Virtually Pets

Where do the pets in rescues come from? Everywhere. Many of them are pulled from the shelters to give them the best chance possible for a good life. Others are turned in when there’s enough room. Still others are found on the street by the rescuers themselves.

Rescue organizations are often mistaken for immortal superheroes who’ll take in any pet brought to them and give a huge smile in return. No. They’re human beings who are overtaxed by both their love and concern for cats, dogs and other creatures and by certain people’s expectations that they’ll do for them because they cannot or will not.

Rescuers rely on fund-raising to get their charges adoptable. Spay/neuter, vet visits and food cost money—plenty of it. People who rescue animals as often as not dip into their own pockets for funds.

I realize that I’m starting to rant and that this isn’t Facebook or Nextdoor. If you read this column, you likely know what rescues and rescuers go through. You’re also probably part of the population that supports rescues and makes the efforts worthwhile. So pass this forward—this weekend, there’s an autumn harvest of pet-related functions to attend, where you can adopt, help fundraise, or both (see “Places to Go, Pets to Support”). Our shelter and spcaLA animals will be rockin’ it at the Subaru-sponsored no-fee event at the P. D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village, spayed or neutered, vetted and ready to go home with you! (While you’re there, thank the Subaru rep for doing this, and be sure to thank a shelter employee or volunteer). Fix Long Beach will be doing its part again to turn off the faucet and limit the flow of unwanted pets that wind up in the shelter. And the most diverse group of ministers will be blessing pets on Sunday.

Photo by Grigorito Ko.

And for lots of fun, two wonderful underfunded rescues will be the beneficiaries of a two-day Halloween event! Live Love Animal Rescue and The Little Lion Foundation are throwing the party—there’ll be a pet photographer (dogs on Saturdays and cats on Sundays, which is a pretty good idea), costume contests, goodie bags, and raffles. The rescues will get funding, you and your pet will have a good time (can’t speak for the cats, of course, but remember the leashes and carriers!)—kind of like a two-way trick-or-treat.

Let’s make that three-way. There will be adoptions there as well, and what could be better than to bring home a new friend at the beginning of the holiday season? The answer is that every day at a safe, loving home will be a holiday for a cat or a dog!

Here are a couple of previews:

Contact woof@livelovepetcare.com for adoption information from Live Love Animal Rescue:

Puma is a sweet senior that enjoys walks and taking the time to stop and smell the flowers. Puma has mild seizures that he takes medication for, but this is easily  managed,  so please  don’t let that  deter you from this handsome, sweet boy.  He is crate trained and likes to be around other dogs after proper introductions. After a walk, Puma likes to have his belly and chin rubbed and then just chill out. His favorite activity? Cuddling and lying in your lap, because this big snuggle bug thinks  he’s a lap dog!  He’s super-friendly with all people and is ready to be a part of a cozy loving home.

With a face like Leroy’s, who needs a mask! Don’t miss out on our affectionate, goofy and playful boy who has been with our amazing trainer working on his basic obedience skills, socialization with other dogs, and leash skills. Leroy has excelled in the past month with all his training! True to the pibble nature, Leroy enjoys being around people and is eager to please his humans. He loves a routine of activity and then would be happy to just Netflix and Chill! He’s a great companion who is crate trained, walks great on a leash with no pulling, enjoys other dogs his size that are mellow with proper introduction, but is wary of cats. Leroy would do best in a home with humans that would be enthusiastic about continuing his training that has helped him to understand healthy boundaries. Live Love Animal Rescue will provide the ongoing training to his foster or forever family! If you are looking for a loyal, loving, and goofy companion then Leroy is your boy!

To adopt from The Little Lion Foundation, access this application.

Mama Kate is a sweet, three-legged 3-year-old girl that was found on the streets of Long Beach with a shattered leg and babies! She successfully raised her kittens and then had her front-left leg amputated. She’s been spayed, microchipped, vaccinated, tested for FIV/FELV, and her three legs don’t stop her at all! She’s now ready for her forever home. She’d would do best in a home with maybe one or two other cats, but would definitely love to be the center of attention! She’s currently in a foster home with dogs big and small, and while she’s not best friends with them, she tolerates them being around.

BonBon and Gomby are 12-week-old siblings. BonBon’s a little tortie girl, and Gomby’s a tiny orange boy. They’re currently being fostered but are ready to go home.

I thought long and hard about sharing this video from PopSugar, a page for foodies. Instead of posting it, I’ll link it—the video features adoptable kittens from The Little Lion Foundation and is an indelicately titled and executed recipe for fudge that sounds pretty tasty but is formed in a litter box. Fill in the blanks, and access here, if your stomach can handle it.

