The Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) is publishing the second edition of their fundraiser cookbook. The cookbook is a planned compendium of recipes from animal lovers, and FOLBA is asking the human-companion community to donate their favorite things to cook.
You can download the cookbook by clicking here or e-mail a recipe to [email protected]. Along with your recipe, FOLBA welcomes memories, dedications and photos (100KB or less, with a maximum of 800 pixels width). A $10 donation per recipe to defray publication costs is requested. Recipes must be in by Sept. 20. All proceeds from the cookbook will go toward FOLBA’s Spay/Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which distributes low-cost vouchers to families in need of financial assistance; humane education in the LBUSD school system; and medical and kennel supplies for animals at ACS.
Recipes may serve people, pets or both (if you want some good ideas for the latter, bring your dog to P.J.’s Pet Café on Linden and Broadway). Most human foods are fine for animals, even botched recipes—give it to the dog still holds, as long as the food contains nothing toxic to certain animals. Chocolate, coffee and anything with caffeine is poisonous to dogs (carob is a good substitute), as are macadamia nuts and onions. Avocados will sicken not only dogs but also can be fatal to birds and small rodents. If you sweeten your recipes, there’s been a recent warning about xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in sugarless products. Raw meat can be as harmful to pets as it is for humans, so the ahi-seared chicken, sushi style, (Kate, who can burn water, made that once by accident) should be tossed and put out of paw’s reach. The cute pictures of beribboned cats lapping up bowls of milk never show the aftereffects on their stomachs and litter boxes (or whatever else is convenient if they’re in a hurry), so no kitty custards, please.
For a list of foods toxic to pets, visit this website. Click on the menu on the left side for more information on specific animals.
For complete information on the FOLBA cookbook, visit this website.
More Family-Planning Assistance
It’s become commonplace to say something to the effect that Justin Rudd comes up with at least one new idea a week to do good for the community. As with most of the pet events his nonprofit Community Action Team (CAT) produces, the focus is on dogs, and Justin’s thrown his collar into the ring to encourage people to neuter their own canines.
“We want to curb the overpopulation of pets in our community,” Rudd said. “Too many pets are being needlessly euthanized. In these difficult economic times, we feel it’s a great way to encourage folks to spay and neuter their pets.”
CAT has given Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) $16,000, which will provide $100 spay/neuter vouchers to the first 200 residents of Long Beach, Signal Hill, Seal Beach, Cerritos or Los Alamitos—all cities served by ACS—who get their dogs fixed at any of approximately 10 participating Long Beach-area veterinary clinics. The bulk of the funding came from registration fees at the Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade and the Bulldog Beauty Contest.
Obtain your voucher at ACS either in person at 7700 E. Spring St. in Long Beach, by mail by calling (562) 570-7387, or by chasing down an animal control officer’s truck. Proof of residence must be provided.
Visit hautedogs.org or longbeach.gov/acs for more details on the program.
Please do your part in controlling pet overpopulation by supporting one or both of these great efforts.
Virtually Pets: Adoptions
For whatever reason unknown to me, I was abandoned at the Long Beach Animal Shelter by my owner. Friends of Long Beach Animals saw how sad I was and decided that I deserved a second chance for a permanent home. I am available for a new family to take me home and keep me forever, no matter what circumstances might come. I’m microchipped, current on all my shots and neutered. For $90 adoption fee, what more could you want?
These lovely bunnies are two out of four who were given shelter from a bad situation that they escaped b the fur of their ears. The two in the photo are males and only two months old. They are available for adoption (fee is $34.99) and will need to be adopted together. See Smudge and Marty at the Paw Shoppe, 6416 E Spring St. in Long Beach, (562) 425-5131.
The two females, a mother and a baby from the same household as Smudge and Marty, are being fostered. We’re showing you two views so that you can see the distinctive racing stripe down Loribell’s back. This rabbit is made for speed—but aren’t they all? They’re also made to love—and arent’ they all? For information, e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].
