![\"This](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/This-Weeks-Goal.jpg\")
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Shelter overpopulation is a people problem. People in the animal-welfare community, me included, iterate and reiterate this constantly. A recent article in the Press-Telegram<\/i><\/a> detailed a paper written by a locally based animal-welfare group whose mission is to make Long Beach a no-kill city (more about this in a future Pet Post) and responding comments from ACS manager Ted Stevens, and my former co-writer, Judy Crumpton. I support the shelter\u2019s efforts and will continue to do so, and I repeat: Shelter and rescue overcrowding will continue without proper funding and especially without people becoming educated about shelter overpopulation and pet health and what they can do about both.<\/p>\n Low-cost and no-cost spay\/neuter procedures are available thanks to the efforts of Friends of Long Beach Animals, Fix Long Beach and Justin Rudd\u2019s Community Action Team, coupled with spay\/neuter vouchers from the shelter and fund-raising by businesses and private parties. But humans have to proactively avail themselves of these things. Tell your friends. No-kill ain\u2019t gonna happen without a concerted effort by pet owners.<\/p>\n And now that I\u2019m done with my small vent (I held my tongue, for I am a timid soul), here are a couple of great grassroots efforts:<\/p>\n I\u2019m losing count\u2014I think this is the ninth clinic\u2014but so what? What counts is that nearly 300 pets have been altered in just a few months of Fix Long Beach\u2019s existence and that the number will no doubt be surpassed this weekend. The clinic\u2019s appointment list is filled for this session, but there is a waiting list at 7AM. No appointments are necessary<\/strong> for low-cost inoculations for dogs and cats, microchipping, deworming and defleaing meds, and nail trimming.<\/p>\n \u201cThe demand is so high that we can\u2019t keep up!\u201d founder Claudia Hoffman proclaimed in a Facebook post\u2014and how encouraging that is!<\/p>\n These mobile veterinary clinics can cost up to $3,500, and donations are needed and appreciated. To donate, visit Fix Long Beach\u2019s Facebook page<\/a> or their website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Local Vet Rewards Community Activist\u2019s Spay\/Neuter Program<\/strong><\/p>\n On Saturday, Oct. 5, Justin Rudd accepted a check for $4,556.30 from Dr. Greg Perrault, DVM, veterinary surgeon at Cats & Dogs Animal Hospital in Long Beach. The veterinary matched donations dollar for dollar to go toward Rudd\u2019s Community Action Team\u2019s spay\/neuter fund and also supplied T-shirts (see photo) to commemorate the event. Refreshments, including an elaborately decorated cake from Rossmoor pastries, were served, and community members enjoyed the day. Justin and Greg and all donors\u2014thank you on behalf of all the pets!<\/p>\n Justin Rudd is presented with check from Greg Perrault and his and partner Cookie Braude’s dog Alejandro. Also in attendance were Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal, Lowenthal’s field representative Tim Patton, Mrs. Long Beach Kym Cloughesy, and Delaney Cloughesy (front, right, near feet).<\/em><\/p>\n The figurines are made of icing. Someone warned me before I touched them.<\/em><\/p>\n Photo by Jim “Woody” Woods<\/em><\/p>\n 300+ Animals of Various Denominations Blessed at Interfaith Blessing of the Animals<\/strong><\/p>\n Toward sundown on Oct. 5, Justin Rudd, his volunteers and clergy of several faiths gathered at the Granada Boat Launch to bring their pets to be blessed. There was the expected majority of dogs and a few cats, and there were also a sizeable lizard, a cockatiel, a huge turtle, a falcon, a couple of snakes, and farm animals that included horses, ducks, chickens, rabbits, pigs, sheep, goats and an alpaca. There was even a couple with three adopted mallards who followed them around the beach, unimpressed by the large number of animals. It looked like a children\u2019s alphabet book. The partridge stayed at home in the pear tree.<\/p>\n Rudd\u2019s personal blessing at the beginning of the event included a moment of silence for pets who had passed on and a call to be mindful of the animals living in the ocean nearby as well as all of them in their natural (and feral) habitats. This was particularly fitting, as I\u2019ve always felt that it isn\u2019t the animals who need blessing but instead the humans who are their caregivers either at home or in the wild, and we need to be blessed to become aware.<\/p>\n (All photos below are by Jim “Woody” Woods<\/a><\/em> except for the one of the duck and me, which was taken with my camera by Itchy Paws<\/a>‘ <\/em>Stefanie Villalobos)<\/em><\/p>\n “Whoa, do I need to be blessed!”<\/em><\/p>\n Fr. Tony Graf administers to an angel of considerable size.<\/em><\/p>\n The quacker is actually named Graham. He ate my earring, but as his handlers assured me, all things must pass.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00dcbervolunteer Marleen Hurtado and one of the three little pigs. (Can a rabbi bless a pig?)<\/em><\/p>\n Little Miss Southern California Cities Sierra Hosley and hoss.<\/em><\/p>\n Mrs. Long Beach Kym Cloughesy upstaged by Cotton the alpaca.<\/em><\/p>\n From left: Pastor Samuel Nieva, Rudd, Bishop Chris Carpenter, and Rev. Suzanne Shipp<\/em><\/p>\n This dog is an absolute sweetheart and behaved just like Marmaduke, but check out the feet. They’re a result of a birth defect that manifested as the dog grew from puppyhood. His human told me that all the dogs from what he described as a puppy mill turned out that way. May all the unlucky pets from torture chambers be as blessed as this big guy, and may all such places be shut down forever.<\/em><\/p>\n Pastor Andre Alexsen, seen here with Pastor Samuel Nieva, brought the holy wafers.<\/em><\/p>\n A bucolic, atmospheric end to a lovely evening.<\/em><\/p>\n Clergy included Bishop Chris Carpenter, bishop of the Reformed Catholic Church Community of the Resurrection; Fr. Tony Graf, Reformed Catholic priest; Andre Alexsen, pastor, Calvary Church; Rev. Dr. Angela Chester, Blessings All Around, Nondenominational; Mike Goldsworthy, lead pastor at Parkcrest Christian Church<\/a>; Pastor Samuel Nieva, Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church, Compton; Kim Masumi, Nichiren Buddhist, SGI-USA; Ava Park, Goddess Temple of Orange County; and Rev. Suzanne Shipp, ordained with the Universal Life Church, Long Beach. See more photos here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jozay\u2019s Gone Home!