Places to Go, Pets to Support

Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic
Saturday, October 14, 7:30AM–4:00PM, Houghton Park, 6500 Atlantic Avenue (near Jordan High), Long Beach
Free to qualifying residents; free microchips; low-cost shots ($10 each); $10 flea med doses

The grassroots free spay/neuter organization Fix Long Beach invites you to make an appointment for your unfixed dog, or get vouchers for free procedures for your dog or cat! These clinics are generously sponsored through Hope for Paws and Eldad Hagar.

Visit this link for qualifications and an application for your appointment. There is also a donation button to help Fix Long Beach continue their efforts. Click the organization’s Amazon Wish List link to donate items, or bring them to the event if you find a better deal!

Let’s continue to help make Long Beach no kill, one pet at a time!

Subaru Loves Pets Fee-Waived Adoption Event
Saturday, October 14, 11:00AM–3:00PM, Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS), 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach
Adoption fees waived.

Thanks to a generous grant from ASPCA, ACS is partnering with Timmons Subaru of Long Beach to bring you the Subaru Loves Pets fee-waived adoption event. Take the opportunity to save a life!

Halloween Pet Photo Fund-Raiser
Saturday, October 14, and Sunday, October 15, 11:00AM–5:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Donation basis; adoption fees apply

Peek-a-boo! We’re watchin’ you! The Little Lion Foundation and Live Love Animal Rescue present a howling Halloween fund-raiser and adoption event for you and your pet. There are two backdrops to choose from, so get those costumes ready and make sure to bring your furry family member and get their 2017 Halloween/fall photos! There will be a dog costume contest at 1:00PM on Saturday and a cat costume contest at 1:00PM on Sunday, and the wonderful Moon Cat Café will be there with adoptable kitties!

Saturday de-tails:

• Dog Raffle Basket – $10 per ticket
• Costume Contest – $5 per pet entry
• Halloween/Fall Photos – $20 per photo

You’ll support these tireless rescues and the pets at the same time! Hope to see you there!

16th Annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 15, 5:45PM, Granada Avenue Boat Launch at Rosie’s Dog Beach, 1 Granada Avenue, Long Beach
Free event

Dogs, cats, bunnies, hissing cockroaches, serpents of all sizes, chickens, horsies, ducks, parrots, komodo dragons—all are welcome to be blessed by clergy of various faiths. Of course, they come blessed already, but this beautiful event reminds us of this every year. More than 300 animals from homes and farms—and of course, the ones already in the ocean—will be in attendance. The procession of the farm animals and clergy down the 100-foot red carpet starts at 5:45PM, and the approximately. 30-minute ceremony takes place as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean—quite a picturesque site at this time of year. The event is sponsored by Justin Rudd’s nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT) and Haute Dogs. All well-behaved pets are welcome; if your pet chooses not to come or has passed on, please bring a photo. Note: The city government requires all pets to have proof of rabies vaccination; please bring the paperwork.

There will be a moment of blessing, silence and vigil at the beginning of the service for pets who are unfortunately involved with sport dog fighting and other inhumane, unethical treatment.

Dr. Greg Perrault, owner of Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital,  will be the official on-site vet during this blessing of the animals. Free parking after 6 p.m. in the beachfront lot in the metered spaces. Non-metered spaces charge $1/hour. Street parking is free. More information available here.

CatPAWS Restaurant Fund-Raiser
Monday, October 16, 11:00AM–10:00PM, Domenico’s Italian Restaurant, 5339 East Second Street, Long Beach
Menu prices apply

Funiculi, funicula! Joy is everywhere, because you get to eat Italian food in one of Long Beach’s most venerable restaurants and the owners will give 25 percent of the tab to Helen Sanders CatPAWS will be hosting a fundraiser at Domenico’s Italian Restaurant in Long Beach! Help this great group raise money for cats in need while enjoying your favorite pizza, pasta, and salad, either dine-in or takeout! Please bring above flier!

K9’s Uncorked Benefit for the Pups
Saturday, October 21, 5:00PM–8:00PM, Harvey Girls Gallery, 130 ½ Main Street, Seal Beach
Ticket prices $35 online, $40 at door

Who doesn’t love wine and food? Better yet, who doesn’t love animals? Join the K9 Kismet rescue for the fund-raising party of the year in the eclectic little beach community of Seal Beach! In addition to wine and food (human and dog) tastings, we will have live jazz music, adoptable dogs, a silent auction, a raffle, boutique shopping and a glass-etching class (bring your own wineglass)! Costume up yourself and your dog, and come on and paw-ty! Sponsorship donation and tickets can be purchased here or at two Seal Beach locations: Harvey Girls Gallery 130 1/2 Main St. or Ever After Skin Care, 550 Pacific Coast Highway, #211 (upstairs).You do not want to miss this one!