The bunnies’ owner will pay for spaying/neutering for all four rabbits when they are old enough for the procedures.
Pet Projects
Sept. 26, Seal Beach Animal Care Center’s “Wag ’n’ Walk”
The Seal Beach Animal Care Center (SBACC) proudly announces its 14th annual walk for the animals. Wag ’n’ Walk is an opportunity for you and your dog to enjoy a walk together and help raise money and awareness for the pets in residence at SBACC. Justin Rudd along with Rosie and Riley will be the grand marshals. Register at sbacc.org and join the walk at the Seal Beach Pier, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Sept. 27, K-9 Corners Grand Opening
Join Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal, 54th AD, Councilmember Robert Garcia, 1st Council District, the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, the North Pine Neighborhood Alliance, Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine and the Long Beach Police Department as we celebrate the grand opening of K-9 Corner! K-9 Corner is the City’s newest Dog Park, and is located in the 1st Council District. The park features solar-powered lighting and drought-tolerant landscaping. The free event will feature free food, drinks, pet adoptions, information booths and children’s activities. Noon–3 p.m. 306 Pacific Ave., Long Beach.
Oct. 9, Compassionate Cuisine
Come to the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden at CSULB for a celebration of World Vegetarian Day, with tastes of delicious vegetarian cuisine from many nationalities and ethnicities—all cruelty free. There will be music—including the Irvine Young Symphony, which played at the Beijing Olympics—a raffles, special guest presentations and more. Reservations required—$35 per person includes all beverages and food. Visit compassionatecuisine.net for information and reservations.
Ongoing—Pet Literacy at ACS
Pet Literacy is a City of Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) program at the P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village. The program promotes humane treatment, socialization of animals, creating a connection between animals and humans, and literacy through reading aloud to the animals. Wednesdays–Sundays, 2–3 p.m., 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach
Animal Acres Evacuation Donations
The farm animal sanctuary Animal Acres would be deeply grateful for your support at this time for evacuation center needs and for extra expenses we incurred to relocate animals during the recent forest fire. Please visit animalacres.org/pops/evacuation_090906.html for donation information if you can help.
Boxer Briefs: Animal Legislation
AB 241 and SB 250
AB 241, Assemblymember Pedro Nava’s anti–puppy-mill bill, co-sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), passed the Senate with a vote of 25 to 9! If your member is one of the people who voted for this bill, please consider calling and thanking them. The bill now moves to the Assembly for a concurrence vote, and then to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. SCIL thanks all the supporters for their hard work and congratulates Assemblymember Nava. We’re hopeful that this bill will signal the end of the filthy, congested conditions, overbred mothers and sick puppies sold in pet stores and over the Internet.
SB 250, the Pet Responsibility Act, the subject of much controversy, has been put on hold until January. Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, D-Shafter, announced that supporters will use this time to engage in negotiations to garner the 13 votes necessary for passage in the California State Assembly.
“I want to thank Senator Florez and his dedicated stellar staff for working so hard for the helpless and for all the individuals taking care of these animals, and I want to apologize to the taxpayers who continue to foot the bill for all this death and government waste,” SCIL president Judie Mancuso wrote in an open letter. “It was very sad and disheartening that after all our hard work, the initial vote for SB 250 was so lopsided. The misinformation machine against us was able to twist and turn the facts. I feel awful for our shelter workers and animal rescuers who felt this would be our time, and for the most innocent victims—the poor helpless animals that end up in our shelters scared and suffering who meet their death simply because of irresponsible humans.”
Mancuso intends to keep running with the ball and fight pet overpopulation through the bill.
“As long as we are killing over 500,000 dogs and cats per year, we will keep this issue alive,” she said.
I cannot thank you enough, and please do not lose hope. We will get this done—we have to.”
For information on both these bills and other California animal-related issues, visit socialcompassioninlegislation.org.