{"id":5593,"date":"2010-03-26T05:05:00","date_gmt":"2010-03-26T05:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbpost.com\/articles\/life\/pets\/kicked-to-the-curb-complaints-curb-shore-cat-adoptions\/"},"modified":"2010-03-26T05:05:00","modified_gmt":"2010-03-26T05:05:00","slug":"kicked-to-the-curb-complaints-curb-shore-cat-adoptions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/pets\/kicked-to-the-curb-complaints-curb-shore-cat-adoptions","title":{"rendered":"Kicked To The Curb? Complaints Curb Shore Cat Adoptions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"
Courtesy of Chuck and Toby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n

11:30am |<\/strong> It\u2019s Sunday, around noon, and the curb in front of Chuck and Toby\u2019s is empty of Linda Loves Cats and Linda\u2019s shiny pointy-eared little charges, looking for adoptive homes. Equally conspicuous by their absence are the cat kennels from Long Beach Spay and Neuter Foundation (LBSNF) in the Bank of America parking lot on Second Street.<\/p>\n

A city ordinance (Long Beach Municipal Code 6.16.050<\/a>\u2014Selling Animals in a Public Place) states that \u201cno person shall sell, offer or display for sale, barter or give any live animal to any person on any public street or other public place within the city other than a person maintaining a fixed place of business wherein such animals are sold.\u201d And, in legal terms, adopting animals is considered selling, even though both Linda Loves Cats and LBSNF have the ACS-approved registration and paperwork for adoption. Furthermore, the sidewalk in front of Chuck and Toby\u2019s is public property, and animals aren\u2019t sold in banks, those cute little giveaway stuffed horses from Wells Fargo notwithstanding.<\/p>\n

According John Keisler, Long Beach Animal Care Service\u2019s (ACS) bureau manager, there were some recent complaints from residents about the adoptions\u2014all the barking and drooling, no doubt\u2014and the ordinance was thus enforced.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince Animal Care Services is only funded to respond to calls for service and with only four officers covering a five-city area during the weekend days, we simply did not get or respond to [any previous] call,\u201d Keisler replied when asked why there had been no action on the ordinance until recently. \u201cAnd we have to respond to the complaints.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
These toys that \u201cbreathe\u201d are the only pets that you now can adopt on Second Street. Courtesy Patti Allen of Arbor by the Bay<\/em><\/p>\n

Keisler said that organizations that were able to secure special event permits or organizations with displayed licenses for animal sales are in compliance with public adoption. Hearts for Hounds<\/a>, for example, works with the Marine Bureau and the Long Beach Southeast Farmer\u2019s Market and is permitted to display dogs for adoption at the market at E. Marina Drive at Second Street on Sundays. The group is an approved ACS adoption partner and also has a business license, which is required by the Farmer\u2019s Market. Animal Match Rescue Team, http:\/\/www.amrt.net, also an approved ACS adoption partner, is permitted to display their small dogs for adoption on Sundays at the nearby Petco at PCH and Second Street and during special events because they qualify as a nonprofit. Montgomery is dedicated to adopting animals but is skeptical about its effectiveness where human responsibility is considered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe live in a country that euthanizes over 9,000 animals every day,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I were able, I would have an adoption going on at every street corner in Long Beach 24-7. And we would still be killing highly adoptable animals every day!\u201d<\/p>\n

As a city employee, Keisler is obligated to enforce city laws. As an animal services manager who has been tirelessly working with an understaffed department to bring effectiveness, compassion and safety to animal care in the community, he\u2019s aware of the numbers that Montgomery estimated and is concerned enough about the street adoption issue to have formed a task force staffed by several of the rescuers, Montgomery and Long Beach Spay and Neuter included. The task force is presently examining ways in which pet adoption events can take place legally and effectively throughout Long Beach.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur staff has worked with the business [in the Belmont Shore instance] to become compliant and to identify ways to display the animals that will stand up to the law and to complaints from residents in the area,\u201d Keisler said. \u201cIt should also be noted that we are currently working on a legal and perhaps far more productive solution for regular monthly adoption events in the parks around Long Beach. Once we proceed, a new day for adoptions will dawn on the city!\u201d<\/p>\n

We\u2019re eagerly awaiting the sunrise, as cats always get the short end of the adoption stick, even if there\u2019s a long string attached to it with a little feather on the end. More cats than dogs are impounded yearly. Although live release of shelter animals has been climbing yearly, while 75.3 percent of dogs were either returned to their owners or found new homes last year, only 60 percent of the cats were lucky.<\/p>\n

Keisler and other animal advocates stress that the best way to curb the numbers is by spay and neuter. ACS and Friends of Long Beach Animals<\/a> provide low-cost vouchers for the operation and there are more ideas being considered. Click here<\/a> for information on the program and see the ACS announcements in the Pet Projects section.<\/p>\n

The kitty can still be reached by e-mail, and we\u2019ll feature their pinups whenever we get them. There are a couple of beautiful ones at the end of the article.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are dire times, and many cats are not adopted when taken to the animal care centers,\u201d said LBSNF\u2019s Antje Hunt. \u201cWe are hopeful that the new voucher program in the City of Long Beach, as well as other suggested changes\u2019 will help to finally curb the killings. We are grateful for the \u2018change in the wind\u2019 that John Keisler brought about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Virtually Pets<\/span><\/p>\n

