Virtually Pets
I got an email from Uli, one of the Pet Project’s readers, stating that yesterday, Nov. 17, is National Black Cat Day. I went online to fact-check—of course—and found several links to different days of the year to celebrate the most ebony of felines—some even included the black-and-white mixes. Some had it in August; others just before Halloween. The UK, where resides the largest percentage and number of moggie lovers in the world (no need to fact-check that one; I made it up out of bits and pieces of yarn and cloth), has the day the 27 October.
Why have a special day for the black cat? Why not every day? Because, like any other special day, the subject has something to be celebrated for, has been disenfranchised and targeted, or both. Black cats are in the third cat-egory.
One of my favorite Scratching Post articles celebrated the black cat, and it can be read here. The poor animals’ history of superstition-fueled mass killings and ritual slayings can be traced even to today, where the most “benevolent” of incidences of black-cat death are shown in the number of euthanasia procedures at shelters because people have some sort of weird atavistic memory of black cats being unlucky. But the shoe’s really on the other paw—the cats themselves have been the unlucky ones.
This doesn’t hold with everyone, of course. I’ve owned black cats, friends have owned them, and potential adopters coming in to the shelter and the rescues have taken them home with them. But I’ll gladly leap onto this bandwagon and feature a few silky, sooty little stars who are looking to curl up and adorn a lap. And lucky both of you!
Boomer is a little guy around 3 years old. Ask for ID#A576859.
Dracula is nowhere near as sinister as his name implies. In fact, he’d rather you scratched his neck than bite yours. He’s a little over a year old. Ask for ID#A578535.
Both cats are available at Long Beach Animal Care Services, 7700 East Spring Street in the P. D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village, Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park. Parking is free for Village visitors.
Liam, an adorable little pudgy-cheeked teddy-bear boy, might have some British shorthair in him, speaking of the UK. He was rescued from a public shelter where he was too close to becoming yet another statistic. Now he needs a home! Please meet this baby boy! Contact Helen Sanders CatPAWS at [email protected] or fill out the application on this page.
These sleek beauties are being fostered by Jellicle Cats, a one-woman boots-on-the-ground rescue. Contact [email protected] to meet them.
Ace lives up to his name. He’s an adorable kitten living with one of the fosters at Kitty Katchers. Contact [email protected], or meet him in person on weekends from 11AM to 3PM at the PetSmart in Signal Hill, 2550 Cherry Avenue (in Costco/Home Depot center), Signal Hill
Mark Your Calendars (the People Way)
California Turtle and Tortoise Club’s Arizona Wildlife World Presentation
Friday, November 18, 7:30PM, University Baptist Church, 3434 Chatwin Avenue, Long Beach
Free event
Humans and well-behaved turtles and tortoises are invited to participate in a virtual tour of Arizona’s largest collection of exotic and endangered animals. Richard Roosman will conduct the “tour.” The Care Chapter of the club will host the event and will also provide pizza. The board is up for a runoff election, so membership is encouraged.
Dogs of Downtown
Saturday, November 19, 11:00AM–3:00PM, Downtown Promenade between First and Third streets,Long Beach
Free event
The Dogs is coming! The Dogs is coming! Last year’s event brought hundreds of dogs to the Promenade to enjoy the dog-friendly businesses, watch agility events, drink a tail-chasing brew specifically crafted by Beechwood BBQ and Brewing for this event, and, best of all, adoptable pets from rescues and shelters! This year, it’s all returning—including Hop Kong Phooey, the aforementioned IPA—with all the photo booths, live music, vendor tables with free samples, performances and adoption rescues. All proceeds from the sale of the Hop Kong Phooey will benefit Guide Dogs of the Blind. No dog? Come anyway—maybe, just maybe, you’ll adopt a new best friend!
spcaLA November 2016 Foster Class
Saturday, November 19, 10:00AM–noon, spcaLA P. D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center, 7700 E. Spring Street, at the entrance to El Dorado Park,Long Beach
Free to participants. No parking fee for shelter visitors.
Want to help pets become socialized for adoption? Become a foster parent by submitting an application and attending one of our classes. You provide the home and TLC; we provide the training and supplies. We can’t do it without you! Applications are available here. Call us at (323) 730-5300, ext. 300 for more information.
Pet Adoption Event
Saturday, December 3, 11:00AM–3:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Adoption fees apply
Find your new best friend and everything that he or she could ever want or need, in one place. Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) and other rescues will be bringing some wonderful dogs ready to go home with their new people. Everything is high quality at Pet Food Express, and that includes the adoptive pets! Check out the Cat Adoption Center, featuring fine felines from Long Beach Animal Care Services and Stray Cat Alliance.
