Virtually Pets

Graphic by Michelle Manion.

Every adoption column for December will feature the above coupon. This is because every year, every person involved in animal welfare and adoption will tell every person looking for a dog, cat, bunny, birdie, whatever with which to “surprise” their child, significant other or friend that pets are not presents. They’re not inanimate objects that can be returned if the recipient didn’t want one in the first place, the child wasn’t into taking care of it, or it didn’t match the upholstery. Some of these gifting follies live in shelter kennels awaiting an unknown fate.

On the other hand, sometimes it’s a wonderful thing for both the recipient of the pet and the recipient of a promised forever home. If you’re thinking of gifting both parties, determine that the person has the means and permission to care for an animal. Then, present him or her with the coupon, not the pet itself, and bring the lucky human to a shelter or a rescue—do not visit any pet stores selling live animals, Craigslist or anyplace other than a shelter or a rescue; that gives puppy mills and backyard breeders the ability to continue to do their dirty work. The next step is to either have the recipient pick out a forever friend or friends or have the animals pick out your human—it happens! Finally, you pay the release fee and wind up a godparent!

Here’s a cornucopia (if Christmas decorations go up before Halloween, I can extend Thanksgiving) of shelters and rescues. If you have any change jingling in your pockets, they gladly accept donations. Please email [email protected] or post in the comments section any other legitimate rescues that may have been left out:

Here are a couple of worthy candidates at Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS).

Samantha, a 5-year-old American pit bull mix, is ready to go home! She barks at shelter guests to get their attention, and it would be a great idea to do so, as she’s very smart! She already knows sit, down and shake, and she’s great on leash. A foster or forever home could save Samantha’s life in every way—maybe she could be taught to wiggle her nose like her namesake! Ask for ID#A487454.

ACS is located at 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park. No parking fee for shelter visitors.

Mark Your Calendars (the People Way)

Pet Adoption Event

Saturday, December 3, 11:00AM–3:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach

Adoption fees apply

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) and 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, featuring fine felines from Long Beach Animal Care Services and Stray Cat Alliance.

People’s Place and Palace for Pets spcaLA Fund-Raiser

Saturday, December 3, 9:30AM–11:30AM, People’s Place and Palace, 365 W. 6^th Street, San Pedro

$20 per ticket

Break a sweat with Zumba, cardio line-dance blast and yoga! $5 of the ticket price will help the pets at the spcaLA. Your weight loss will be the animals’ gain in so many ways! (No food, drink or pets allowed in the studio.)

spcaLA Rummage Sale

Saturday, December 3, 9:00AM–1:00PM, spcaLA Marketplace in P. D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park

Item prices vary; parking is free for visitors to the Village

Come find treasures like art, decor, household items and more! The real treasures are the ones that your purchases will be helping. They’re all inside waiting to go home!

Pet Photos with Dr. Santa

Saturday, December 10, 2:00PM–11:30AM, Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital, 2665 East PCH, Long Beach

Free event; donations will be collected for Friends of Long Beach Animals

We don’t know how your pet feels about the vet, but Santy Claws? This will be a treat for everyone and a benefit for a great animal welfare organization! Call the number on the flier for a reservation.

Live Love Animal Rescue Fund-Raiser

Thursday, December 6, 5:00PM–9:00PM, Blackbird Cafe, 3405 Orange Avenue, Long Beach

Menu prices apply

Please visit the Blackbird Cafe for an exclusive open house holiday event, where 20 percent of the proceeds will benefit the Live Love Team’s rescue efforts! As many of you know, Blackbird is a wonderful breakfast/lunch location, but on this night, they’re staying open late to celebrate the holidays and give back to the animals! Several other vintage shops on the Wardlow/Orange corner will be staying open late that night, too!

Walk with Friends of Long Beach Animals at the Daisy Avenue Christmas Tree Lane Parade

Saturday, December 10, 5:00PM, Daisy Avenue between PCH and Hill Street, Long Beach

Free event

The 63rd Annual Daisy Avenue Christmas Tree Lane Parade is a unique community event sponsored by the City of Long Beach and numerous local partners. Bring your leashed dog and join Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) for a stroll down the lane!

Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic

Saturday, December 17, 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!

Ongoing

Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS): Free Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinics, once monthly; Low-Cost Vaccination Clinics, scheduled days monthly. Locations vary.

See flyer on web page for pricing of services

Beginning this Sunday, February 21, the Society for California Veterinary and Vaccine Care (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) will offer low-cost vaccines, nail trimmings and topical flea treatment for residents of the same areas. Click link for locations and times and click the links next to each event for vaccine pricing and other details.

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. Vaccination 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.

West Coast Animal Rescue (WeCARE) Online Fund-Raiser

Ongoing, Through Lynch Creek Farm

Prices vary; donations also welcome

Support West Coast Animal Rescue by purchasing holiday products from this family-owned farm. The beautiful products are fresh, no trees are killed to make the wreaths, shipping is free, and you can pick your shipping date. So why support big box stores? Support a small rescue which does great things. Information available here.

Pet Photos with Santa and spcaLA Mobile Adoption

Monday, November 14, 21, 28 and December 5, 6:00PM–8:00PM, Los Cerritos Center, 239 Los Cerritos Center, Cerritos

Adoption fees apply

Have your pet’s photo taken with Santa! No pet? There may not be any in Santa’s sack (they aren’t holiday-gift material), but there will be plenty there to adopt! A portion of each photo package sold benefits spcaLA.

Registration for Team spcaLA for the LA Marathon

Saturday, March 18, 5k; Sunday, March 19, Marathon; Dodger’s Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Avenue, Los Angeles

5k, $40; Marathon, $175

Join Team spcaLA for the LA Marathon or LA Big 5K and help stop animal cruelty with each step. Visit link for details

BARK Therapy Dogs Library Appearances

Various area libraries (Long Beach events generally held on Saturdays)

Free event

Dogs love unconditionally. They don’t 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.

BARK (Beach Animals Reading with Kids) is an all-volunteer group dedicated to increasing children’s reading skills as well as interacting with pets. Check the calendar page on the group’s website, and find out more about this terrific organization.

Free Pet Food Distributions

Food for Pets in Need 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.

The Pet Food Bank is sponsored by Christian Outreach in Action. See flyer for details.