Sorry for the short notice, but one of our über-rescuers—that’s redundant, because if you rescue at all, you’re either already über or will be shortly—decided to cobble together a pet-community meeting sort of at the last minute. This is my first chance to write it up, so I cobbled something together in a huge hurry because I want everyone to be there who can be there.
Emily Haden is the founder of the Live Love Animal Rescue in Long Beach. As do all animal advocates, she’s the one who gets the call, e-mail or Facebook post when a litter of newborn kittens is found dumped in a trash can or someone picks up a starving, scruffy dog is found running in the streets: “Can you help? Can you take this guy?”
Haden and other Long Beach pet people who are seriously full to capacity—not just in available housing but also in body and mind but not in spirit—want to turn this around maybe 45 degrees and involve pet lovers in the community who want to do something but may not know how, what or where they can find time. With this in mind, a community meeting will be held tonight (Monday, May 4) from 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the Bay Shore Community Church, 5100 The Toledo, Long Beach. The meeting will focus on creating more adoption events and placing volunteers in them, networking on social media, volunteering at the shelter, and getting more pets placed in foster homes.
Speakers will include Animal Care Services (ACS) manager Ted Stevens community organizer Justin Rudd of Community Action Team and Haute Dogs, and Anna Wong, volunteer for Stray Cat Alliance, an L.A.-based advocacy for feral and stray cats (community cats). Fifth-District Councilmember Stacy Mungo has also given her support.
“I’m honored to help organize and promote the event,” Rudd said. “I want the public to be knowledgeable about ACS’s effort to get animals adopted and how the public can use their time and talent to help market these available animals. And I look forward to the Q & A portion of the evening that will allow the public to ask Long Beach animal-related questions that may be on their hearts and minds.”
During the meeting, Haden will talk about community involvement, Wong will discuss the TNR program that Stray Cat Alliance and other organizations use to stem the feral and stray cat population and will explain how cat colonies are maintained, and Stevens will discuss shelter volunteerism and will answer questions. There will be an appearance by a special guest; his name is Scout, and he’s a little terrier mix that Haden rescued as a stray and is now fostering. Scout’s hoping to hook up with the love of his life at the meeting.
ACS’s motto is “One Too Many”—one too many unwanted pets, animal cruelty incidents, euthanasia procedures—and there are more than one too many animals that are adoptable, but Haden hopes that there aren’t more than one too few placements for them. As of now, even with intake numbers dropping through the facilitation of free or low-cost spay/neuter procedures provided by Friends of Long Beach Animals and Fix Long Beach and rescue organizations like Haden’s that pull pets from the shelter, the shelter still takes in more pets than they can adopt out or send to rescue.
“I know that [ACS goes] through a lot of emotional distress on that,” Haden said. “We get a lot of tearful phone calls saying that they’re completely full and a lot of animals need to find placement immediately.”
According to Stevens, the weekly intake of cats and dogs at the shelter averages about 160; it increases greatly at cat breeding season, and it’s already starting to rain kittens.
“I don’t have the exact numbers on me from last year, but I think we had roughly 4,100 dogs and 4,200 cats last year,” Stevens said.
Haden wants to inspire more volunteers from the community to participate in activities in the Long Beach area that will increase homing animals. People wanting to help work toward this goal can exercise pets, groom them, do laundry for rescues, and temporarily foster cats and dogs in their homes. Rescue organizations would back the fosters and take care of medical issues.
“With more foster homes, more lives are saved,” Haden said.
There’s nothing on TV tonight that you can’t DVR, football season’s over (isn’t it?), and the meeting’s scheduled for after the dinner hour, so if you’ve been saying, “Well, I really want to do something, but I don’t know whom to ask,” ask away. If you absolutely cannot come but want to find out how to help, e-mail Emily Haden at [email protected] or ACS volunteer coordinator Kathy Roddy at animalcare@longbeach,gov, and one of them will get you connected. But do try to come in person. You may even wind up with Scout. And that would be a doggone good thing for both of you.
Me: How can I help you?
Her: Yes, I would like to get some information about getting my dog fixed
Me: How old is your dog?
