Please send any Long Beach or Seal Beach pet-related events or projects to [email protected]. Posting subject to approval.

Virtually Pets

October 16 is Feral Cat Day. The date was designated by Alley Cat Allies, a national cat-advocacy organization dedicated to the protection and humane treatment of all cats, not just the ones at large in the community.

Among other things done to protect community cats from dangers that include other wildlife and humans is trap/neuter (which comprises spaying)/return (TNR). TNR involves trapping the cat, using a humane trap; shuttling the cat to a vet for altering, vaccinations, and testing for disease; and releasing the cat to where it originally had been found. On October 16, volunteers from Stray Cat Alliance will present a workshop on the TNR process and will be around to answer questions (see Pet Projects) about our community cats.

Kittens found with feral moms can be socialized with some hard work. Here are three candidates whom Stray Cat Alliance brought out of their furry little shells. If you’re interested in any of them, contact [email protected].

All photos courtesy of Stray Cat Alliance

If you can’t make the TNR class on Friday, here are some local organizations where you can volunteer or donate funds to help them keep going. For more information about community cats, click on this link to the shelter.

Mark Your Calendars (the People Way)

Low-Cost Pet Vaccination Clinics

Thursday, October 15, 1:00PM–7:00PM; and Thursday, November 5, Scherer Park, 4600 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach

Pricing information available here.

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: Long Beach, Signal Hill, Cerritos, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach.

Photo courtesy of Long Beach Community Cats

Stray Cat Alliance’s Feral Cat TNR Class

Friday, October 16, 10:00AM–noon and 3:00PM–5:00PM, Long Beach Animal Care Services shelter auditorium, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach

Free

Friday, October 16, is National Feral Cat Day. Our volunteer team from Stray Cat Alliance, whose motto is “Building a no-kill nation one stray at a time,” will be on site all day to answer your questions about living with community cats. Volunteers will teach two trap-neuter-release (TNR) classes, and there will also be a representative on site from noon to 3:00PM to answer any questions you may have about the community cats in your area.

PURRfect Fix Spay and Neuter/Free Voucher Program

Friday, October 16, 10:00AM, Morgan Park, 4100 Baldwin Park Boulevard, Baldwin Park

Free to qualifying residents

Photo courtesy of the Office of the Mayor of Long Beach

This is another opportunity for residents of the unincorporated area of Long Beach, which includes areas roughly between Woodruff and Palo Verde avenues and Conant and Parkcrest streets, excluding Patrick Henry School (see map above). L.A. COUNTY’S “PURRfect FIX” spay and neuter voucher program is being made free to cat-owning residents of all county of Los Angeles unincorporated and contract city areas. A $50 voucher will be made available through participating partners to help offset the cost of spay-and-neuter services for felines. The Lucy Pet Foundation’s mobile spay-and-neuter van will be on site at the press conference, generously providing free spay and neuter services starting at 7:00AM. Guest appearances will include Baldwin Park mayor Manuel Lozano, program partners Joey Herrick and Karen “Doc” Halligan of the Lucy Pet Foundation, and Dancing with the Stars judge and animal advocate Carrie Ann Inaba. Click this link for more information.

Photo courtesy of Fix Long Beach

Fix Long Beach (FLB) Spay/Neuter Clinic

Dogs and cats, Saturday, October 17, 7:00AM–4:00PM Houghton Park, 6301 N. Myrtle Avenue (near Jordan High School), Long Beach

Free to qualifying residents

The grassroots free spay/neuter organization Fix Long Beach invites you to make an appointment for your unfixed dog or cat! Guidelines are as follows:

Low-income Long Beach residents only unless you have a pit bull! (We offer free spay/neuter for pitties in surrounding cities.) If you don’t qualify (annual salary $30,000 or lower), please Google “low cost spay/neuter” along with your zip code, and have your pet fixed at one of the suggested clinics.
Book an appointment ASAP. Standbys are welcome. Vouchers will be given to any attendee whose pet cannot be served that day.
If you have called or made a previous appointment, please check your voice mail for messages (be sure that it’s set up). You must call back to confirm your appointment or your spot will be given away.
If you are 15 minutes late for your appointment, your spot will be given to someone waiting on standby. If you fail to show up for two consecutive appointments, you will be denied future service.
Fix Long Beach also offers the following services from 9AM–4PM:
low-cost vaccines for dogs and cats $10 per shot, cash only!
low-cost flea meds for dog and cats $10 per dose/application, cash only!
nail trim $5, cash only!
free microchips for pets of Long Beach residents
free supplies for anyone that gets their pets fixed!

