Nature abhors a vacuum, and Renée Carleton abhors a need.
Carleton is a dedicated humane-itarian by heart and as such is the vivacious founder of The Pet Food Bank, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides shelters and rescues with much-needed food for cats, dogs and other pets. The Bank also distributes pet medication, toys, bedding and cleaning supplies for the animals and the facilities. This all runs into money for animal rescuers, and it’s Carleton’s mission to fill the needs.
Carleton was inspired to begin her enterprise 20 years ago when she was volunteering for the Friends for Pets Foundation in Sun Valley. FFP, another all-volunteer nonprofit, provides veterinary care and adoptive homes for sporting breeds, particularly Weimaraners, Dalmatians and retriever dogs, and Carleton quickly became aware of how hard it was for nonprofits to obtain food and other supplies. Soon after that, the Pet Food Bank opened its doors in Carleton’s Seal Beach garage.
Like Food Finders, another übergiver rooted in Seal Beach, Carleton first obtained the pet food from donations and out-of-date and torn bags that otherwise would have been tossed out. The Pet Food Bank in turn gave the food to local rescues and has since expanded its benevolence from California to shelters in Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Mexico.
It wasn’t long before Carleton realized that, with 35 truckloads of pet food at one time in her garage, she needed more space. An opportunity came up in the form of a sublet warehouse in an industrial area in Westminster, where the Pet Food Bank’s now been for about three years. As supplies and donations began coming in, Carleton materialized a couple of forklifts, one donated by the Orange County Daily Pilot and the other by a business owner from Santa Fe Springs as a result of an e-mail Carleton sent to KROC’s Kevin and Bean.
“I’ve listened to KROC for years, and I knew that Bean is an animal lover,” Carleton said. “Bean and Kevin called me on the air during the morning show and asked me about my unusual request. I told them about our food bank and what we did, and how we needed a forklift because our old one had broken down. Within 30 minutes, a warehouse manager from a company in LA called and said they had one they could give us, but it needed some repairs. A few minutes after that, Jason from R & J Material Handling called and offered to repair the forklift we were getting. It was great, and we still use it today. Jason still helps us with repairs.”
Those forklifts come in handy in the 7,000-square-foot building. Inside is a fairy godmother’s warehouse. Divided neatly into categorized stacks and pallets are cleaners, bleach and detergents—“Bleach and detergent are like gold to us,” Carleton said—not to mention batteries, trash bags, gloves, medical supplies, pet clothes, blankies, towels, air freshener, beds, hoses, furniture, crockpots, umbrellas, heaters, fans, kids’ toys, baby items, vacuums, mops and toiletries. At one time or another, there surely was a kitchen sink.
Wait a minute—this is a pet food bank?
Yes, there are tons of kitty comestibles and doggie dinners, and there’s also a huge number of items that rescues may not have but surely need—air conditioners and swamp coolers for the animals’ comfort as well as that of their caregivers, beds for rescue volunteers who stay the night, and freezers of food for barbecues and raffle items for fund-raisers. And there are also products for people in need. Carleton gets showroom demo furniture from sources like Sam’s Club, and she is given toys, clothing, toiletries, nonperishable food and other things by sponsors like Target, Walmart and Vons. These go to such organizations as Toys 4 Tots, Alzheimer’s care housing, veteran groups, homeless charities, and even Camp Pendleton. The “people stuff” is a direct outgrowth of Carleton’s helpers who volunteer for other causes, mainly human, and Carleton can’t say no when one someone talks about a project beyond the rescue fringe.
“I’m big on helping people where there’s a need,” Carleton said. “I’m not turning something down. If someone’s remodeling and has a washer/dryer, I can find a home for it. We never say no.” The Bank recently furnished a family’s entire home.
Carleton’s philanthropy finds outlets everywhere—one of her volunteers’ kid’s soccer team needing uniforms, soda and water for Westminster’s Concerts in the Park, something Carleton reads about in the paper. And there’ll always be something in that warehouse to fill it. So much for screeds about animal-welfare activists not giving a crap about people.
“Anyone who says that has a limited circle of friends,” said Friends for Pets founder Diane Monahan. “Anyone who involves themselves with animals is involved with all life, and I think Renée exemplifies this. I’ve known and worked with her for more than 20 years.”
