![\"Feral](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Feral_Cat_Day.jpg\")
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Last week, the pet section focused on community cats, a category that comprises ferals, strays, and cats dumped on the streets or into colonies by their owners who think, no doubt, that they\u2019ll be happy among their own kind. (\u201cLB Volunteer Goes to Bat for Knott\u2019s Berry Farm Mousers<\/a>\u201d\u00a0and last week\u2019s Pet Projects<\/a>). It\u2019s kind of like dropping off Sheldon Bloom at a biker bar.<\/p>\n Long Beach has a human community of feral feeders and trappers who spay and neuter the cats and maintain both feline health and the colonies at large. They discover which cats are friendly and adoptable, and also convince a few of them to become \u201cformer ferals,\u201d or felines who wish to retire from their hard lives and live one of comparative luxury.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also a group of people who can\u2019t stand the cats and shoo them away, or worse. Then, there are the ones who very much want to help the cats but don\u2019t know what to do. Alley Cat Allies<\/a>\u00a0designates one day a year as National Feral Cat Day<\/a>; this year, it\u2019s Sunday, October 16, and there\u2019s a neat event in the East Village Arts District (see Mark Your Calendars) that\u2019s perfect for everyone and their kid\u2014please bring the kid\u2014who want to learn how to help the cats. Come along, and see if you can convince that cranky old guy next door who keeps threatening to turn the hose on the cats (that\u2019s mild, in fact) to come as well.<\/p>\n The second-best thing that can happen to a community cat is to live out its life in a colony until the colony dies out naturally. The best thing is for the cat to become \u201cformerly feral,\u201d as cat advocate and rescuer Kelly McHugh Lopez says, and find a forever home. Here are a few candidates from neighborhood group Wrigley Kitten<\/a>s, McHugh Lopez\u2019s Facebook page. Contact wrigleykittens@gmail.com<\/a> for information about adoption. Rates are $50 for a fixed, vaccinated cat.<\/p>\n Panther<\/strong> was found by a neighbor back in August. She noticed he was injured and reached out to Wrigley Kittens for help. Another neighbor thought it might be her lost kitty and went to help catch it. Turns out it was not her cat, but she took on the responsibility of fostering him. Wrigley Kittens helped with getting his paw treated as well as getting him fixed and vaccinated. He is about 8 to 9 months old and is a total sweetheart, ready to become someone’s best pal for life.<\/p>\n Lucy<\/strong> was found dumped and scared in a business\/industrial area. She was trapped, and Wrigley Kittens took care of her spaying and vaccines. She\u2019s been fostered by a neighbor since her surgery, and in that time, she has gone from being completely terrified\u00a0to wanting to be held. She purrs up a storm when she gets attention! This sweet girl is also about 6 to 7 months old and looks like she might have some Maine coon in her. She is ready to feel safe and loved and to be off the streets.<\/p>\n Pacey<\/strong> was also discovered in an industrial area, terrified and pacing around out of fear, by one of our members. She trapped him, and he has been in foster care with another neighbor. He\u2019s\u00a0 calming down and showing his sweet nature. This beautiful tuxedo is also around 6 to 7 months old and has been fixed and vaccinated! After a few days of rest and recovery, he will be ready for adoption. He can’t wait to \u201cput on the Ritz\u201d with his new family!<\/p>\n And finally, this little cutie<\/strong> was discovered in a tree<\/i> by a neighbor a short time ago with his little girl pal, who\u2019s camera shy right now. He is probably 3 to 4 months old and is scheduled to be neutered and vaccinated this week. The little girl is only about eight weeks old. She will be getting her first vaccinations soon! They haven\u2019t been given names yet, but maybe you\u2019d like to do the honors!<\/p>\n National Feral Cat Day Fund-Raiser<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunday, October 16, noon to 4PM, Kiska Beauty, 312 Elm Avenue, Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n Donations welcome<\/strong><\/p>\n Join Kiska Beauty<\/a>\u00a0and The Clowder in Long Beach<\/a>\u00a0at the corner of 3rd and Elm in the East Village Arts District for National Feral Cat Day. Learn more about how The Clowder helps our community, and educate yourself about feral cats and what you can do to help them. There will be a raffle, a children’s coloring table, autumn-themed light refreshments and specials from local businesses. All profits will benefit efforts to help community cats. This is most definitely a family event\u2014please bring the kids!