<\/strong><\/p>\n Jozay\u2019s rescuer e-mailed me to let me know that a family consisting of a couple of parents, two dog-loving boys and two spoiled dogs saw Jozay on the Pet Post and took him home. \u201cThey are willing to work with this naughty dog\u2019s \u2018separation issues\u2019 even though he chewed nine plantation shutters when they were only gone for one hour!\u201d the rescuer said. This is one of the reasons why I grit my teeth and get this column up!<\/p>\n Thursday, Oct. 10, Long Beach Animal Care Services Fund-Raiser, Veggie Grill, The Marketplace in Long Beach, 6451 PCH, Long Beach, 4\u201310PM<\/strong><\/p>\n What better way to eat your nice vegetables? Present or mention the flier above, and 50 percent of your food and beverage purchases will go to the Long Beach Animal Care Services.<\/p>\n Saturday, Oct. 19, spcaLA October Mobile Adoption, PetSmart, Long Beach Towne Center, 7631 Carson Blvd., Long Beach, 10AM\u20133PM<\/strong><\/p>\n Can\u2019t make it to an spcaLA Pet Adoption Center? We come to you! Meet our adorable adoptables at the Town Center PetSmart!<\/p>\n Saturday, Oct. 26, spcaLA\u2019s Sixth Annual Howl-o-ween Spooktacular, spcaLA Marketplace at the Pitchford Companion Animal Village, 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach, 1\u20133PM<\/strong><\/p>\n Join the fun! Win prizes for the best, scariest, funniest and best homemade pet costumes. Pets will have their own trick-or-treat as well as bobbing for \u201capples\u201d and hide-a-treat games (a pet\u2019s answer to geocaching!). There will be free agility play with equipment like jumps, tunnels and the A-frames and, of course, vendors, giveaways and prize drawings.<\/p>\n Sunday, Oct. 27, Haute Dog Howl\u2019oween Parade and Fair, Marina Vista Park, 5335 Eliot St. (by E. Colorado Street and Santiago Avenue), 12:30\u20134:30PM<\/strong><\/p>\n After your pet has recovered from all the partying on Saturday, bring him or her to the world\u2019s largest Halloween event for pets, with an expected attendance of over 500 pets and even more gawkers. Be your buddy a zombie, a political figure or a transspecies dresser, he or she is eligible for great prizes and a bagful of fun! There will be vendors, games, awards for best costumes for humans and pets and for floats, and a bulldog-kissing booth. Best of all, funds from the event go to spay\/neuter programs, adoption\/rescue groups, Operation Santa Paws and other Long Beach service projects. Registration is $10 per pet ($35 for VIP, which gives you and your pet placement in the parade\u2019s forefront. Halloween will be here before you can say \u201cBoo,\u201d so click here<\/a> to register your pet.<\/p>\n Volunteers Needed for the <\/strong>Third Annual <\/strong>Holiday Bone-Anza Event, <\/strong><\/em>Presentedby Friends of El Dorado Dog Park<\/strong> \u201cWith the dog park opening soon, it is going to be more important than ever to create a successful Holiday Bone-Anza fund-raiser,\u201d said Mary Matthieson, FEDDP president. \u201cWe are all on the same goal of making our dog park a premier dog park.\u201d Besides setting up and breaking down the event, volunteers will be needed to help with managing booths, helping with activities, flier distribution and a number of other things. FEDDP will send out an e-mail for the scheduling of a volunteer meeting at the first of October. For information, click here<\/a> or send an e-mail to info@eldoradodogparkfriends.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"fixlb\"](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/fixlb.png\")
<\/strong>Fix Long Beach Free Spay\/Neuter Clinic, sponsored by Friends of Long Beach Animals, Saturday, Oct. 12, 1950 Lemon Ave., Long Beach, 7AM\u2013approximately 3:30PM<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Big](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Big-check-signed.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Cake\"](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Cake.jpg\")
<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Half-circle](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Half-circle-in-the-sand.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"St.](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/St.-Bernards.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"RAther](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/RAther-llarge-dog-and-a-priest.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"Me](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Me-and-Duck.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"Marleen](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Marleen-and-pig.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"Little](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Little-MIss-LB-on-horsie.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"Kym](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Kym-and-alpaca-Cotton.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"Justin](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Justin-and-priests.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"HOrses](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/HOrses-and-sheep.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"great](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/great-Dane.JPG\")
<\/p>\n![\"Big](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Big-lizard.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"American](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/American-flag-preacher.JPG\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/A-guy-and-his-ducks.JPG\")
<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nVirtually Pets<\/h3>\n
![\"Jozay\"](\"https:\/\/staging-live.lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Jozay.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPet Projects<\/h3>\n
The Friends of El Dorado Dog Park, an all-volunteer 501c3 nonprofit, is looking for volunteers to assist with their November 17 event that will take place at Good Neighbor Park, 2800 Studebaker Rd. on Nov. 17, 10AM\u20134PM.<\/p>\n