The Pet Food Bank serves 300 animal and 30 human charities, and making a large-scale operation work is no walk in the park, even with the volunteers and stalwart sponsors on the leash. There are significant expenses as well as time and energy to managing the storage and flow of goods. And Carleton works as a hairdresser, which takes up her own human resources. Public donations for man and beast, all of which are tax deductible, are always welcome and appreciated, as is paws-on-the-ground help. The bank is currently collecting funds to purchase a truck, and The Pet Food Bank always needs gas cards to help with the considerable cost of running them. Medical supplies and staples, building equipment, and food are needed, too. Check the wish list on the website to see how to keep the bank in the green.
A rescue can go through a pallet of food in one month. That’s 1,000 pounds of food.
Rent, Carleton says, is the biggest expense, and the bank may be in need of a particular bailout in a few months. The company that owns the warehouse where the Pet Food Bank operates has sold the entire building, and Carleton needs to find another location. Based on their finances, subletting is a requirement.
“It’s sad,” Carleton said, choking up a little. “This is the perfect location. I hope to be able to stay in the area.”
An orderly, clean desk is a mark of someone with nothin’ doin’.
If someone, somewhere close can provide such a space, Renée Carleton will full well make sure that good things continue to happen.
“I hate to see a need,” she said.
“Anyone who involves themselves with animals is involved with all life.”
Diane Monahan, Friends for Pets founder
Virtually Pets
Adopt from the Paw Shoppe Pet Center!
Meet Stevie, a handsome 4-year-old neutered male brown tabby who wants to be your one-and-only. Stevie’s part of a great new adoption project in tandem with Animal Care Services ACS, Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA), and the Paw Shoppe Pet Center on Spring Street. The Paw Shoppe now features two kennels with adoptable cats, and they’ve adopted eight cats at this writing.
“I’m so thrilled with this arrangement—our own mini-Adopt and Shop!” said Kelly Miott, PR contact for ACS. Miott said that when a pet’s adopted, The Paw Shoppe donates back to FOLBA an amount greater than the rescue price that the organization paid. “So it’s a win-win-win-win—I can’t keep track of how many, but it’s a lot!”
Visit the Paw Shoppe Pet Center at 6426 E. Spring St. to see the fine felines on display. Maybe you’ll find your own one-and-only.
Duke and Duchess: Royalty Falls on Hard Times
Have you seen this poster around town? Apparently, the kitty was dumped on the beach near a feral colony by someone who couldn’t see that it was worth his or her while to deal with pets with issues or may have caused them in the first place. Solution? Dump them.
Yes—them. Turns out that there were two of them. Our friends at the Long Beach Spay and Neuter Foundation came across a similar cat dumped in the same area, went to the shelter to find the other, sprang her, and found that the two were most likely related siblings. At any rate, they seemed glad to see each other.
It turned out that the female had severe dental issues and the male, like some white cats, is deaf. LB S&N raised funds for grooming and dental work; now, Duke and Duchess are ready for a forever loving home. LB S&N want to keep them together not because they’re a beautifully matched pair but because the two are bonded. If you want more than a decorative accessory and can lovingly care for a deaf kitty, please e-mail [email protected].
Shy and Fearless
I met these two guys at the Saturday Fix Long Beach event. They’re beautiful and gentle (I held them both!)—one has amber eyes, and the other has greenish/golden ones. This statuesque angel of a woman saw them tossed into the street from a car (that’s illegal statewide, y’know) along with a sibling who, sadly, was hit and killed by a car. The boys are half-grown kittens and will be neutered, and the lady would have kept them if her other cat weren’t objecting so strongly. What about you? E-mail [email protected], and please put “Kittens” in the subject line.
Jozay
Described as his rescuer as “affectionate and sometimes silly,” this 2-year-old shih tzu/miniature poodle mix is actually your perfect housedog: smart (“sometimes a little too smart for his own good”), 100 percent housebroken, leash and car trained, sits and lies down on command, and gets along fine with cats, kids and other dogs. However, he gets a little anxious when separated, possibly because he was found wandering the streets of Long Beach and may link his human leaving to being abandoned again. Jozay has all his paperwork and has been dewormed, vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. A small rehoming fee will apply to cover these costs. If you’re interested in this cuddler, e-mail [email protected].
