The night the dog was sold our female staff was approached by the perpetrator and she had a bad instinct about him from the beginning. “He was kooky, creepy, and honestly, he scared me.” She said in retrospect. She attempted to refuse him but the perpetrator became more agitated and ultimately intimidated her into selling him the puppy. “By the end I was shaking. He just was clearly not stable or someone I wanted to piss off.” He didn’t make the staff member aware of any ill intentions toward the puppy and she had no justifiable reason to call the police. She did immediately afterwards email the entire staff about the situation and we collectively agreed that we would offer him money to give us back the puppy. We wanted to do this simply because she was unsure he was going to provide an excellent quality of life for the dog. There was absolutely no way for her to have predicted his actions.

At times in the past we have needed to refuse to sell dogs to people who we feel have given us evidence to believe they may not care for the well-being of the animal. Additionally, we enforce this with a contract that every person who adopts an animal from us reads and agrees to. The police have assured us that we couldn’t have done anything differently and there was nothing we could have done to stop him from doing something like this or worse.

This is an extremely difficult event for us to process as it is for our staff who all have an incredible amount of love for the puppies we take under our responsibility. We will certainly be working on anything we might be able to do prevent something like this from ever happening again. We know and understand the emotional distress this event has made people feel, please know and understand that we are feeling the same thing amplified a hundred times more and mourn the loss of any animal, especially under these circumstances.

It seems like a lot longer than a week ago that a fire, or more accurately soot and ash, destroyed the building that we have built our life around for 9 years.

During our early days before we started the store, we went to GFU, we lived downtown, we did projects or worked for downtown business (ones we remember fondly)- like the Blue Trout Gallery and the French Bear.  This immersion into Newberg’s burgeoning downtown culture planted seeds for what would eventually become Critter Cabana.

One day we were walking and passed an empty (and rather rundown) building on First Street with glowing maple floors and copper trimmed display windows. Young dreamers that we were, newlyweds incapable of thinking a negative thought, we saw in this building the bones of something beautiful and knew it needed to be brought to life. So the seed started to grow.  My brother Scott caught wind of the excitement, joined the cause, and we took to the streets.  The first door we knocked on belonged to Kris Horn who probably thought this band of college students had a few screws loose but tracked down Jane Carlsen for a discussion of her plans for the building. Somehow we convinced Jane that we had a good plan and before long we were crossing that familiar crosswalk (Winston the tortoise has been known to take a trip across this crosswalk a time or two) to Mr. Bridges office looking for some lease advice.  A few days later we hoofed it down the street to Julie Want and made Critter Cabana an official entity in the eyes of the IRS.

The next nine years were a flurry of motion and a blur of scattered memories, all taken for granted. Within days of the due date for Brittani and I’s fourth son, we woke to pounding on door and a frantic Kim (relentless caretaker and watchdog for our Chehalem St. neighborhood) telling us there was a alarm at our store. We listened on her Ipod radio scanner as we scurried into the first clothes we could find.  We rushed to the store with no idea what to expect. Five minutes later we pulled in to see fire fighters smashing down the glass doors and knew instantly that something beyond our scope of belief was happening.

Beneath clouded skies, under-dressed and shaking, we watched and prayed and tried not to do all things we desperately wanted to do like dash into the smoking building to save the critter we knew was just right there, or tug at the sleeves of Chris Mayfield’s smoke stained fire jacket and interrupt his constant stream of radio commands to tell him the trick to opening Helga’s enclosure or that the snakes were scary looking but wouldn’t bite.  And so the day went with this ongoing feeling of helplesness despite all the help available from our gracious supporters that day.

Devastated and exhausted we went home that night and didn’t know what do with ourselves so we cried a little and slept.

