2:44pm | Friends of Long Beach Animals’ (FOLBA) annual WALK had a new, successful venue this year and also included a Pet Appreciation Fair.
The WALK officially opened with speeches and pronouncements from officials from the cities of Long Beach and Signal Hill. Signal Hill Mayor Larry Forester gave the proclamation, ending beautifully with “We can be anybody, but they love us.” ACS’s standing manager, John Keisler, reminded event-goers of the many, many animals waiting for homes at the shelter.
“You’re allowed to have up to four!” he said, encouragingly.
Event-goer Kathy Goddard (right) shows FOLBA President Shirley Vaughan a photo of her cat, Savannah, whom Vaughan helped her adopt from the shelter seven years ago. Savannah chose to stay at home.
The WALK’s official MC, Health and Human Services’ worthy Dale Worsham, announced details of the event the entire day.
From left: MC Dale Worsham, Fifth District Councilmember Gerrie Schipske, Signal Hill Mayor Larry Forester, ACS interim manager John Keisler, and FOLBA president Shirley Vaughan. Photo courtesy of Greg Moure of Giēpers Studios
LBFD’s mascot, Sparky, was there to give a—er, plug.
More than 100 WALKers and pets walked a path in the beautiful bucolic grounds of El Dorado Regional Park and shared in the entertainment, contests and education with several hundred other event-goers.
One woman demonstrated the proper way to WALK a cat…
…and someone else brought her virtual dog.
Crossroads Animal Emergency and Referral Center in Norwalk was top team fund-raiser. Team members will enjoy a private harbor cruise. Alexis Swenson and Rebecca Johnson were respectively first- and second-place individual fund-raisers. Swenson took home JetBlue tickets to the destination of her choice; Johnson was awarded a six-month membership to the Belmont Athletic Club.
Shirley Vaughan with top fund-raiser team from Crossroads Animal Emergency and Referral Center
Long Beach’s Blue Steel Band played on all day.
ACS’s Mobile Clinic was there to provide licensing, microchips, immunization and information on low-cost spay/neuter.
There were baby desert tortoises and other reptiles to meet, by grace of the Southern California Herpetology Association…
…educators from the Aquarium of the Pacific…
Tamara Galvan and John Gonzales with friend from the Aquarium Education Programs. Gonzales is a FOLBA board member.
…amazing agility performances…
Muttley Crew hoop jumper
Disc Dogs
…and contests!
Cory Torres, best friend of Mary Ann Torres, won Most Photogenic. Photo courtesy of Greg Moure of Giēpers Studios
Duke, who lives with Jackie Ozeretsky (under the hat), is congratulated by Jillian Clemmons (right), the event’s hilarious contest moderator, who won Best Silly Trick. Duke, a multitasker, can sit, shake, high-five and woof.
Lourdes’s Leo did pretty well for a dog without the use of his back legs, but he did fine in the Wiener-Bobbing Contest…
…But it was Lexie, who lives with Alexis Swenson and was brought to the event by friend Romelia Leslie, wolfed down the most hot dog pieces and requested more.
FOLBA gives huge thanks to Clemmons (standing, with mic) and to our judges, John Gonzales, Larry Forester and the Press-Telegram’s own Tim Grobaty, who restrained himself from denigrating cats more than once. All winners received grooming certificates from Belmont Pets.
And equally enormous thanks to all the vendors, pet demonstrators, guests, planners and the fantastic team of volunteers!
Two of the WALK volunteers and friends
All proceeds from the event fund control of pet overpopulation through SNIP (Spay/Neuter Incentive Program), humane education in the schools and to the public, encouragement of adoption of shelter and rescue animals, and special needs and medical care of homeless pets at ACS.
Can’t get enough animal photos? Visit Greg Moure’s album at Giepers and go whole hound!
If your dog is fat, you aren’t getting enough exercise.
~Unknown source
Donate to Pet Post’s Special Cash Cow Fund-raiser for ACS
If the milk of humane kindness courses in gallons through your blood, and if the spirit mooooves you, donate to our fund-raiser for ACS. Donations are tax deductible, and all names we receive will be featured in our column. Check the archives section in this column and click on Cash Cow: The Milk of Humane Kindness for details.
