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.

Since its inception, the program has helped more than 6,000 animals and made the holiday season that much brighter for countless Sisters families.

Dry cat and dog food 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. You can donate online at www.

furryfriendsfoundation.org. 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 5, pet lovers can get themselves a holiday souvenir they'll treasure, through Pet Photos with Santa. Bring your furry friend to the Maida Bailey Building (the old library) behind 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.

Give a gift for the animal-lovers in your life with Furry Friends Foundation hand-painted Christmas tree ornaments. 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."

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

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