Since then we’ve been pretty much curled up in a fetal position overwhelmed by the mixed emotions of sadness, fear, vulnerability, hope, and a million other emotions that don’t really have a word for them-like when an 7 year old whose face you’ve seen once a week for his entire life but name you don’t know hugs your leg and puts a dollar in your pocket, or that persistent nagging feeling that you have no right to other’s sympathy when so many other worse things are happening around the world.

But we’ve been keeping our heads up and trying to keep busy.  Of course we’ve been thinking a lot about our future, but the truth is that we are really as clueless to our future as we say we are.

The rest of this post is for those people interested in the nitty gritty, things like insurance riders, and relocation, and what the heck our employees are supposed to do now. We’re still working it all out, what I can tell you is the things we discuss in the moments before Brittani and I fall asleep or the messages left between Scott and my sporadic google talk communications. So here it is, the FAQ.

What do we know about the fire?

The origin is unknown. The investigation is ongoing and expected to complete in a week or so. Initial investigation on the day of the fire by official people from various agencies suggests it started in the basement around the breaker box but this is loose speculation, but electrical in nature. As far as I understand, it traveled through walls and between floor joists and burned through a lot of the supports under the former fish department. The front 3/4 of the building was untouched by the fire itself and same for First St. Yoga above the fish department though they did take damage from smoke and necessary fire chasing slashing.

What did we lose?

We lost 1/3 of the animals in the store due to inhalation of smoke. There is a separate blog post on what survived and didn’t. This is not an easy thing to talk about for us so I’ll leave it at that. As far as the rest of the store, what wasn’t hacked up by fireman’s axes, burned, or melted (which honestly isn’t as much as you might think, maybe 3-5% of the building), is covered in this sticky plasticky moist black ash/soot that is apparently what burned fish tanks and water storage tanks turn into. From what I understand, its all junk. The inventory, the computers, the tanks, the cages.

Whats our insurance covering?

Insurance guys are really vague and make it a point to never promise anything so I don’t really know. Many, many thanks to Abbey from Zany Zoo in Eugene, who we have had the pleasure of talking pet store chat with for many years. They had a fire in their store several years ago and have a wealth of knowledge to share with us. Based on my conversations with insurance adjuster and Abbey the majority of our “stuff” should be covered. The building is a big unknown, but one way or another, to the best of my knowledge it will all be covered. We have a very vague loss of income coverage as well, its unclear yet if that will amount to anything but we aren’t holding our breath on that one but will certainly try our darndest.

What is our insurance not covering?

We don’t really know this either. I know it was about $250,000 to start the store, and we have around $200,000 in coverage. Our Newberg store is financed almost entirely from what we could rummage up personally within our family and coming up with that difference will be the most challenging part of our rebuild. Every last ounce of available credit and cash we have put into the development our of store in Wilsonville.  Despite this, we are hoping that by bootstrapping, taking advantage of all the offers to help, the incredibly generous donations, utilizing our many years of gained experience, we can make the Newberg store even better with what we have available.

Can we survive for a while with only the income from the Wilsonville store?

I hope we won’t need to if we can maintain our consumables business (food, bedding, etc) at our temp location, see below. The Newberg store is an integral part of our meager incomes, and I won’t embarrass ourselves here with actual numbers. I worry a lot about the displacement of our current employees who we will work hard to provide hours for.

Will we have a temp location?

Yes. For the interim period we will be located at the old Newberg Steel building currently the Main St Marketplace (which you should go check out before Xmas).

Are we moving back into our old building?

We hope so. It will however be quite a while before we know. The main factor is the timing in which we would be able to move back in. The casual estimates from people who know a little bit about this kind of stuff is discouraging, but we have no intention of making any decisions until we have all the details.

Where will we go if we can’t get back in to the building in a financially feasible time frame?

No real idea but we would look at everything Newberg has available and pick whats best for our customers (if your on Facebook we’ll probably be doing lots of polls over the next few months).

Will Critter Cabana be as fun as it was before?

We are gonna try!

What else is rattling around in your head?