From Long Beach Spay and Neuter<\/strong>. Contact aljagd@yahoo.com<\/a> or (562) 212-7792<\/p>\n

\"\"
Buster is a 2-year-old orange tabby with mild hip dysplasia. He will always need glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. Sound familiar? Yes, many humans take it too, and it is easy to put into wet food. Buster was saved from an abusive neighborhood situation. He has been fostered since his third month and has been neutered, dewormed and vaccinated. He is a wonderful loving companion and has a cheerful disposition: He runs around calling, jumping up and over furniture, and dragging a toy in his mouth all at the same time. Keep him indoors to ensure his long life.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Anita was rescued from an apartment complex when she was 2 1\/2 months old. She\u2019s is a spirited little girl, soon to turn 1 year old. She loves to cuddle\u2014on her terms only\u2014and to play. Her tabby markings are beautiful and the white bib and paws make her look adorable. Anita has been spayed, vaccinated and dewormed and is healthy, as her shiny coat shows. She is hoping to be adopted into a loving home and be kept indoors only, since she has no experience in outdoor living and has heard about all the dangers of it.<\/p>\n

From Linda Loves Cats<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
Tina isn\u2019t tiny. She\u2019s a big soft-spoken 2-year-old female who loves to play and cuddle. She\u2019s healthy, well behaved and gets along well with other cats. If you\u2019d love to play with her, her adoption fee is $100, which includes spay\/neuter, vaccinations, deworming, and flea treatment. Tina is up-to-date with routine shots, house trained and spayed.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Rhett Butler is about a year old and would really like to be adopted into a home that has another cat for him to play with. He loves to play and has lots of energy. He\u2019s also very affectionate and meows softly.<\/p>\n

\"\"
He thinks he\u2019s a cat. He was found running around the neighborhood with no tag, no ID, no collar, no microchip, no nothing. He looked in the mirror and saw his big ears, so he decided he was a cat and asked to be put up with the cat adoptions. What he doesn\u2019t know is that he\u2019s a male smooth-coated brown Chihuahua mix, about 4 years old. He has no name yet, but his kennel number at ACS, 7700 E. Spring St. in Long Beach, is ID#A397837. The new human companion gets to give him a name, anyway.<\/p>\n

For more cat adoptions, contact Wendy at Pet Assistance Foundation (PAF<\/a>). PAF and two other rescue groups are inside Centinela Pet and Feed Supplies, 4700 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, (562) 494-1660, Saturday through Monday.<\/p>\n

Or, if there\u2019s no room in your house but some in your heart and you can afford it:<\/p>\n

\"\"
Miracle is facing a third round of surgery for calcium oxalate stones and a possible ultrasound to check for cancer. Her rescuer\/foster mom is on permanent disability and needs help. For information, e-mail miracleskittenrescue@verizon.net<\/a>. If you want to send a check to the vet hospital, specify \u201cMiracle the cat\u201d in the memo, make the check out to Beach Boulevard Pet Hospital, and send to: <\/p>\n

Beach Boulevard Pet Hospital
16191 Beach Blvd.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Phone: (714) 847-1291
Fax: (714) 842-9860<\/em><\/p>\n

Pet Projects<\/span>

Online Animal-Related Signs and Flyers Available through ACS<\/strong><\/p>\n

You say your neighbor\u2019s twin poodles have been barking all night because their human companion forgot to put the cookies on their pillow? Your lawn smells like a pasture, and you haven\u2019t even bought fertilizer? A skunk had lunch out of your garbage can and thanked you by putting a scent in your car that\u2019ll never be available at any car wash? Is that what\u2019s troubling you, friend?<\/p>\n

Well, we can\u2019t guarantee anything, but it\u2019s worth a try. Fliers and signs are now available for download from this website<\/a>. You can post \u2018em, distribute \u2018em, stick \u2018em under the nose of whoever has a yard-defiling animal on leash or off (and that\u2019s not legal, either). Topics include barking, off-leash dogs, defecation on private property, urban wildlife, and ownership responsibility.<\/p>\n

ACS Town Hall Meeting Projects<\/strong><\/p>\n

In January and February, Animal Control Services (ACS) held a number of town hall meetings to receive public input on animal-related issues. ACS bureau manager John Keisler reported the following results:<\/p>\n

\n

\u2022 Patrol for off-leash activity was scheduled for El Dorado Park softball fields
\u2022 Call for service was scheduled for selling animals on public right-of-way (see article)
\u2022 Animal Laws flyer was sent to 5th District councilwoman Gerrie Schipske for distribution to constituents
\u2022 ACS is looking into the creation of stickers for homes with animals (for public safety notification)
\u2022 ACS sent a February press release about spay and neuter for cats
\u2022 Neighborhood associations have been added to the listserv for updates to be included in their newsletters<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