<\/p>\n 16th<\/sup> Annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunday, October 15, 5:40PM, Granada Avenue Boat Launch, 1 Granada Avenue (next to Rosie\u2019s Dog Beach), Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n Free event<\/strong><\/p>\n Animals may be blessed already, but it sure doesn\u2019t hurt to send good thoughts toward their treatment. Justin Rudd\u2019s nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT) and Haute Dogs invite the public to bring their pets to this free event at sunset (if your pet hates to travel or has passed to the Rainbow Bridge, bring a photo). Farm animals, including ponies, alpaca, llamas, goats, sheep, bunnies, ducks and horses will be there, too. \u00a0 Free parking. See more here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fix Long Beach Free Spay\/Neuter Clinic<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, October 22, 7:30AM\u20134:00PM, Houghton Park, 6500 Atlantic Avenue (near Jordan High), Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n Free to qualifying residents; free microchips; low-cost shots ($10 each); $10 flea med doses<\/strong><\/p>\n The grassroots free spay\/neuter organization<\/strong> 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<\/a>\u00a0and Eldad Hagar.<\/p>\n Visit this link<\/a>\u00a0for qualifications and an application for your appointment. There is also a donation button to help Fix Long Beach continue their efforts. Click the organization\u2019s Amazon Wish List link<\/a> to donate items, or bring them to the event if you find a better deal!<\/p>\n Let\u2019s continue to help make Long Beach no kill, one pet at a time!<\/p>\n Haute Dogs Howl\u2019oween Parade and Costume Contest; Pet Adoption Fair<\/strong><\/p>\n Sunday, October 30, 12:30PM\u20134:30PM, Marina Vista Park, 5355 E. Eliot Street (at the end of Marine Stadium, across from the fire station and by the tennis courts),<\/strong>Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n Free to spectators; $5 for chair rental; $10 to reserve a seat. All proceeds go to Haute Dogs.<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the biggest event of its kind anywhere and easily the most fun. Over 500 dogs are expected to be there in costume, with many of their humans dressed to match. Lots of contests, prizes and great times! The costume contests and parade starts at 2:25PM; register online or at the park. Please click this link<\/a>\u00a0for details and registration.<\/p>\n Walk for the War Dogs with FOLBA at the Veterans Day Parade<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, November 5, 9:30AM (parade steps off at 10:00AM), Atlantic Avenue and Harding Street, Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n Free event<\/strong><\/p>\n Just as civilians show their support for and honor veterans every year (that\u2019s correct, it\u2019s never<\/i> enough), animal advocates and their dogs attend parades like ours in Long Beach to remember the dogs and other animals that died in service to our country. Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA)<\/a>\u00a0will be bringing their dogs to march in the Veterans Day parade and invites anyone either with or without a furry buddy to march along with them. Come early in order to find a parking space, be sure that you have water on hand for you and your dog, and mind the advisory\u2014if you feel that your dog may be nervous around parade noise and horses, it\u2019s best that he or she stays home. See above graphics for information.<\/p>\n Dog Adoption Event<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, November 5, 11:00AM\u20133:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n Adoption fees apply<\/strong><\/p>\n Find your new best friend and everything that he or she could ever want or need, in one place. Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS)<\/a>\u00a0and other rescues will be bringing some wonderful dogs ready to go home with their new people. Everything is high quality at Pet Food Express, and that includes the adoptive pets! Check out the Cat Adoption Center while you\u2019re there!<\/p>\n Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS): Free Spay\/Neuter and Wellness Clinics, once monthly; Low-Cost Vaccination Clinics, scheduled days monthly. Locations vary.