Virtually Pets
Congratulations to Helen Sanders CatPAWS of Seal Beach! CatPAWS deservedly won Long Beach Animal Care Services‘ (ACS) One Too Many award at the shelter’s Open House on January 28 (see “ACS Open House Message from the Community: Be the Change that You Want to See”). Among their impressive record of fostering and adopting out shelter cats [disclosure: I have fostered and am presently fostering for CatPAWS and volunteer as well], CatPAWS has helped reduce the number of unwanted litters—there’s more than one too many of those, and one is too many—by bottle-feeding newborn kittens pulled from the shelter; spaying, neutering and vetting them when they’re old enough; and finding them homes. They also assembled 80 bottle-feeding kits to encourage people bringing the kittens in to ACS to bottle-feed them and be part of the solution instead of either passing the job on to someone else or be resigned to euthanasia of the newborns if no one could take them.
The kits for the kits worked very well! The newly empowered life-givers often found permanent homes for the cats themselves, and ACS helped to get them fixed. Now, CatPAWS feels that it’s the adult cats’ turn to get some love. People want kittens because they’re cute and playful, temporarily forgetting that they’ll grow up to be cats anyway. Often, adult cats are overlooked even though they may have plenty of play in them yet are still a lot more settled than kittens. Adults are the ones who curl up in your lap and purr, press up against your legs when you’re in bed, rub against your ankles. When they want to, of course, but they’re cats after all.
And so, up until February 14, Valentine’s Day, CatPAWS’ cats over the age of three will be offered for adoption at the special Valentine’s Day adoption fee of $14 as a part of Best Friends’ Animal Society’s Give Love promotion. CatPAWS saved these and other lives—now you can give them one, and give love, too!
Here’s a glimpse at our dating website for moggies! Follow this link to adopt any of them, and scan their page for more!
Duncan, age 5, is at a relatively slim 20 pounds, thanks to the efforts of his foster. He was pulled from the shelter weighing 32 pounds, and his foster mom and her family worked at getting him exercised and fed a special diet. He’s really a hunk of purrin’ love, but should be an only cat unless you have a separate dining room. He’ll need a prescription diet, play and a lot of love. Duncan has his own Facebook page titled Duncan No Donuts, if you want to read his journal!
Henriettaaaaa! This bright-eyed, full figured-gal was surrendered by her owner to a public shelter at the worst time of year to be in one. She wasn’t going to make it out alive, so CatPAWS took her in. She wants a quiet home where she can hang out with her special person, so if you like a cat with some personality, cuddliness and spunk; likes to play, isn’t clingy, Henrietta might be your girl.
Meet our big fluff, Puff! Puff was taken to a public shelter after her owner passed away, and just like any cat who loses his or her owner and home and ends up in a public shelter, Puff was scared and withdrawn. Not knowing what happened and why, she wasn’t going to make it out alive. Friendly and quiet, all this sweet girl wants is a lap and a home.
Mark Your Calendars (the People Way)
Chipotle Dinner Fund-Raiser for Long Beach Animal Care Services’ Explorer Academy
Wednesday, February 8, 4:00PM–9:00PM, Chipotle, 6324 A PCH, Long Beach
Menu prices apply
The Long Beach Animal Care Services Explorer Academy, part of the Boy Scouts of America’s Learning for Life program, has been providing young people ages 14 through 20 with training toward careers in the humane treatment of animals and public safety since 2011. If you come to the PCH Chipotle on the specified day and present the flier either digitally or on paper, the restaurant will generously donate 50 percent of the tab to the Explorers!
Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic
Saturday, February 11, 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!
Helen Sanders CatPAWS ‘Give Love’ Adoption Event
Through Saturday, February 14
$14 adoption fee for cats 3 years of age and older
CatPAWS is pleased to partner with Best Friends Animal Society in its Give Love promotion! Adoption fee for selected cats over 3 years old will be just $14 through Valentine’s Day! With a nod to Grace Slick, “wouldn’t you love somebody to love?” Click the link for an application.
spcaLA Dine and Donate: Elbows Mac ’n’ Cheese
Tuesday, February 28, 11:00AM–9:00PM, Elbows Mac ’n’ Cheese, 11405 South Street, Cerritos
Menu prices apply
Bring the above flier in to Elbows or present it digitally, and spcaLA will get 50 percent of the tab, and you’ll get a lovely, gooey plate of cheesy comfort food!
Saving Orphaned Kittens Workshop
Wednesday, March 1, 6:00PM–7:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Free event
During kitten season, shelters are flooded with unwanted newborn kittens found in yards, under houses, thrown in garbage cans and luckily found in time. Can you help be part of the solution? Come to this fantastic workshop presented by The Little Lion Foundation in conjunction with Helen Sanders CatPAWS.
Pet Adoption Event at PFE
Saturday, March 4, 11:00AM–3:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Adoption fees apply
March forth to Pet Food Express to find your new BFF 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.
Marine Mammal Care Center Presents ‘Marine Mammal Madness!’
Sunday, March 19, 4:00PM–8:00PM, Think Cafe, 302 West 5th Street, San Pedro
Adults, $60
The public’s generosity in 2016 helped us provide quality care for 450 seals and sea lions in 2016. This fund-raiser is a great opportunity for you to help us continue this work and to enjoy the music of Andy & Renee, sample food and drink, bid in a silent auction, enter opportunity drawings, win prizes and much more! We invite you to learn more about MMCC Los Angeles and the vital community service we provide through your support. You’ll be able to meet our board of directors and speak to our fund-raising ambassadors as to how you can support Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles. Your ticket entitles you to two drinks and a great array of appetizers (not to mention that part of the ticket price is tax deductible).
Ongoing
Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) Invitation to Join Its Board
Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA), the most venerable animal-welfare organization in Long Beach, is inviting pet-community members and any animal-loving human to apply to fill an opening on the FOLBA board. If you have some time to spend and a passion for our feline and canine friends, and if you are looking for the rewards that can come with volunteerism, FOLBA would love to hear from you. Contact FOLBA at [email protected] or at (562) 988-SNIP.
Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS) Information for Low-Cost Vaccinations and Spay/Neuter Clinics
7700 East Spring Street at entrance to El Dorado Park (no fee for shelter visitors), Long Beach
Prices vary
Vouchers that take a big bite, so to speak, out of the cost of spay/neuter procedures are available at ACS during their public hours. Visit this link for information on clinics that accept the vouchers and for other spay/neuter assistance.
For low-cost vaccines, visit this link. Note that pet owners must be 18 years or older, all pets must be on leashes or in carriers, and only healthy and non-pregnant animals will be vaccinated. Please bring prior vaccination information with you to the clinic. Vaccination and microchip services are provided for pets residing in any city. Licensing is provided for residents within our jurisdiction at Saturday clinics; please bring your renewal notice and rabies certificate with you.
Humane Education Presentation Signup
Throughout year, various school classrooms
Free
Humane educator and writer (How Willy Got His Wheels, How Willy Got His Wings and others) is available to teach students about responsible pet ownership and kindness to all living beings. Turner also presents to adult groups as a special event for school parents. If you are a principal, a teacher, a librarian or other school official in the Long Beach Unified School District, reserve a date. See graphic for information.
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.
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.