10:26am | The organization Pets of the Homeless reports that 5 percent to 10 percent of homeless people have pets. Although this year’s Homeless Count data didn’t include pets in its tally, anyone who pays attention has seen dogs and an occasional cat keeping company with people who are living on the streets, in their cars and in encampments. Some people may question the wisdom or safety of that, but Patricia Zaid and Liz Reyes understand the bond.
“The homeless rescue the dogs, but in turn the dogs rescue the homeless,” Zaid said. “They’re someone to love, to communicate with, to care for.”
Zaid and Reyes are the founders of Homeless with Dogs, a recently organized arm of the Drop-in Center program of the 501(c) nonprofit Urban Community Outreach. The organization serves the downtown homeless community by gifts of pet food for dogs and cats as well as other donated items such as leashes and collars. Their mission is “to make connections with angels and donors to provide food for dogs (and cats) in downtown Long Beach that live with their homeless companions.”
On Saturday, Oct. 17, one such band of angels set up camp at the Downtown Dog Park in the City Center. Nutro Pet Food, part of the Mars (as in the candy bars with their tongue-lovin’ nougat centers) family, and several representatives hosted an event as part of its Mars Volunteer Program. Bags and cans of nutritious food for pets, little doggie sweaters, leashes, vaccinations and microchipping, and information about low-cost spay/neuter were given to the pets. The humans also were given lunch, supplied by Subway and Fresh & Easy, as well as warm blankets for the winter, donated by Operation Blankets of Love.
Alissa Sablan, an associate at Nutro and Long Beach resident, met Zaid and Reyes at Justin Rudd’s Giving Project earlier this year and decided to adopt the organization for the Volunteer Program.
“We do a project every year, and I was brainstorming, trying to figure out what to do for the program,” Sablan said. “This worked out perfectly—we get to help homeless people and pets.”
Homeless with Pets cofounder Liz Reyes and ACS adoption coordinator Debra Brubaker with Reyes’s stroller full of her pups.
Kelly Miott and Debra Brubaker from Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS); Bradford Lara-Gagne, the Drop-in Center’s executive director; outreach workers Lucinda Hayes and Leonard Adams from the Multi-Services Center of Long Beach; Dr. Katie Marrie, DVM, medical director of the Spay/Neuter Project of Los Angeles; and Signal Hill Mayor Larry Forester were among the participants in the park with the Nutro crew. They helped attendeess with inoculations, licensing, assistance, supplies and information about low-cost spay/neuter and ruffled lots of friendly fur. People left with goodies for their pets and a few things for themselves.
Kilo poses in her new warm sweater with her human companion, Stephanie
Inoculations can be traumatic…
But Misty has a big smile afterward! Dr. Marrie has a soft touch.
The team effort for this project involved an equal amount of work and generosity, and it is hoped that the results will be in kind. All individuals and organizations deserve a huge thanks. An upcoming article will feature the Homeless with Dogs effort.
More Canine Capers
No way in a bag of dog biscuits would we have missed all the boo-ful bowsers at the Haute Dog Howl’oween Parade. But we were both so busy either helping volunteer or tending a booth that we got to see only the odd photo op. Here are a couple from the parade; you can find more and better here or here as well as who won which title. No word on whether they broke the record, but it sure looked like it.
And one very patient cat. Her name’s Monkey. Kate’s favorite, of course.
This photo isn’t from the parade. It’s one that got left out of the Friends of Long Beach Animals event spread. This is Shauna Enders and her iguana, Lolo, both of whom are staunch members of the Southern California Herpetology Association.
Virtually Pets
Max Goes Home
The special-needs cocker spaniel, Max, whom we told you about a month ago has been adopted by a family in Utah! He’s been dolled up and has started his journey home. Princess, the overweight mini pin, wasn’t so lucky; she had medical issues and had to be euthanized. For those of you who expressed such loving thoughts about Max and Princess, please let your friends know how important it is to spay and neuter pets. It helps to shrink pet overpopulation numbers. We can’t say that often enough.
