Tip Of The Week For The Week Of May 5, 2025 - Pet Licensing (Photo) -05/01/25

PET LICENSING   
 

Pet ownership comes with many responsibilities to keep you, your pet, and your community safe. Lincoln County requires all dogs hold a valid license pursuant to ORS 609.100. Cat licenses are optional but are encouraged because they can help reunite you with your cat if they are lost. 

In addition to being required by law, licensing your dog can save their life and speed up the process of returning them to you. One of Lincoln County Animal Shelter’s goals is to be able to reunite all lost pets with their families. In 2024, our animal shelter helped 171 lost pets reunite with their families. Having a licensed pet can help speed up the process of being reunited when your pet is lost.

If happy reunions are not enough motivation, failure to obtain a dog license can result in a $265 fine. All dogs in the county are required to be licensed within thirty days of residence. This is a requirement regardless of where you live in Lincoln County and whether your dog leaves your property or not. While cat licenses are not required, they help can reunite families with their feline friends.

You may easily purchase or renew a license by mail, over the phone, at the Animal Shelter, or online. Applications and additional information are available online at: www.co.lincoln.or.us/695/Pet-Licensing.

Why licensing is important:

• License tags allow us to contact you as soon as possible. This provides peace of mind, leaves space at the shelter for other animals in need, and saves tax-payer money.

• License fees support shelter programs and operations which provide over 1,000 animals with food, veterinary care, shelter, training, behavior enrichment, and adoption services each year.

• License fees support field services and investigations which address loose pets, aggressive dogs, and bite reports.

• License fees allow Animal Services to investigate, seize, and care for animals who are victims of cruelty and neglect.

• License fees support our pet retention programs which help people keep their pets.

• If your animal is found injured and wearing its license, it is much easier for us to obtain emergency medical attention for them and to contact you with the details.

• Identification is critically important for your pet in the event of a disaster.

• If your dog is impounded, current on their license, and spayed or neutered, the first $30 impound fee is waived.

• License fees are an important way the community supports our policy of not euthanizing for time or space. These fees also support finding new homes for as many animals as possible.

Please keep your pets safe with a license, ID tag, and microchip. Remember to search for your lost pet at the Lincoln County Animal Shelter at 510 NE Harney St. in Newport and by calling 541-265-0720. You can help reunite lost pets by following the Animal Shelter’s Facebook page at LincolnCountyLostandFoundPets.
 

For more information and tips visit our website at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.

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Tip Of The Week For The Week Of April 28, 2025 - Wildfire Preparedness (Photo) -04/24/25

WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS    
 

Oregon had a record breaking 1.9 million acres burned by wildfire in 2024. That was the most acreage burned in 30 years and 18 times as much acreage as in 2023. The current year started with destructive fires in California and has continued in several areas of the country with nearly 823,000 acres burned so far.

May is a great time to learn about wildfires and prepare your home before the surrounding land dries out. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Have a Plan. Develop an emergency plan using this evacuation checklist as a guide. Include a communications plan with your family and friends and at least one person out of the area.

2. Know about evacuation levels and sign up for emergency alerts at oralert.gov.

3. Clear a defensible space around your home. Start with 5 feet around your home, then work your way up to a 30-foot distance. This is a buffer-zone that can protect your home in case a wildfire is coming. 

4. Use safe backyard burning practices. Escaped debris burning is the leading cause of human-caused wildfires in Oregon. 

5. Use care with power equipment. Do yard clean up in the spring, not in the summer. Equipment fire is usually the second leading cause of human-caused wildfire.  

6. Check your home address marker – can you see it from the street? If not, trim overgrown vegetation or move the marker so first responders can find you if they need to. 

7. Build a 72-hour kit for your family and pets. Get tips at www.ready.gov/kit . 

8. Document your possessions and store this digitally or away from your home. A video can work for this. 

9. Prepare financially for a disaster. The Division of Financial Regulation has information on insurance and other financial considerations

10. For more wildfire prevention tips, visit www.keeporegongreen.org

For more information and tips visit our website at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.

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Update To 4/23/25, 8:12pm Community Advisory: NO Active Threat, No Further Law Enforcement Activity In The Area. -04/24/25

Community Advisory: Ongoing Law Enforcement Activity - NO Active Threat -04/23/25

Tip Of The Week For The Week Of April 21, 2025 - Spring Scam Reminder (Photo) -04/17/25

SPRING SCAM REMINDER

April showers bring May flowers but scams are always in-season. Ever year Oregonians fall victim to scams from criminals disguising themselves as legitimate organizations or businesses. They are quite savvy in getting you to provide your personal information and create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly.

One popular scam we see in Lincoln County is via phone call. Scammers pretend to be from our agency or another organization calling regarding jury duty, an outstanding fees, etc. Then they pressure you to pay a fine or bail money, often in Bitcoin, gift cards, or other non-traditional payment forms. You should know our office will NOT ask for payment over the phone. Before you share any information with the caller, collect their name, agency, and reason for calling. Then hang up and look up the organization’s real contact information to confirm the call is legitimate. Save our contact information below so that you can quickly verify someone from our office calling.