With all the support we’ve had from our customers and the rest of the community we have been fleshing out what we call Critter Cabana 2.0. The concept is that we might be able to use social media and crowdfunding (like microloan/ownership using sites like cofolio.com) and a more elaborate volunteer program, to create a business that’s engaging our customers in financing, creation, and ongoing operation. This is really an experimental idea (though it may have some historical roots like coops) and we don’t know how practically it could work out but we’ve been so inspired by our experience since the fire that we want to explore it.

“I want to help! Tell me how!”

Right now, we are just trying to get everything sorted out. We are going to start a page on our website that will have opportunities to be a part of the rebuild and or cleanup etc.

Sheldon River, very last man out..found Monday morning! (Diamond Back Terrapin)

Here it is, the awaited list:

2 Small Red Foot Tortoises ($100-150)
2 Large Red Foot Tortoises ($150-250)
4 Holland Lop Bunnies ($20-40) (1 pre-sold before the fire, will go home soon!)
7 Guinea Pigs ($10-30)
1 Ferret (currently being fostered, may not be available)
3 Hedgehogs ($150-250)
1 Panther Gecko ($10-20)
1 young Brazilian Rainbow Boa ($150-200)
8 Baby Leopard Geckos ($15-25)
2 Baby Cornsnakes ($20-30)
1 Juvenile/Adult Nelson’s Milksnake ($50-75)
1 Kingsnake (Pre-sold before the fire, will go home soon!)
1 Rosy Boa ($60-100)
2 Baby Ball Pythons ($30-50)
1 Adult Hybrid Kingnsake ($80-120)(a white/creamy color, very cool!)
1 White’s Tree Frog ($20-30)
1 Carpet Python ($100-150)
1 Adult Cornsnake ($50-75)
1 Helga (Huge, Old Pacman Frog, not for sale, she is a store mascot!)
2 Adult Bearded Dragons ($75) (only 1 available, one will be kept at Cabana)
1 Plated Lizard (four lined) ($25-35)
4 Water Dragons ($20-40)
3 Cuban Knight Anoles ($5)
1 Teen Bearded Dragon ($40-50)
1 Haitian Bird Eater Tarantula ($15-25)
1 Antilles Pink Toe Tarantula ($40-60) (half inch cutie pie!)
1 Hognose Snake ($75-100)
3 Hermit Crabs ($5)
3 Big Sulcata Tortoises (Winston, Rocky and Tortilla; not available-these are store mascots!)
13 Baby Bearded Dragons ($25-50) (1 in foster care–nicknamed ‘Milagro’ which means ‘Miracle’)
1 Frilled Dragon ($140-175)
3 Malayan Box Turtles ($30-50)
3 Asian Leaf Turtles ($10-20)
1 African Helmeted Turtle ($20-30) (lots of personality!)
1 Blue Tongue Skink ($50-75)
1 Diamond Back Turtle (“Sheldon”, not for sale!)
1 Hermann’s Tortoise ($80-120) (spunky!)
2 Teddy Bear Hamsters ($5-10)
1 Rat ($5-10)

Playing fetch with our dogs, cuddling with our cats, singing with our birds, having a stare-down with our Bearded Dragons, laughing at the antics of our pet rats, and feeding our begging pufferfish as they swim around their aquariums.

We have scolded them, cried into their fur, practiced our speeches in front of them, taught them tricks, and learned from them.

These are only a few of the many fun and meaningful experiences we have had with our pets which have made our lives richer and fuller.

Here are just a few reminders to help us enjoy the companionship of our pets to the fullest:

• CHOOSE PETS WELL

Do not base your choice on good-looks and pedigree, find one that speaks to your heart.

Here at Critter Cabana, we don’t hurry our customers through the pet-choosing process just to make a sale.  We let them take their time until they feel that spark of connection with an animal which signals a happy future with it.

• TAKE GOOD CARE OF PETS

Learn as much as you can about your pets’ needs in terms of food, habitat, grooming, and habits.

