Is Oregon for me? (Portland, Eugene: daycares, hotels, school)

[Mariarox76]

Hi there,

I'm in my mid 30's single, no kids, except my furry 4 legged ones.. I'm a California Native, SF bay area, San Jose to be exact. Although I love it here, it's changed alot and I'm tired of the rat race..Unless you make 150k here its really hard to make it work..I'm an active person, I love nature and being outside doing different activities. I also frequent farmers markets, whole foods and I'm vegan/vegetarian.. My line of work is working with animals. I dog walk/train and pet sit.. I'm also thinking of going back to school for Veterinary tech work.. My passion is animals, I volunteer alot and like to be involved in rescue and shelter/sanctuary organizations.. I've been considering a few different states to relocate to Washington State, Oregon and Colorado..possibly Idaho..

My questions about Oregon are is it a pet friendly community? Which area of Oregon best suits my lifestyle and career?

What is the weather honestly like there?

I don't mind 4 seasons, I don't mind rain or heat.. I just don't like dry air hot or cold (my skin and hair hate it).. I also don't like humidity.. I don't mind some moisture or some humidity but not like Florida or the South..

Thank You for any help..

[Twilighter]

The Portland area is very pet friendly. Check out Oregon Humane Society and the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland for volunteer opportunities. There are a number of dog daycares, pet hotels, pet sitting services, even pet taxis.

[Nell Plotts]

Our veterinary programs are at Oregon State in Corvallis.

[sayulita]

Central Oregon and probably Eastern Oregon would not work for you as it's very dry there. I'd look at Portland, Eugene or Corvallis just because of the larger populations allowing you more opportunities to pursue your passion. And the humidity in those areas is nothing compared to Florida or the South. And I second the fact that we are very pet friendly. Portland has some amazing Farmer's Markets and plenty of vegan/vegetarian friendly places.

[Minervah]

Portland Community College has courses in Veterinary Technician studies if you decide to take classes.

Veterinary Technology | PCC

[Mariarox76]

Thanks guys I appreciate the feedback.. How hot does it get in Portland? Humidity? Dry?

[kyled]

It gets bone-chillingly cold in Idaho so I don't recommend going there. I absolutely detest the heat and love the cold but even for me it was just too cold there...got down to -30F. It's also really really dry there. So dry my nose would bleed at least once a week.

[Nell Plotts]

A couple times a year we do get 100F+ temps. Those who can drive to the coast where it is almost guaranteed to be foggy and cool on those days.

We don't have a dry climate. Humidity is moderate.

[NWGirl74]

I'm a dog owner and I find Portland to be incredibly pet friendly. It's also pretty vegan/vegetarian friendly-and one of the few places I don't get funny looks when I say "I don't eat baby animals." Hiking is a popular activity here and the only time I notice the humidity is when I'm at the airport having just returned to PDX for some reason.

[skiffrace]

Hello Maria,
Fellow animal lover and PDX denizen here. I know Seattle well too, and Idaho a little bit.
I think that Seattle and Portland should be on the top of your list. Both are large, progressive cities.
This means a lot of people here view animals as our little brothers and sisters, not meat products.
Small towns and the countryside are the opposite. Sadistic, cold-blooded killers (who call themselves "hunters" or worse yet "sportsmen" - fat men who can't run 100 yards) are the norm in those places. Not the type of places you want to be.
As far as Idaho: Boise is (sort of) large city. However, it is in the middle of an ultra-conservative state, which means the attitude described in the paragraph above is typical.
Both Seattle and PDX have their pros and cons for you. Seattle is larger (=more opportunities), but also more expensive. Rents are cheaper in PDX, but finding work or training may be harder.
I think you should look for work and school opportunities before you come. Since you live in SF bay area, you can pop-in for a weekend or two if you need. Then decide where to move.
Climate-wise, both Seattle and PDX are very similar, but I'd give a slight edge to PDX. It rains a little less, and it has a bit more sunshine than Seattle. In both cases, no need to worry about heat+humidity.
We can count on fingers of one hand the number of days when the temperatures are above the comfort zone (and again, it's a dry heat)
The biggest worry is the rain and darkness that persist much of the year. If you can deal with them you are fine.
Good luck