No on new district
Dear Editor:
Any way we look at this new special taxing district (Methow Aquatics District), it would be unfair to put the burden on the majority of property owners. We have already more special levies that we could hardly afford. A new taxpayer-approved special levy, as it is proposed, adds $400-plus more to our tax bill.
In my opinion, Friends of the Pool should look for other funding sources to pursue their dream for a few months of the year.
Read the proposal and ask questions! Vote no.
Sandor Feher
Winthrop
Beware of rattlesnakes
Dear Editor:
Our family wants to thank Dr. Gina Pastore at Winthrop Veterinary Clinic for her help saving our dog Charlie from a recent rattlesnake bite. She responded to our emergency to help save our dog’s life and we are deeply grateful!
A couple of things we learned from this situation:
• Recognize symptoms of a venomous bite and get your dog to the vet clinic as quickly as possible. Our dog came into the house holding his foot up, with a small 1/2cm wound inside his leg and above his knee. We could tell he was in pain, was panting, and the site started swelling immediately.
We guessed pretty quickly what happened because we’ve have rattlesnakes in the yard the last month. This is their season of movement, traveling from their winter dens to their summer range, just passing through as they always do this time of the year. The snakes don’t bother us, and are relatively docile so we haven’t worried about them over the years. Our dog hasn’t been phased by them either, but he may have stepped on the snake this time, given the location of the bite and the amount of venom released (as we soon realized).
• Consider Rattlesnake Aversion Training for your dog. Since Charlie hasn’t been interested in snakes, we had not done the aversion training with him (we did the aversion training with our previous dog and had no issues over the years). If we had done the training, it would have let him know that the smell, rattle sound, and snake itself can all be considered dangerous. Check with your veterinarian for more info on aversion training or check the schedule at https://socalrattlesnakeavoidancetraining.com.
• Call your local vet to find out if they carry the antivenom or the vaccine in case of an emergency.
• We are sharing this landscape with native wildlife and we do not blame the rattlesnake for this accident! Snakes including the Western Rattlesnake play an important role in the ecosystem and should be respected. If you have rattlesnakes in your yard, keep your distance and call the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for recommended ways to deal with your unwanted friend.
The Bondi family
Winthrop