Our staff can give you all the information you need on the pets of your choice.

Good doesn’t always mean expensive, that’s why the pet food, pet accessories and grooming aids we have here at Critter Cabana aren’t always the priciest, but they are the best.

• HAVE A GOOD VET OR A PET-CARE CLINIC ON SPEED-DIAL

When your pets start to ail and nothing in your store of knowledge can get them out of it, call a veterinarian or bring your pet to a pet-care clinic.

Check out the other pages of this website for the address and phone numbers of the pet-clinic nearest you, or come to Critter Cabana for our recommendations.

That’s all for now, and HAPPY BONDING FELLOW PET-OWNERS!

Here at Critter Cabana, we have combined our personal observations with several study results to make a list of 5 + 1 Mental Health Rewards from our relationships with our pets.

• ENHANCED SELF-ESTEEM

Bonding with our pets makes us feel good about ourselves and helps us relate better to other people around us. We are more empathetic and understanding of others. It also makes us better able to deal with rejection.

• CREATIVITY

Growing up with pets, or even owning one later in life, stimulates our capacity to imagine. We are not stumped by difficult problems and obstacles, because our creativity allows us to “think outside the box.”

• PEACE OF MIND

The lowered blood pressure, decreased heart rate and reduced amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which the experts say are effects of our relationship with our pets, simply mean we are better able to deal calmly with the pressures of our jobs and of the daily bustle.

• INCREASED SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Meeting with other pet-owners, finding out more about our pets’ needs and even just going out to buy pet food or a pet mag make us pick-up on community activities and projects and what the latest buzz is. We find ourselves happy to help with projects involving environmental issues and, especially for those of us who have exotic pets, we are more aware of the ecology around us.

• WELL-BEING

While happily interacting with our pets, our serotonin and dopamine levels are rising and these feel-good hormones add to the feeling of general well-being that we carry with us throughout the day. Even when troubles confront us, we do not give in to depression.

+ PLUS +

 YOUTHFULNESS
Yes, bodies may age but our minds stay alert, curious and questing!

Aside from their own experience with senior patients, doctors can now draw on the results of several studies to bolster their recommendation of pets for the elderly; and here are the reasons why:

• Elderly persons with pets tend to be more in touch with current events, and less likely to dwell on the past in their conversations, than those without pets.  They are also have an easier time embracing some of the limitations set by advancing age.

Even in non-pet-owning environments like nursing homes, research has shown that pets brought in through pet-visitation programs have positive effects on the senior residents.  They become more alert, smile and talk more with each other.

• Pet-owning seniors, even those recently bereaved, suffer less depression and demand less medical care for mild illnesses, than non-pet-owners.

The same was observed among elderly residents in health centers, in the presence of visiting pet animals.

• The cardiovascular benefits of pet-ownership are even clearer as the owners advance in age together with their pets, almost stress-free.

The lowered blood pressure, and reduced anxiety levels have been observed even among the seniors in no-pet health institutions, when pets are brought in to visit.

• Senior pet-owners require less doctor visits than those without pets.

In the nursing homes where pet visitation has been introduced, pet visits are proving better than other therapies – whether it be arts and crafts or Psychotherapy.

Pat a pet each day, drive the doctor away?  Well, we can almost say that can’t we?  After all these research results?  But we at Critter Cabana aren’t doctors so we’ll leave that to the Health Care Professionals.

What the Critter Cabana family can do is give our senior pet-owners full pet-support, and help other seniors find the pet-companion for the golden years.

But we hope to pass this on to no-pet families with growing children, and first-time parents, who are thinking about getting a pet, or pets, for their kiddies when they grow a little older.

Our pet-owning community would probably love to read this too, for the bragging’ rights (“I’ve always known that!”).

Out of all the positive effects, our team here at Critter Cabana have chosen these five as the most supported by scientific studies and research.  Here goes:

•   BOOSTS SELF-ESTEEM

The increase in confidence makes it easier for a child to relate to others and to develop friendships.