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 323.413.7729

When you come, bring proof of income and Long Beach residency (these events are for Long Beach residents only.) Whether you come as standby or with an appointment, do not give your pet anything to eat or drink after 12:01AM. Dogs must be on leashes and cats must be in carriers that are specifically pet carriers! No paper bags or suitcases, please! There are no walls in the park, and we want you to ensure your pet’s safety! If you don’t own a carrier, pet supply stores like Petco and PetSmart carry inexpensive cardboard ones; they run on the average of $8.

Fix Long Beach also has a wish list for pet items to give to our client as a thank-you for helping to lower our shelter euthanasia rate and prevent the birth of more unwanted kittens and puppies.

Click the 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!

Holiday Bone-anza Volunteer Meeting

Saturday, October 17, 10:00AM–11:00AM, El Dorado Restaurant Patio Area, 3014 North Studebaker Road, Long Beach

Free

Volunteers are needed for the Holiday Bone-anza, which will take place November 14 and which will be a very busy event! Duties will include setup and breakdown, management of the contests and flyer distribution. To volunteer, contact [email protected]. Read all about the Holiday Bone-anza here.

Haute Dogs Interfaith Animal Blessing

Sunday, October 18, 5:45PM, Granada Avenue Boat Launch Ramp, Granada Avenue and Ocean Boulevard on the beach, Long Beach

Free

The world’s largest animal blessing is held each year on, appropriately, St. Francis’ Day. In the spirit of two Francises, cats, dogs, parrots, llamas, rabbits, lizards, goldfish, guinea pigs, horsies and a few other animals will come with their human friends to receive blessings from ministers from a number of denominations. People whose pets are deceased may bring a photo or other mementos of their late best friend. Yep, the pets do come to us already blessed, but we owners doubtless come to express how blessed we are to have them in our homes and hearts.

spcaLA Howl-o-Ween Spooktacular

Saturday, October 24, noon–3:00PM, spcaLA Marketplace, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach

Entry donation of $5 for costume contest

Bring your dog and join the fun—prizes and contests to be won! Take part in a doggie costume contest with ghoulish rewards for categories including Best Homemade, Funniest, Best Duo, Most Original and Best Costume. Show us your dog’s best (or most dastardly) trick, bob for apples (or are they giant eyeballs?), see a “zombie doggie” agility demo, and create the next Edvard Munch-style Scream. And speaking of Munch, take him or her trick or treating at the Begging for Braaaaaains” stations. Lots of vendor booths, lots of howls!

Haute Dogs Howl’oween Parade

Saturday, October 31, 2:30PM, Marina Vista Park, 5355 East Eliot Street, Long Beach

Entry fees apply

This iconic Belmont Shore pet event is expected to include a few hundred kids and adults in costumes, followed by more than 500 costumed dogs with handlers. A few thousand human gawkers will line the parade route, including a panel of distinguished judges that will choose a few dozen human and canine costume winners. Haute Dogs will raise thousands for spay/neuter programs, adoption/rescue groups, Operation Santa Paws and other Long Beach service projects. See more here.

Ongoing

Monthly Mutt Mingles

Pussy & Pooch Pethouse and PawBar, 4818 East Second Street, Long Beach, third Wednesday of every month

222 East Broadway, third Thursday of every month, 6:00PM–8:00PM

Join P&P for their monthly mixer, and enjoy special treats, toasts, and plenty of in-store tail-wagging. Mutt Mingles are a great way for your dog to learn valuable social skills. It’s a chance for them to experience and interact in a social setting with food, drink and plenty of other distractions! It’s important for your dog to learn how to behave around other dogs and people so that they’ll be the stars of the dog park and the dog beach. The indoor facility provides for a very comfortable setting and fun atmosphere. Dogs may be off-leash if supervised closely by their owners. For their protection, we lock the front door so dogs are safe from the street traffic.