Pet owner in the Rogue Valley of southern Oregon.(Rogue Valley Street Dogs)

In a society of rugged individualism, people often find themselves needing assistance from others, like neighbors, local community organizations, and even state and federal programs that provide temporary assistance. For pets of low-income residents, and stray animals that wander the streets, collective support of the village/community is also needed.

Joining the Exchange are two guests: Laurie Cuddy is president of Rogue Valley Street Dogs; and Amanda Linnehan is president and executive director of Rogue Community Cat Rescue.

Efforts to spay and neuter are not always affordable options for low-income residents. And without such procedures, pets and stray animals (that have no designated owner), often reproduce and increase the population of vulnerable animals in a community, which can pose a variety of problems and health risks. Controlling the population of pets and stray animals takes a village/community to cooperate and collaborate.