided an opportunity to learn how to provide a healthy home for a resident dog to be a companion to residents. Executive director Rana Clarke said she looked forward to collaborating with OkanDogs for future opportunities for pet matching.
For now, Roscoe is enjoying life in the home of Penelope Varn, communications outreach director for OkanDogs. “He is just the friendliest guy,” she said. Roscoe’s health continues to improve daily. He has lost over 10 pounds, can walk up to 5 miles a day, and his coat has a healthy shine. He loves people and gets along well with other dogs.
Christina Gibson, owner of Whiteout Racing Kennel on Libby Creek, offers professional pet photos — like this one of handsome Roscoe. Her portraits of her Whiteout Racing team show the character and personality of each athlete as an individual. Her photos can be found on the Whiteout Racing Kennel Facebook page, and her website: www.whiteoutracingkennel.com. Contact Christina through whiteoutracingkennel.com to schedule a session.
I recently returned from a lovely Caribbean vacation on the island of St. Lucia. St. Lucia has a population of 184,755 people, compared to the 42,369 residents of Okanogan County. Currently, Okanogan County has the same number of active COVID-19 cases as the entire country of St. Lucia.
What is St. Lucia doing differently? Required vaccinations, masking and testing. We had to provide proof of vaccination and a negative COVID test prior to travel. Upon arrival we received a health check and wristbands showing we were vaccinated. We were asked to wear a mask indoors, and show our wristbands prior to entry of public establishments. Temperature checks and hand sanitation were the norm before entering stores, boats, lobbies, and restaurants. There were nightly curfews from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m., and Sundays were a 24-hour “COVID lockdown” nationwide — everything closed.
None of these restrictions were burdensome. It was relaxing to be in a community where public health was not a point of contention. The masks did not hinder expressions of joy or communication.
Since our return I’ve had several conversations where the reaction to the lockdown and curfew was dismay. But in reality, people are generally home in the evening by 6 p.m., and do not leave for school or work until after 6 a.m. Sundays are generally spent with families or on home projects. When I asked a St. Lucia resident what he was planning to do on Sunday, the response was exactly what you would expect here, “Stay home and watch football.”