<\/strong><\/p>\n See flyer on web page for pricing of services<\/strong><\/p>\n Beginning this Sunday, February 21, the Society for California Veterinary and Vaccine Care<\/a>\u00a0(SCVVC) will offer free spay\/neuter procedures and wellness services to residents of the cities served by ACS: Long Beach, Signal Hill, Cerritos, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach. During the remaining weeks of the month, Spay\/Neuter Project Los Angeles (SNP\/LA<\/a>)\u00a0will offer low-cost vaccines, nail trimmings and topical flea treatment for residents of the same areas. Click link\u00a0<\/a>for locations and times and click the links next to each event for vaccine pricing and other details.<\/p>\n Pet owners must be 18 years or older. All pets must be on leashes or in carriers. Only healthy and non-pregnant animals will be vaccinated. If you have a prior rabies vaccine certificate, license tag or license renewal notice for your pet, please bring it with you to the clinic.\u00a0Vaccination and microchip services are provided for pets residing in any city. Licensing service is provided for residents within our jurisdiction. Microchips, flea treatment and nail trimmings also available.<\/p>\n P. D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center Milestone Anniversary<\/strong><\/p>\n Various locations; to October 13<\/strong><\/p>\n spcaLA President Madeline Bernstein celebrates the 40, 000 dogs, cats, rabbits, birds and other homeless animals who have found new families through the spcaLA P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center in the past 15 years.<\/p>\n \u201cIn September 2001, a group of visionary donors and animal-welfare experts came together with your spcaLA and the City of Long Beach to open thefirst and finest<\/strong>example of a public-private partnership: the spcaLA P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center,\u201d Bernstein said. \u201cWe’ve officially declared the space between September 17th and October 13 Barktober<\/a>, and we’ve got celebratory events planned all over town! On behalf of the 40,000 animals who found their families at the Village and the millions more your spcaLA has protected from cruelty since 1877, I thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n spcaLA<\/a> and Long Beach Animal Care Services<\/a>\u00a0share the Pitchford Companion Animal Village space. To make a special anniversary donation to spcaLA, the shelter or both, click the links on each entity\u2019s name.<\/p>\n Registration for Team spcaLA for the LA Marathon<\/strong><\/p>\n Saturday, March 18, 5k; Sunday, March 19, Marathon; Dodger\u2019s Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Avenue, Los Angeles<\/strong><\/p>\n 5k, $40; Marathon, $175<\/strong><\/p>\n Join Team spcaLA for the LA Marathon or LA Big 5K and help stop animal cruelty with each step.Visit link<\/a>\u00a0for details<\/p>\n BARK Therapy Dogs Library Appearances<\/strong><\/p>\n Various area libraries (Long Beach events generally held on Saturdays)<\/strong><\/p>\n Free event<\/strong><\/p>\n Dogs love unconditionally. They don\u2019t judge or criticize. And they love a good story. Bring your children to the library to read to these lovely therapy dogs, and watch their confidence in their reading ability grow.<\/p>\n BARK (Beach Animals Reading with Kids) is an all-volunteer group dedicated to increasing children\u2019s reading skills as well as interacting with pets. Check the calendar page<\/a>\u00a0on the group\u2019s website, and find out more about this terrific organization.<\/p>\n Free Pet Food Distributions<\/strong><\/p>\n Food for Pets in Need<\/a> provides pet food to senior, homeless, low-income and homebound residents in Long Beach who otherwise may not be able to afford adequate food to take proper care of their pets.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Pet Food Bank is sponsored by Christian Outreach in Action<\/a>. See flyer for details.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Black](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Black_Panther.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Lucy\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Lucy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Pacey\"](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Pacey.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nMark Your Calendars (the People Way)<\/h1>\n
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<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Blessing](\"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Blessing_of_Pets.jpg\")
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<\/p>\nOngoing<\/h1>\n
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