•   UPS HIS SMARTS

His curiosity about his pet fuels the child’s desire to learn more.  An active curiosity in young children has been found to boost IQ as they grow older.

•    TEACHES CARING AND SHARING

Caring for a pet teaches a child nurturing skills and makes him more supportive of family and friends.

•    MAKES HIM RESPONSIBLE

Learning all about his pet and its needs helps the child take to responsibility earlier.  He becomes aware of his pet’s, and his, role in the ecology and the environment.

•    ENHANCES HIS EQ

The joy and fun that the companionship of a pet brings to the child bolsters his Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ) and makes him better able to deal with the stresses of growing-up.

We already know all of the above, right?

But we here at Critter Cabana are not content with just resting on our pets’ laurels, we make sure your children get all the benefits by providing top-of-the-line supporting goods for, and accurate information about, our pet animals.

Check out our Critter Cabana Field Trips, and you’ll be surprised at how much more your child, and you, could learn about the world of pets!

We share the knowledge that good human-pet relationships have beneficial effects not just on our mental and physical health but also on our dealings with others in our community.

The difference is that we at Critter Cabana, and you, our pet-loving customers, have known this from the very first time we picked out our pets and brought them home.

It took the NIH, the Sociologists and Health Care Professionals years of research and lots of case studies to come to agree with us.  For example:

• We know we get that peaceful, laid-back feeling when we watch our fish gracefully swim around the aquarium, right?  The Scientific Researchers and Health Care Professionals say it is the reduction of cortisol, the stress hormone.

• What about that deep contentment we feel when we stroke the cool, sleek scales of our pet Bearded Dragon?  The Cardiologists say it is a healthy lowering of blood pressure, and a healthful decrease in heart and pulse rate.

• The happy feeling when we look into the adoring eyes of our Labradoodle?  The Professionals say interaction with our pets raises levels of dopamine and endorphins – the “feel good” hormones.

• They also talk about the cardiovascular benefits of physical exercise as we run with our dogs or play “chase” with our cats and we totally agree; but we also know that a long hearty laugh at the antics of our pet rat can be just as healthy.

For this to work, Critter Cabana makes sure that your pets, our pets, are healthy and happy, have the best options in terms of food, habitat materials, health supplements, grooming materials and other accessories.

We also have a great staff that can help with your choices.

Good human-pet relationships are healthy for owners AND pets.  Let’s share this with others who may need the joy and good health that pets bring.

In the category of exotic animals, a Coati is a desirable pet because

• They eat a variety of foods (most of which you might already have)
• They are not nocturnal  – up all day with you!
• They do not have body odor
• They have tons of personality for you to love
• As long as you give your coati the attention it needs, it will be an affectionate and (somewhat) obedient pet.

The Coatimundi looks just like a raccoon with a puppy dog’s face.   Though,it requires much more attention. This smart animal can be litter box trained and it does great with V-neck harnesses and a leash, so that you can keep your Coati contained.

When it is time for feeding, a Coatimundi will eat dog food or cat food (the meatier the better), fruits, raisins, and cooked chicken.  It will, sometimes, also eat things like marshmallows, fruit loops, and fig newtons.  However, you should never give itavocados, chocolates, or caffeine.

For this exotic pet, you will want to keep toys around to discourage chewing on other items.  You will also probably want a cage, with lots of toys, to keep it entertained, when you are not available to keep an eye on it.  If you have your Coati out of his cage, especially when around children or unfamiliar people, you will want to watch it very closely, as it loves to get into things.  You will also want to trim its nails, as it can become aggressive.   Be extra careful with the temperature you expose your Coatimundi to, as it is sensitive to heat and cold.

So if you want an exotic animal, as a pet, you would definitely love a Coatimundi.  As long as you follow a few basic rules, you and your Coati with have a long lasting, loving, and happy relationship.