Sterling
Eighteen-month-old Sterling’s rescuer says that he’s proud to be an American—pit bull. He was found in pretty bad shape, wandering the streets. Sterling’s in desperate need of a good home—he’s been boarded for over a year! The boarding place is closing down in December and he has no place to go. Sterling is shy at first but warms up quickly as soon as he gets to know you. He loves kids! He also gets along with other dogs when introduced properly (not sure about little dogs). He weights about 55-60 lbs and is a charming and handsome young man. No cats please! He needs a yard to run around. He loves to play and get his ball. He takes treats gently, is good on a leash and loves car rides. Sterling is neutered, microchipped and up to date utd on shots. Interested people can contact [email protected]. Home check and adoption fee apply. If you need convincing, watch this video:
Pet Projects
Chuck & Toby Treats for Pets Announces Grand Opening of Grooming Salon
Chuck & Toby Treats for Pets by Wiskers, located at 191 Park Avenue in Belmont Shore is pleased to announce the grand opening of its new grooming salon with the return of former Wiskers groomer Stacey Lynn Witner. Ms. Witner has over seven years of experience grooming many breeds of dogs and cats in the Los Angeles area, from pampered celeb purebred champions to rescued buddies as well as work as a veterinary assistant in Manhattan Beach. She worked for years as a pet groomer with Scott Rinehart and Jim Poerof Wiskers in Belmont Shore (now Chuck & Toby Treats for Pets) before moving on to run her own salon, The Paw Spa, in Lomita.
“We are very excited to have Stacey back on board to service the beloved Long Beach fur-friends and their parents!” Rinehart said. “Stacey has always prided her work on her relationship with the pet, always treating him/her with the compassion and care that she would of her own rescue dog, Albert.”
Chuck & Toby’s pet salon is always kennel free and offers hand drying as opposed to cage drying. Every bath or full service groom always includes the basic services–ear cleaning, toenail trimming and gland expression. Tooth brushing is also available upon request. First-time clients will receive one free treat and complimentary blueberry facial (we assume they mean your dog) with any grooming service. Call (562) 434-8085, or visit them on Facebook.
Sat., Nov. 5, Walk with FOLBA at the Veterans Day Parade, Atlantic Avenue and Harding Street, near Houghton Park in Long Beach, 9:30 a.m.
Honor our war dogs! All licensed, well-behaved and vaccinated dogs are invited to join Friends of Long Beach Animals at the Veterans Day Parade and march in support of our four-legged soldiers, their bravery and their sacrifice. Arrive as early as possible to find parking on local streets and go to the check-in booth in the park near Harding and Mytle and look for the FOLBA entry area. Parade starts promptly at 10 a.m. Please bring water for your pets and remember there will be loud bands playing and horses marching, both of which may upset your dog, so take your dog’s sensitivities into consideration.
Nov. 6–12, National Animal Shelter (and Adoption) Appreciation Week
The Humane Society of the United States wants to remind everyone who loves animals about Shelter Appreciation Week and hopes that you can do one or more of the following things for your local shelter:
- Adopt a pet. Find your next pet online at theshelterpetproject.org,
- Promote pet adoption. Become a fan of the Shelter Pet Project on Facebook
- Volunteer. Helping animals at a shelter or rescue organization can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Look on local groups’ websites for opportunities or visit VolunteerMatch.org.
- Donate funds or supplies. Shelters and rescues are often in need of towels, toys,and other supplies for the animals.
- We like to read the Mutts comic strip in the L.A. Times. Every year, cartoonist Patrick McDonnell draws out his characters’ support of shelter animals. If you don’t read the Times, click here.
Sun., Nov. 6, Let’s Meet for the Mutts, El Dorado Park Nature Center, 10 a.m.
These mutts are the ones that the Friends of Eldorado Dog Park want to benefit from the 3-to-4 acre play area for pups that they’re trying to develop. Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell (a fortuitously close-sounding name to the Mutts cartoonist) will hold a community stakeholders meeting on the proposed site, which can be accessed through the entrance to the El Dorado Nature Center near 7600 E. Spring St., prior to the Nov. 10 Commission meeting. Meeting attendees are welcome to bring their dogs. Light refreshments will be provided. O’Donnell is also kicking-off a support drive for the El Dorado Dog Park. Residents can sign on to support the dog park by texting ODONNELL to 22828 (standard text messaging rates apply) or e-mail their messages of support [email protected].
Sat., Nov. 19, Photos with Santa, spcLA auditorium, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Santa and his helpers are making a special trip to Long Beach just in time for the holidays, and you and your pets can have your picture taken with Santa. Prices are $15 for a 4 x 6 keepsake photo or two photos for $20. Proceeds benefit spcaLA. Additional photo packages will be available for purchase from Otis & Lucy Photography. All cats must be in carriers and all dogs leashed. No more than two dogs per adult. Photo ops will be in the spcaLA Auditorium, P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center, 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach. For more information, click here.
Sat., 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.