Virtually Pets
Carla
Carla is a former mom dog who was saved, along with one of her pups, from a coyote by a homeless couple one scary night in a park. One pup, sadly, became the coyote’s dinner, but both mom and baby were taken to a rescuer. The rescuer adopted out the other pup and had Carla spayed and inoculated. She’s smiling and ready to go home. Gorgeous shade of pink on that tongue! Buy yourself socks to match and contact [email protected] to take Carla home.
Pet Projects
Governor Scratches Microchip Bill
SB 702, which would have required that dogs and cats adopted or reclaimed by their owners from a shelter be implanted with a microchip, was vetoed by Gov. Brown on Oct. 7.
In a letter stating his reasons for not signing the bill, Brown said that “the measure would prohibit any animal control agency, animal shelter, or rescue group from releasing, selling or giving away a dog or cat that has not been microchipped.” He also stated that the process can and should be locally mandated, but a state law would require the state to pay for the procedure.
According to Judie Mancuso, president of Social Compassion in Legislature, the bill had hundreds of supporters across the state and that there were also over 30 letters from state animal control agencies asking for the governor’s signature, confirming that the bill would not be a financial burden and would in fact help reduce costs. SB 702 had bipartisan support in the State Legislature and passed both houses.
“We appreciate that Governor Brown agrees with us that this policy ‘should’ be implemented, but disagree with him on the cost to the state,” Mancuso said. “The bill clearly states that the microchip cost would be covered in the adoption or impoundment fee at the shelters; in fact, these fees are already in place at all municipal shelters.”
Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who authored the bill, cited taxpayer savings of millions of dollars if the bill were implemented. It also would save millions of lives—Lieu said that California shelters impound more than a million dogs and cats a year and euthanize about half of them, many because their owners are not found
“Sadly, this heartbreaking trend will continue,” Lieu said.
FOLBA President’s Donation Page
Help me to be a voice for our animal friends. By contributing to Friends of Long Beach Animals, you are helping to fight animal cruelty, support shelter animals in finding them forever homes, and educate children and adults to respect all life. No donation is too small—even $2.00 can go toward a Kuranda bed or a toy. Click here to donate.
Oct. 14, Homeless with Dogs Community Event, Downtown Dog Park
The Nutro pet food company will head an event that will benefit Homeless with Dogs’ 501 (c) nonprofit. There will be a variety of booths that include first aid kits, health and hygiene items, free dog vaccinations and, of course, a pet food station to give away samples of pet food. The event will take place from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Oct. 22, spcaLA Foster Class, P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village Auditorium
Help a pet better his or her chance at adoption! SpcaLA is looking for foster parents for pets of all ages and needs. Come to the Companion Animal Village auditorium, 7700 E. Spring St. in Long Beach from 10 a.m. to noon and learn how to foster a pet. Potential foster parents must fill out and submit an application prior to attending a foster class. Application available by clicking here. Foster pets can’t live without you. They need temporary homes. Sign up now!
Oct. 30, Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade, Livingston Park
Belmont Shore’s pet community activist is looking to break a world record, and he wants your help—you and your dog’s, that is. The current record of costumed dogs in a parade is 337, and as dog friendly as this town is, we can surely do better! The event begins 12:30 p.m. with a pet fair at Livingston Park at Livingston Drive and Park Avenue in Belmont Shore. The parade steps off at 2:30 p.m. Early entry (received by Sunday if you mail on Friday, or sign up online) is $10; other details about the event can be found here. All proceeds fund Community Action Team donations.
Dec. 3, Holiday Bone-Anza, Good Neighbor Park
Long Beach has a huge canine population estimated at over 100,000. We have several great parks and a dog beach around town, but there aren’t enough off-leash areas to provide the running and playing room needed to keep our urban dogs healthy and happy! Friends of El Dorado Dog Park wants to help solve this problem by creating a three-to-four-acre dog park in El Dorado Regional Park, and a fun event is planned to help raise the $100,000 needed to make this happen. Along with music, a raffle, free popcorn for the kids, dog training demos and more, there will be more than 30 vendors and a few gourmet food trucks offering their wares to the holiday-shopping crowds. A humane education table will be in place to disseminate information about a major objective of the animal-welfare community. Good Neighbor Park is located at 2800 Studebaker Rd. Join us and help us create a place where dogs can be social and healthy, both physically and mentally! Click here for more details; e-mail [email protected] for questions and information.