Sydnee’s Pet Grooming, San Marcos
It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas by the beginning of September, and the pets don’t care one way or another because it’s generally a holiday every day for them if they’re lucky.
If you’re in the midst of the holiday madness—and especially with Thanksgiving at the doorstep, there are some cautionary warnings for your pet, with additional comments from me, that the spcaLA would like you to be aware of:
- Turkey skin and gravy are too fatty, and long term ingestion could cause pancreatitis. No leftover bones, either—cooked bones can splinter and cause a choking hazard.
- Rather than serve your pet harmful leftovers, purchase a Thanksgiving dinner especially for dogs or cats, like Merrick’s Thanksgiving Day Dinner, available at the spcaLA Marketplace in Long Beach as well as Belmont Pets, Petco, Centinela, PetSmart, and everywhere people like us who insist that pets know that it’s Thanksgiving. My cats are bewildered that they only get it once a year.
- If you are serving a turkey, discard leftover bones and bits in a plastic bag, tie securely, and dispose in an outside dumpster with a secure lid to avoid stray animals from accessing it and becoming ill.
- Chocolate is a great treat, but not for your pets. Chocolate is toxic to pets. Not too many cats go for it, although there’s bound to be one or two, but there are a heck of a lot of “The dog had dessert” stories.
- Dogs and cats should wear I.D. tags with current phone number at all times in addition to being microchipped. This is important throughout the entire year, but especially during the holidays as there may be a greater risk of your pet tearing out the door when it opens to guests. Better yet, give them their own room equipped with their favorite toys, goodies and a pet bed. Turn on the radio to a classical station—why not? They’ll be Haydn in there.
- Teach your pet to “come when called” (best of luck with the cat).This command is a fail-safe should your dog get loose. spcaLA Animal Behavior and Training Department offers a Come when Called class.
- You should have the name of an emergency vet at hand any time of year, but from October to New Year’s Day, it’s especially important. One that’s local is Long Beach Animal Emergency, 4720 E. Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach, (562) 735-5200. My cat has been there—he’s still with me.
And as my cats sleep innocently on the clean laundry, with visions of shredding the ottoman drifting through their pointy-eared heads, I’m inspired how thankful I am (and they should be but feel that it’s their due) for all the good stuff happening for them in Long Beach:
- Friends of Long Beach Animals for their Spay/Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP) and for the new veterinary clinic, which will be used two days a week for the public, to be built on the shelter ground.
- Fix Long Beach for getting up at about 5:00AM on selected Saturdays and offering free spay/neuter procedures and low-cost shots to low-income residents in Long Beach.
- Ted Stevens, Animal Care Services manager, for being willing to listen to everyone no matter how shrill any of us gets and moving forward along with our mayor, council and community to continue to hammer out ways to lower the euthanasia rate in our shelter.
- Those who care for the feline disenfranchised—Stray Cat Alliance, Long Beach Spay & Neuter Foundation, the CSULB feral cat feeding program, and feral cat trappers/spayers-neuterers/releasers everywhere who also spend their time maintaining the feral colonies and their residents.
- Sparky and the Gang rescuers and AMRT who find the hardest cases and rehabilitate them, finding them homes.
- Our friend Dan the Bird Man. Nary a pigeon will want for aught, nor any stray animal whose path he crosses.
- For every volunteer—everywhere—too many to mention, and how great is that?
- Finally, for whatever evolutionary or behavioral process that gave cats, dogs, rabbits and whoever else the idea to enter our homes and live side by side with us, who make us feel necessary and needed in so many ways. As the bumper sticker says, who rescued who(m)?
We give dogs [and cats and rabbits] time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs [and, from time to time, cats] give us their all. It’s the best deal man [or any gender] has ever made.
~ Margery Facklam, author
Virtually Pets
Not all pets are so lucky to have a home and hearth, even if they’re stuck in a room during the holiday party subjected to listening to soft jazz. So please, help pets in our shelters and rescues this holiday season. SpcaLA suggests that while you’re out shopping, pick up an extra bag or can of dog, cat, kitten or puppy food for a shelter or rescue pet in need (see suggestions above). Donations of unopened pet food are accepted at spcaLA during business hours. spcaLA is located at 7700 E. Spring St. in El Dorado Park. You can also donate to any of the needy organizations enumerated above.
Better yet, what’s nicer than having the faithful dog bringing the carpet slippers while you’re having brandy in the drawing room or a kitty curled up by the fireplace while it’s 85 degrees in the autumn in California? Here are a couple of candidates on the shelter side of the Pitchford Animal Village at 7700 E. Spring St., same building at spcaLA to the left.
Princess
Thanksgiving? To Grandmother’s house we go? Here’s Grandmother. Her name’s actually Princess and she’s a sassy senior at age 14, with lots of life left. Senior dogs need homes, too, and this sweet little old lady will enjoy living out her golden years at your house! She’s friendly with other dogs. Ask for ID#535867.
Dreamer
Dreamer looks as if he’s worried that someone will find out that he found the Christmas presents in the closet and unwrapped him. He’s a year and a half and warms up quickly after his initial shyness. Ask for ID#A523536
Eloise
Martini and Olive
These kitties were rescued from the street by a couple of great local residents. Eloise was living inside the engine of an abandoned car, and she’d like very much to improve upon that—forever. Siblings Martini and Olive (Olive’s the one with the olive spot on her muzzle) were born and raised inside a dead, hollow tree stump, like the Fantastic Mr. Fox, and deserve a fairy-tale ending. They’re all about 2 and a half months old. All have been dewormed and vaccinated; Martini and Olive have been fixed, and Eloise is going in a couple of weeks. Make their holiday—contact [email protected].
Pet Projects
Operation Santa Paws, Various Shelters December 1–20
Would you all be able to help collect dog and cat toys, treats, food or supplies to donate to the local animal shelters with our Operation Santa Paws program? If so, let [email protected] know the public drop-off places you’ll be hosting (names, addresses, phone numbers); we can include that on the website. Then, for the Long Beach/OC area, we’ll gather all the collected goodies on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 20 in Long Beach and distribute them all to the pets in area shelters and rescues. You can also take your collected goods directly to your favorite shelter or rescue! For more information, click here.
A Christmas Carol Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) Fund-Raiser, Sunday, December 14, Long Beach Playhouse, 5201 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, 6:30PM reception, 7:30PM Performance. $25 adults, $15 for children
Enjoy a performance of a beloved Christmas tale and bless the animals one and all at the same time! The reception will include appetizers, a silent auction and a raffle, and Ralph Brunson will entertain guests with his piano classics as they graze and gaze. All FOLBA members will receive a free drink at the bar for additional holiday cheer. Visit here for information and ticket locations.