Protect yourself from scams:

• Use caution, especially with those you are not familiar with.
  • When you receive unexpected contacts from people or businesses, over the phone, by mail, email, in person, or on social media, always consider the possibility that the interaction may be a scam.
  • Remember to call or log on to the organization’s real website to verify the information you’ve been given is accurate.
  • Verify the caller is from a legitimate organization before sharing any information. If you have trouble verifying an organization’s phone number or website, consider stopping by their office to speak with someone in person.
• Protect your passwords and personal information.
  • Always use password protection.
  • Don’t share access with others.
  • Update security software and back up content regularly.
  • Protect your Wi-Fi network with a password.
  • Avoid using public computers or Wi-Fi hotspots to access online banking or other personal information.
• Ignore unfamiliar attachments or links.
  • Don’t click on links, open attachments, attempt to unsubscribe, or call any telephone number listed in suspicious messages.
  • Do NOT give any money, credit card info, or other personal details.
  • When in doubt, look up the organization’s website or phone number and contact them directly.
• Save contact information from official organization’s ahead of time.
  • Anytime you open a bank account, work with a company, etc., save that organization’s phone number, website, and address so that you can reach out to them if you receive something suspicious or have questions about someone from their agency contacting you.
• Know what an organization will and won’t ask for over the phone or through email.
  • The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office will NOT ask you for payment over the phone.
  • Most government agencies will not ask for sensitive information such as social security numbers, passwords, etc. over the phone.
• Help friends and family learn how to spot a scam.
  • Protect others by helping them learn and follow scam prevention tips.
  • Encourage loved ones of all ages to tell you about or otherwise report suspicious calls, texts, emails, and social media messages. Remind them to verify the person or organization sending the message before they reply back, provide information, or click on any links.

How to know if information is really from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office:

• It is on our official website: lincolncountysheriff.net/
• Our staff can verify the information is true. Give us a call at 541-265-4277 if you have questions about a service or need to connect with someone in our Office.
• It comes directly from our Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, NOT a third party or a comment from another Facebook user.
•  It comes from one of our other Facebook accounts: Lincoln County Animal Shelter or Lincoln County Oregon Emergency Management

For more information and tips visit our website at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.

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4/11/25 - Statement Regarding Incident At Waldport City Council Meeting (Photo) -04/11/25

STATEMENT REGARDING INCIDENT AT WALDPORT CITY COUNCIL MEETING
 

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, Sheriff Shanks was requested to attend the Waldport City Council Meeting to present and answer any questions on an agenda item regarding the continuance of the police services contract between the Sheriff’s Office and the City of Waldport. 

Leading up to the meeting, there were concerns from City Council members and the City Manager anticipating a disruption involving former Mayor Heide Lambert in response to a decision made by the City Council on April 3, 2025, which formally removed her from office in accordance with the city’s governing charter. 
  

During the public meeting, Ms. Lambert took a seat at the council’s table and proceeded to make a statement. After being asked multiple times by members of the City Council to vacate the seat reserved for current officials, Ms. Lambert refused to comply which prohibited council from proceeding with the meeting.  

Sheriff’s Office members attempted to de-escalate the situation. The Sheriff spoke with Ms. Lambert and explained she could leave the council table without consequences; he also explained the legal consequences pursuant to ORS 166.025 if she refused to comply with the lawful order to leave the council table. After continued refusal, Ms. Lambert was escorted outside and cited for disorderly conduct. She was released at the scene and then allowed to re-enter the building to attend the meeting in the public seating area with other community members.  
 
In Oregon, public meetings, such as City Council meetings, are open to the public. While public attendance is allowed and encouraged, there are rules (such as Robert’s Rules of Order or local ordinances). This means someone disrupting those proceedings can legally be removed.  
  
We recognize this event has caused concern and strong emotions within our community. Our office does not take such actions lightly. Regardless of a person’s status or position, the law applies equally to everyone. When a lawful order is issued and refused, our duty is to uphold the law while maintaining order and safety.   
 

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to transparency, impartiality, and respectful enforcement of the law. 

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Tip Of The Week For The Week Of April 14, 2025 - Distracted Driving (Photo) -04/10/25

DISTRACTED DRIVING  
 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has declared April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Distracted driving is any activity that takes the driver’s attention away from driving. Cell phone use including texting, talking on the phone, or using social media are some of the activities that are the most dangerous. This is because cell phone use takes your visual, manual, cognitive, and auditory attention away from driving.

While cell phones are some of the most dangerous distractions, other activities such as eating, talking with passengers, grooming, and reading can be dangerous and deadly. According to the NHTSA, 3,275 people were killed by distracted driving in 2023. You can learn more about the dangers of distracted driving by visiting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month” webpage.

Use these tips to help keep your car distraction free:

• Don’t call or text while driving. Instead, pull over in a safe place to read and send texts or make a phone call.

• Establish a “co-pilot” passenger to manage your cell phone, GPS, and other distractions.

• Look up your destination ahead of time and become familiar with the area. This will help prevent the need to look at GPS while driving.

• Enjoy your meal at home, in the restaurant, or while parked safely. Eating while driving increases your risk of traffic collisions and the likelihood of choking.

• Keep pets crated or otherwise secured for safety. This will help keep your furry friend safer in the event of a crash and prevents them from crawling onto your lap or other distracting activities.

• Recruit the whole family for distraction-free driving. Teach your children the importance of keeping your attention on the road even before they can drive.

• If your children need help, pull over to help address their needs instead of reaching to the backseat while driving. 

• Encourage friends and family to drive distraction-free. By speaking up, you may save their life and others on the road.

For more information and tips visit our website at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.

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