ACS Steps Up Enforcement of Mandatory Spay\/Neuter Laws for Cats; Offers Low-Cost Vouchers as Incentives
<\/strong>
In an effort to reduce unwanted litters of cats, Animal Control officers are stepping-up enforcement of the city\u2019s mandatory spay and neuter laws for felines. In 2009 alone, over 4,400 cats were impounded and unclaimed at the City\u2019s Shelter. Through an aggressive campaign to increase enforcement and promote spay and neuter, ACS hopes to reverse this trend.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany don\u2019t realize that it is illegal to possess an unaltered cat in the City of Long Beach,\u201d said operations chief Michelle Quigley. \u201cIn Long Beach, you must have your cat spayed or neutered or face a $100 citation.\u201d<\/p>\n

March is officially Litter Free Long Beach month because animals begin breeding around now, and impounds begin increasing.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur hope is to get 1,000 cats fixed this year in an effort to reduce impounds and improve the live release rate at the City\u2019s shelter,\u201d said Ronald R. Arias, director of the Health and Human Services Department.<\/p>\n

Residents are now eligible for a limited number of $50 spay\/neuter vouchers for cats, available through contacting ACS. The following local veterinary hospitals and clinics have agreed to continue participation in the program:<\/p>\n

\n

\u2022 Ambassador Dog & Cat Hospital, 2251 E. Carson Street, Long Beach, (562) 427-2889
\u2022 Belmont Heights Animal Hospital, 255 Redondo Avenue, Long Beach, (562) 439-6871
\u2022 Belmont Shore Animal Hospital, 6222 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, (562) 961-0028
\u2022 Boulevard Animal Hospital, 2139 E. Artesia Blvd., Long Beach, (562) 633-6514
\u2022 Bixby Animal Clinic, 3938 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, (562) 426-4066
\u2022 Clinico, 9325 Slauson Avenue, Pico Rivera, 90660, (888) WE-SPAY-LA
\u2022 Clinico, 957 N. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731, (888) WE-SPAY-LA
\u2022 Golden State Humane Society, 555 E. Artesia Blvd, Long Beach, (562) 423-8406
\u2022 Mercy Animal Medical Center, 2141 E. Market Street, Long Beach, CA, 90505, (562) 423-5458
\u2022 Parkview Pet Hospital, 4103 Viking Way, Suite A, Long Beach, (562) 425-8140
\u2022 Uptown Animal Hospital, 3350 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, (562) 24-8541
\u2022 VCA Lakewood Animal Hospital, 10701 South Street, Cerritos, CA 90703, (562) 926-3600<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Veterinary hospitals will require identification before accepting the voucher.<\/p>\n

To receive a voucher, animal owners must be residents of Long Beach or ACS contact cities and show proof of residence. This program is paid for through penalties collected for redemption of unaltered animals and generous gifts and donations to the City\u2019s Spay and Neuter Trust Fund from organizations like the Haute Dogs Network. Go in person with proof of residence to Animal Care Services at 7700 E. Spring Street, Long Beach, CA 90815 or call (562) 570-PETS (7387) to receive it by mail to the address of record. Field animal control officers may also distribute vouchers as needed, with proof of residence.

April 22, Annual Benefit for the Animals<\/strong><\/p>\n

For a fun and entertaining evening, join Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA<\/a>) for its Annual Benefit for the Animals at the Long Beach Playhouse. The reception begins at 6:30 and features a delicious selection of finger food by Palming Catering and music by pianist Ralph Brunson. You will have time to browse and bid on a wide selection of silent auction items and to purchase your tickets for the raffle. At 7:30, our Hero to Animals 2010 will be introduced, followed by a performance of Agatha Christie\u2019s The Hollow. Tickets are $25 and are available at the following locations:<\/p>\n

\n

\u2022 Belmont Pets and Launderpet, 3429 E. Broadway
\u2022 Bixby Animal Clinic, 3938 Atlantic Avenue
\u2022 Bixby Knolls Launderpet, 4102 Orange Avenue, #113
\u2022 Chewsy Dog, 4107 N. Viking Way, Chuck & Toby, 191 Park Avenue, Belmont Shore
\u2022 Go Dogs Go, 3440 N. Los Coyotes Diagonal<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Judy and Kate bring you the latest news from the world of pets and animals, including adoption listings, special offers, events and upcoming town hall meetings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":"","_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_":"","_author_alias":"","cap-aim":"","cap-description":"","cap-display_name":"","cap-first_name":"","cap-jabber":"","cap-last_name":"","cap-linked_account":"","cap-newspack_employer":"","cap-newspack_job_title":"","cap-newspack_phone_number":"","cap-newspack_role":"","cap-user_email":"","cap-user_login":"","cap-website":"","cap-yahooim":"","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_email_html":"","newspack_email_type":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_hide_page_title":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_show_share_buttons":"","newspack_sponsor_byline_prefix":"","newspack_sponsor_disclaimer_override":"","newspack_sponsor_flag_override":"","newspack_sponsor_only_direct":"","newspack_sponsor_url":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_show_updated_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-5593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pets","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5593","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5593"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5593\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5593"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=5593"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=5593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}