6:55pm |Happy Hocktide, everyone.
According to Wikipedia, the major information highway reference spare tire, Hocktide was an 11th-century festival in which men and women took turns tying each other up and demanding payment in order to be set free. The money would all go to the church. The festival is still celebrated today, carnival fashion, in the town of Hungerford, Berkshire, England, and in certain neighborhoods where the term “safe word” is sometimes heard. Oh, the things you discover online.
What this has to do with a pet column is the idea that we needed a festival day, be it ever so medieval, that falls after Easter so that we can avoid labeling a call to adopting abandoned rabbits as an after-Easter bunny sale. Hocktide arrives the Monday and Tuesday after the second Tuesday after Easter, and so, we offer you the Happy Hare Off to Hocktide Adoption Event.
Our buddy Judy Griffith, aka the Rat Whisperer (she does Lagomorpha, too — and thanks, poster Fisch, for educating us a while ago to the fact that rabbits aren’t rodents), has rescued countless rabbits and has sent us photos of recent ones who need homes. She assures us that there are plenty more of these cute little guys.
Here’s to Hocktide and the numerous icons of Easter who get dumped to their fates in the wild or city parks and campuses when they become too much of a burden or simply aren’t little and perceivably adorable anymore. Usually not neutered or spayed, they are not only exposed to danger but also unwittingly contribute to pet overpopulation.
Hocktide Specials (and they all are)
Both of the bunnies below — and then some — are available at the Paw Shoppe Pet Center, 6416 E. Spring St., 562-425-5131.
Black dwarf rabbit
This fellow, we were given to understand, was dumped by an individual who has several more at home. The little guy’s already neutered and microchipped. Go figure. Look at that face.
There is some good news. Last October, we wrote a story about the efforts of LBCC rabbit rescuers Jacque Olson and Donna Prindle, along with some help from a Camp Fire troop, to spay and neuter and adopt out the domestic bunnies abandoned at the college campus. An April 23 Press-Telegram article (“LBCC rabbit horde shrinks”) reported that their efforts are paying off, with an adoption total so far of 150, there’s 70 more to go. Apparently, rabbits can subtract as well as multiply.
For more information on rabbit adoption, contact Judy Griffith at [email protected] or the LBCC Rabbit Population Management Task Force at [email protected].
Pet Projects
“A Famous Dog’s Life” Author Signing, Apostrophe Books, Saturday, May 7, 2 – 4 p.m.
Sue Chipperton, author of the just-released tale of the Taco Bell chihuahua, will be on hand to sign copies of her book at Apostrophe Books, 4712 E. Second St. Chipperton was the trainer of Gidget, whose “¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!” has taken its place in the “Most Quoted Pet Lines” list, along with “Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore” and “What is it, Lassie? Has Timmy fallen down the well?” Dogs are welcome, too!
FOLBA Theatre Benefit for the Animals, Long Beach Playhouse, May 19, 6:30 p.m.
No shrews will be tamed, but lots of Long Beach animals will benefit from Friends of Long Beach Animals’ spring Benefit for the Animals, featuring William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Join pianist Ralph Brunson at his “piano bar” and enjoy delicious finger foods as you listen. A silent auction and a raffle are included, including the Dine Out in Long Beach raffle — if you like to eat out as much as we do, click here and print out the raffle tickets. Recepti5n begins at 6:30 p.m.; play starts at 7:30 p.m. Donation, $25. Visit FoLBA.org or call 562-988-7647 to find a ticket vendor near you.
Our last article focused on disaster awareness for pets. As a postscript,we’ll add that it wouldn’t hurt to take a pet first-aid course or a CPR class for both pets and humans. The 16th annual CPR Saturday,sponsored by the American Red Cross Greater Long Beach Chapter,the Long Beach Fire Department and Long Beach City College,offers a number of low-cost classes for adults and children,to include Adult and Child CPR,Standard First Aid,Dog First Aid and SAFE Kids Training. Preregistration cost is $10 to $15. Registration is open until May 15. Walk-in registration will be available for open classes. Click here for information.
Contact the American Red Cross for pet information. Available are books with DVDs and deluxe first-aid kits and fanny packs for pets.
FOLBA Cookbook Available!
“Pawsitively Perfect Recipes,” a beautiful compendium of recipes for animals and humans contributed by animal lovers,is available at the following local pet-related outlets for a $15 donation:
Belmont Launderpet,3429 E. Broadway,562-433-3605
Bixby Animal Clinic,3938 Atlantic Ave.,562-426-4066
Bixby Knolls Launderpet,4102 Orange Ave.,562-427-2551
Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital,2665 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.,562-494-0975
Chuck &Toby,191 Park Ave.,562-434-8085
Go Dogs Go,3440 N. Los Coyotes Diagonal,562-421-9797
Seal Beach Launderpet,318 Main St.,Seal Beach,562-430-7196
Parkview Vet,4103 N. Viking Way,562-425-8140
Thanks for helping FOLBA. Funds are for SNIP and Humane Education. Don’t forget to try Oaf’s Home-Fry Latkes,p. 103.
Random Clawings
Our posters often e-mail us interesting stuff,and we got some neat things these past couple of weeks. Dan Lubeniewski,aka Bird Man,sent us this heart string-tugging video of the Phil Collins song “You’ll Be in My Heart,” dedicated to animal rescue and rescuers. Check it out by clicking here.