People’s Place and Palace for Pets spcaLA Fund-Raiser
Saturday, December 3, 9:30AM–11:30AM, People’s Place and Palace, 365 W. 6th Street, San Pedro
$20 per ticket
Break a sweat with Zumba, cardio line-dance blast and yoga! $5 of the ticket price will help the pets at the spcaLA. Your weight loss will be the animals’ gain in so many ways! (No food, drink or pets allowed in the studio.)
spcaLA Rummage Sale
Saturday, December 3, 9:00AM–1:00PM, spcaLA Marketplace in P. D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park
Item prices vary; parking is free for visitors to the Village
Come find treasures like art, decor, household items and more! The real treasures are the ones that your purchases will be helping. They’re all inside waiting to go home!
Walk with the Animals in the Belmont Shore Christmas Parade
Saturday, December 3, Step-Off at 6:00PM, Second Street in Belmont Shore
Free
This year’s theme is A Candy Land Christmas, and you can just bet that the sweetest marchers will be with Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA). Find us in the line!
Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic
Saturday, December 17, 7:30AM–4:00PM, Houghton Park, 6500 Atlantic Avenue (near Jordan High), Long Beach
Free to qualifying residents; free microchips; low-cost shots ($10 each); $10 flea med doses
The grassroots free spay/neuter organization Fix Long Beach invites you to make an appointment for your unfixed dog, or get vouchers for free procedures for your dog or cat! These clinics are generously sponsored through Hope for Paws and Eldad Hagar.
Visit this link for qualifications and an application for your appointment. There is also a donation button to help Fix Long Beach continue their efforts. Click the organization’s Amazon Wish List link to donate items, or bring them to the event if you find a better deal!
Let’s continue to help make Long Beach no kill, one pet at a time!
Ongoing
Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS): Free Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinics, once monthly; Low-Cost Vaccination Clinics, scheduled days monthly. Locations vary.
See flyer on web page for pricing of services
Beginning this Sunday, February 21, the Society for California Veterinary and Vaccine Care (SCVVC) will offer free spay/neuter procedures and wellness services to residents of the cities served by ACS: Long Beach, Signal Hill, Cerritos, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach. During the remaining weeks of the month, Spay/Neuter Project Los Angeles (SNP/LA) will offer low-cost vaccines, nail trimmings and topical flea treatment for residents of the same areas. Click link for locations and times and click the links next to each event for vaccine pricing and other details.
Pet owners must be 18 years or older. All pets must be on leashes or in carriers. Only healthy and non-pregnant animals will be vaccinated. If you have a prior rabies vaccine certificate, license tag or license renewal notice for your pet, please bring it with you to the clinic. Vaccination and microchip services are provided for pets residing in any city. Licensing service is provided for residents within our jurisdiction. Microchips, flea treatment and nail trimmings also available.
Pet Photos with Santa and spcaLA Mobile Adoption
Monday, November 14, 21, 28 and December 5, 6:00PM–8:00PM, Los Cerritos Center, 239 Los Cerritos Center, Cerritos
Adoption fees apply
Have your pet’s photo taken with Santa! No pet? There may not be any in Santa’s sack (they aren’t holiday-gift material), but there will be plenty there to adopt! A portion of each photo package sold benefits spcaLA.
Registration for Team spcaLA for the LA Marathon
Saturday, March 18, 5k; Sunday, March 19, Marathon; Dodger’s Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Avenue, Los Angeles
5k, $40; Marathon, $175
Join Team spcaLA for the LA Marathon or LA Big 5K and help stop animal cruelty with each step. Visit link for details.
BARK Therapy Dogs Library Appearances
Various area libraries (Long Beach events generally held on Saturdays)
Free event
Dogs love unconditionally. They don’t judge or criticize. And they love a good story. Bring your children to the library to read to these lovely therapy dogs, and watch their confidence in their reading ability grow.
BARK (Beach Animals Reading with Kids) is an all-volunteer group dedicated to increasing children’s reading skills as well as interacting with pets. Check the calendar page on the group’s website, and find out more about this terrific organization.
Free Pet Food Distributions
Food for Pets in Need provides pet food to senior, homeless, low-income and homebound residents in Long Beach who otherwise may not be able to afford adequate food to take proper care of their pets.
The Pet Food Bank is sponsored by Christian Outreach in Action. See flyer for details.