Help your Furry Friends this Christmas season

Pets are beloved members of the family for many folks in Sisters Country. For families in need, helping take care of their pets takes a major stress off their shoulders.

The Sisters community has done just that ever since 1992, supporting the Furry Friends Pet Food Drive, held in conjunction with the Kiwanis Holiday Food Share program and the Sisters-Camp Sherman fire department's annual toy drive.

Last year, the drive fed 401 pets. Since its inception, the program has helped 5,698 animals and made the holiday season that much brighter for countless Sisters families.

Donations are currently being taken at The Nugget office at 442 E. Main Ave. Cash donations are greatly appreciated, as they allow targeted purchases of pet food for pets other than dogs and cats and for animals with specific dietary requirements. Checks payable to Furry Friends Foundation can also be mailed to P.O. Box 698, Sisters, OR, 97759.

You can also purchase pet food at Sisters Feed & Supply, and they'll deliver it for you.

On December 6, pet lovers can get themselves a holiday souvenir they'll treasure, through Pet Photos with Santa. Bring your furry friend to the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce office at 391 E. Main Ave. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and get a portrait done with St. Nick, taken by pet photography specialist Jodi Schneider McNamee.

The event is all indoors - no waiting outside in the winter chill.

Give a gift for the animal-lovers in your life with a Furry Friends Foundation hand-painted Christmas tree ornament. They can be personalized with a pet's name.

"We have people who come in and buy them for every dog and cat they know," said Furry Friends founder Kiki Dolson. "They make a great hostess gift."

Another great gift idea is the 2015 Furry Friends calendar, featuring dogs Sisters loves. Purchase for $12 or two for $20.

Proceeds from the pet photos session and sales of the ornaments and calendar go to support Furry Friends' food drive, a year-round pet food bank, and assistance with getting pets spayed and neutered.

"Shelters are still seeing kittens come in," Dolson noted.

She encourages pet owners in Sisters to contact her at 541-549-9941 to find out about support for spay and neuter services.