Her: I think about a year old. This is all new to me. When she has her cycle, does that mean she’s in heat?
Me: Yes, it can mean that.
Her: Would being in heat cause her to be grumpy and needy?
Me: Do you remember when you first started having your cycle and how it felt?
Her: Oh, Lordy, poor thing! Can I come get a voucher tomorrow?
~ Phone conversation between a Fix Long Beach client and Pam Rainsdon, another übervolunteer
Virtually Pets
This is Scout, whom you will meet this evening. True to his terrier genes, Scout’s all heart! Despite the rough life Emily Haden presumes he had based on his appearance when rescued as a stray, he’s a sweet little man with lots of love to give. He’s now healing from skin issues, a strong indication that he wasn’t cared for wherever he lived. When you spend some time with Scout, you’ll see that he’s a happy boy who loves attention and belly rubs. He doesn’t show any aggression toward people or other animals despite what he must have endured, and he’ll jump into your arms with pure joy.
Fred (gray kitty) and Ethel (black kitty) were bottle-fed as newborns by yet another übervolunteer, Patty Williams, one of the local feline surrogate moms. The siblings are 11 weeks old and fully vetted. Adoption fee info and meet-n-greet can be obtained by e-mailing Patty at [email protected]. Wish her happy Mother’s Day while you’re at it.
Pet Projects
Friends of Long Beach Animals Humane Education Program, Free, Ongoing until July
Reserve a date for this necessary program now, as it will go on hiatus in mid-June. Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA stands by its word when it says it actively supports teaching children kindness to and respect for animals. FOLBA has provided several copies of humane books to all of the libraries in the Long Beach Unified School District, all the Public Libraries in Long Beach and Signal Hill, as well as to Raising-a-Reader and to Mary Bethune Transitional Center (assisting homeless children who need reading improvement so they can attend regular LBUSD classes). This interactive humane education program is free to all schools in the Long Beach Unified School District, Girl and Boy Scout Troops, Long Beach Parks and Libraries and Community Groups. Basic elements of the program are as follows:
- Humane treatment of all living creatures
- Basic pet care
- Proper behavior around animals
- Responsibilities and rewards of pet ownership
- Handouts and study materials
- Follow-up activities
For information, contact: FRIENDS’ Office 562-988-7647 or Deborah Turner 562-985-3459
Low-Cost Pet Vaccination Clinics, Saturday, June 6, 11AM–2PM, Signal Hill Park, 2175 Cherry Ave., Signal Hill
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: Long Beach, Signal Hill, Cerritos, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach. For more service information and pricing please visit Southern California Veterinary Vaccine Clinics.
SpcaLA Friends for Life Summer Camp, June–August, spcaLA P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center, 7700 E. Spring St. Long Beach
Paws down, this is the best summer camp around. Kids 8–13 will learn the basics of pet care and responsibility, respect for all animals, and the beginnings of dog training—all while making the best kinds of friends—those who care about animals! There are 10 sessions available, each running Monday through Friday. Enroll on our website, available at this link.
spcaLA Pet Adoption Day, Saturday, June 6, 10AM–4PM, spcaLA P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center, 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach
spcaLA’s biggest pet adoption event of the year will feature meet and greets with Heidi and Frank of 95.5 KLOS and with KABC’s Drive Home’s Jillian Barberi and John Phillips, vendor booths, adoption specials, giveaways, family fun and possible your future best friend!
Long Beach Animal Care Services Fund-Raiser, Thursday, May 7, 11AM–10PM, Veggie Grill, 6451 E. PCH, Long Beach
Vegetables are good for you, and on May 7, they’ll be even better for pets. The veggie grill has the tastiest meat products that never were—meat, that is—and at this fund-raiser, 50 percent of your order will go toward the animals at our shelter. Print out or mention the flyer below.
SpcaLA May Foster Class, Saturday, May 16, 10AM–noon, P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center, 7700 Spring St., Long Beach
SpcaLA needs foster parents for pets of all ages and needs. Want to help? Submit the application available on our web page and attend a foster class. We provide all the supplies, and you provide the home and the TLC.