Pet Projects
Saturday, Sept. 28, Fix Long Beach Mobile Clinic, Silverado Park, 1545 W. 31st St., Long Beach, 10AM–3:30PM
On Saturday, Sept. 14, Fix Long Beach mobile spay/neuter clinic at Silverado Park, sponsored by C & B Real Estate Investments, Inc., fixed 39—huge number— pets for free—more than 200 after seven clinics. Fix LB’s efforts not only help control shelter overpopulation and provide a healthier, longer life for animals but also serve to educate the public about these things and encourage them to pass it on and forward. Please tell your friends about the next event, also at Silverado Park. Appointments are needed for this clinic and future ones, but none are necessary for low-cost inoculations for species-specific inoculations, flea treatment, worming, nail clipping and, of course, education from Fix Long Beach volunteers (including the veterinarian) and a Long Beach Animal Care Services officer. Please donate here to help fund additional clinics and alleviate the animal overpopulation crisis.
Saturday, Sept. 28, 18th Annual Wag ’n’ Walk, Seal Beach Pier, Main Street, 905 Ocean Ave., Seal Beach, 9AM–2PM
You and your dog can get your exercise and support the wonderful staff and pets at the Seal Beach Animal Care Center. Join the one-mile walk and enjoy a dog costume contest, opportunity drawings (including a $1,000 Visa gift card), dog yoga, a silent auction, and a barbecue sponsored by the Seal Beach Lions Club balanced with vegetarian pizza by zpizza. Justin Rudd serves as grand marshal. Lots more info here, including online registration and sponsorship.
Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Seal Beach Pier, 9AM–2PM, and Sunday, Sept 29, 11AM–2PM at the Art Theater, 2025 E. 4th St., Kindness to Animals Weekend
The Pet Post (no relation to us except through shared love and concern for animals) has designated the last weekend of the month as Kindness to Animals Weekend, obviously in the hope that the sentiment will stretch further than two days. The weekend will kick off during the Wag ’n’ Walk (see above entry) with the Super Smiley Flash Mob led by Megan Blake and her dog, Super Smiley and will culminate in a film festival at the Art Theater. Films shown include Happily Ever After, Kindness: A Super-Smiley Dogumentary, and the sobering but edifying The Paw Project, a documentary about Dr. Jennifer Conrad’s effort to end cat declawing. A $10 donation will be donated to the Paws Project. Click here for the full description and to purchase tickets.
Sunday, Sept. 29, 8th Annual Pet Fair in the Park, Long Beach Marine Stadium, 5255 Paoli Way, Long Beach, 10AM–noon
Enjoy a day of frolicking near the water as you and possibly your dog enjoy opportunity drawings, Agility Dogs demos, pet talent contests, food and pet-product vendors, adoption information and disaster-information booths particularly for your pet. Living as we do in one of the quake capitals of the world, we’re used to hearing “It’s not if it happens, but when.” If you’re a Pet Post reader, you’ll want to include your cat, dog, rabbit, reptile, bird, fish or whatever critter shares your home. All proceeds go to SCART (SoCal Animal Response Team), which presents this event, to help them continue to help us provide for our pets in case of emergency. Click here for more information.
Thursday, Oct. 10, Long Beach Animal Care Services Fund-Raiser, Veggie Grill, The Marketplace in Long Beach, 6451 PCH, Long Beach, 4–10PM
What better way to eat your nice vegetables? Present or mention the flier above, and 50 percent of your food and beverage purchases will go to the Long Beach Animal Care Services.
Saturday, Oct. 19, spcaLA October Mobile Adoption, PetSmart, Long Beach Towne Center, 7631 Carson Blvd., Long Beach, 10AM–3PM
Can’t make it to an spcaLA Pet Adoption Center? We come to you! Meet our adorable adoptables at the Town Center PetSmart!
Volunteers Needed for Third Annual Holiday Bone-Anza Event, presented by Friends of El Dorado Dog Park
The Friends of El Dorado Dog Park, an all-volunteer 501c3 nonprofit, is looking for volunteers to assist with their November 17 event that will take place at Good Neighbor Park, 2800 Studebaker Rd. on Nov. 17, 10AM–4PM.
“With the dog park opening soon, it is going to be more important than ever to create a successful Holiday Bone-Anza fund-raiser,” said Mary Matthieson, FEDDP president. “We are all on the same goal of making our dog park a premier dog park.” Besides setting up and breaking down the event, volunteers will be needed to help with managing booths, helping with activities, flier distribution and a number of other things. FEDDP will send out an e-mail for the scheduling of a volunteer meeting at the first of October. For information, click here or send an e-mail to [email protected]