Fix Long Beach Tiki Fund-Raiser
Saturday, November 4, 3:00PM–7:00PM, Alfredo’s Beach Kayak Club, 130 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach
Free to attend

Bixby Dog Park Grand Opening
Saturday, November 4, 11:00AM, Bixby Park, 5411 East Ocean Boulevard at 54th Place, Long Beach
Tickets $40, $15 each for children under 12. Dinner included

Fix Long Beach can help fix those randy pets and make sure than none are born. Come get your limbo on at this adventurous fund-raiser! Raise a glass and raise funds at the same time at our Tiki Tent! Bid on an ocean of stuff in the silent auction, win awesome door prizes, and try your luck at the opportunity tables. Get your tickets now!

Admission includes dinner, dessert, drinks and entertainment, including a limbo contest! Tickets may be purchased for $40 (children under 12yrs: $15) here. Our mobile spay/neuter clinics help reduce animal overpopulation in our shelters and our streets. We need the chant of the Tiki to support our efforts!

Friends of El Dorado Park’s Holiday Bone-anza
Sunday, November 19, 10:00AM–4:00PM, Good Neighbor Park, 2800 Studebaker Road, Long Beach
Free to attend

This year’s Bone-anza will be a fun-filled event featuring food trucks, vendors for your holiday shopping, contests, a DJ featuring Christmas sounds, elves, your doggie’s photo with Santa, and a silent auction and a raffle featuring great gifts from our sponsors. All proceeds from both the calendar (see Countin the Days in Humane Ways) and the event will go to support enhancements of the El Dorado Dog Park.

Ongoing

Free Pet Food Distributions

Papa, a big “teddy bear” of a dog, sits with his human in Ashlee’s Pet Care station at Beacon for Him.

Beacon for Him has extended an outreach for people experiencing homelessness and their pets. Pet food, primarily dog food, is available at their facility at 439 West Anaheim Street, Mondays from 9:00AM to noon and Saturdays from noon to 3:00PM. A dog-washing station with a stainless-steel tub is also available onsite at these hours. Donations and supplies such as shampoo, flea control and, of course, pet food are always gratefully accepted.

The Pet Food Bank is sponsored by Christian Outreach in Action. COA is located at 515 E 3rd St, Long Beach. Hours are Thursday from 9:00AM to 11:00AM.

Feline Good Social Club Indiegogo Fundraiser

Click here to donate

Help us get a cat cafe in Long Beach! This troop of dedicated rescuers are requesting funds to open a place where cat lovers can commune with felines strolling the premises, sip a beverage, munch a pastry, maybe read the book or newspaper, and pretend that they’re in a cottage in Maine waiting for Jessica Fletcher to ring the bell. This will be a great addition and will also help to get the kitties adopted–who can resist a bond forged over coffee?

Shelter-Enrichment Supplies Needed for ACS Dogs!
Drop-off: Wednesdays through Fridays, 10:00AM–5:30PM and Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00AM–4:00PM, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach
Individual donations requested

ACS is continuing our kennel enrichment activities for our canine guests here and could use so more donations (there are plenty for the cats!). Here is what’s needed:

• creamy peanut butter
• yogurt
• beef broth (canned or in the box)
• chicken broth (canned or in the box)
• incense
• carabiner clips (heavy duty)
• ice cube trays

Donations are tax deductible. Our pups say thanks so much!

Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) Information for Low-Cost Vaccinations and Spay/Neuter Clinics
7700 East Spring Street at entrance to El Dorado Park (no fee for shelter visitors), Long Beach
Prices vary

Vouchers that take a big bite, so to speak, out of the cost of spay/neuter procedures are available at ACS during their public hours. Visit this link for information on clinics that accept the vouchers and for other spay/neuter assistance.

For low-cost vaccines, visit this link. Note that pet owners must be 18 years or older, all pets must be on leashes or in carriers, and only healthy and non-pregnant animals will be vaccinated. Please bring prior vaccination information with you to the clinic. Vaccination and microchip services are provided for pets residing in any city. Licensing is provided for residents within our jurisdiction at Saturday clinics; please bring your renewal notice and rabies certificate with you.