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

Dogs in dire situations are nothing new for the Sparky and the Gang animal rescue. They regularly scoop up animals from the street—literally—and rehabilitate them. Many of them are on their last legs, and some of them are in such bad condition that they have to lose legs. They’re famous for the before-and-after photos of their rescues.

A couple of weeks ago, the group was alerted to a hoarding situation. Team members spent 20-hour days getting 72 dogs, a few dogs at a time, out of a dark cluttered house and into rescues and foster homes. The dogs are all small mixed breeds and are around 6 months to 5 years old. They’re not ready for adoption yet—they need spaying and neutering and vetting and petting—so this week’s adoption column will feature dogs that have already been through Sparky and the Gang’s makeover process, in the hope that you can give one a home and make room for the many more.

Meanwhile, this mega-rescue has been costly. Sparky and the Gang needs donations for food and vet bills. Donations may be made through this link.

Duke was left in a backyard and was given no attention. He got mange and the owners no longer wanted him or care for him. He is now doing well in a home with five dogs and getting the attention and treatment he deserves. This guy is high energy and needs a job! He’d be a great agility dog and would do well with a runner or a hiker. He’s a border collie/golden retriever mix.

Ain’t he cute? Peanutty is just a couple of months old and would be great in a home with any age human and with cats as well, if the cat says it’s OK. He’s a Brussels griffon/beagle mix and will be a small, smart adult.

Rosie, a wheaten terrier/cairn terrier mix, is a darling, affectionate, sweet, loving girl. Her foster home cannot say enough good things about her. She loves to play and is crazy about the dog park. We would love to have a home where she is the only dog, as she loves attention, but she gets along with them. No cats, though!

To adopt from Sparky and the Gang, contact [email protected].

 

Things to do, pets to support

 

Mayor’s Animal Care Visioning Task Force meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 8., 11 a.m.–1 p.m., El Dorado West Community Center’s  Social Hall, 2800 N. Studebaker Road, Long Beach.

The public is invited to attend this meeting of the task force recently formed to address issues within the shelter at Long Beach Animal Care Services and to address the 186 short-term, long-term and best-practices recommendations described in last year’s shelter audit. Dr. Jyothi Robertson, shelter medicine consultant, will speak. Robertson is owner of JVR Shelter Strategies, which was hired by the city to identify the shelter’s needs. Other topics include updates on hiring of a new shelter manager and the adoptions at LBACS. Full agenda is available here.

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Pet-related City-Council agenda items:  Tuesday, Jan. 8., 5 p.m., Long Beach City Hall Council Chambers, 333 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach.

Tuesday’s City Council Consent Calendar will include two pet-related items: a recommendation for authorization of an agreement with the rescue organizations Helen Sanders Cat Protection and Welfare Society and The Little Lion Foundation to partner with Long Beach Animal Care Services for the Long Beach Little Paws Project, a kitten nursery (see Ongoing); and a recommendation for authorization of a grant agreement in the amount of $10,000, from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for five days of dog play-group training for staff and volunteers at the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, Animal Care Services Bureau. Speakers may give feedback on the items.

Voucher, flea meds, and nail-trim event, sponsored by Fix Long Beach: Saturday, Jan 12, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Ramona Park.

Low-cost flea meds and nail trims as well as vouchers for free or low-cost spay/neuter procedures will be available at this event. The spay/neuter mobile van WILL NOT be there, but Fix volunteers will scheduling for the Cat Clinic at Cherry Avenue Park on Feb. 23 and the Dog Clinic at Bixby Park on March 9. You can also message Fix Long Beach on its Facebook page to make an appointment.

 

CAAAAT CLINIC! Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic, sponsored by Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA): Saturday, Feb. 23, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Cherry Park, 1901 E. 45th St., Long Beach, free spay/neuter for qualifying Long Beach residents; free microchips; shots, flea-med doses, dewormers and nail trimmings $10 each.

It’s the law to fix your pets in Long Beach and many Southern California cities. To add to this, cats can go into heat at 6 months old and have three litters a year, with an average of four kittens per litter. And those kittens have kittens. Who wants to do the math? Fix your cat instead! To provide this costly service to our Long Beach residents who otherwise couldn’t afford it, Fix Long Beach offers this service free of charge. Make an appointment through IM or email at [email protected]; include (1) your name, (2) address, (3) phone number, (4) pet’s name, (5) age, (6) sex, (7) breed, and (8) weight. Standby available at 8:30 a.m. Vouchers are provided through Long Beach Animal Care Services Spay/Neuter Assistance Voucher Program for pets without appointments or dogs too large to fit on the vehicle—they may be used at specified veterinary clinics. For both spay/neuter and vaccinations,all dogs must be on sturdy leashes and all cats must be in dedicated carriers

Ongoing

The following pet-related businesses regularly feature cat, dog and rabbit adoptions. If you’re a Long Beach-area rescue and don’t see your adoption event listed here, please email [email protected].

Petco Animal Supplies, Marina Shores, 6500 Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach

Unleashed by Petco, 600 Redondo Ave.

Kahoots Pet Store, 18681 Main St. #102, Huntington Beach

PetSmart, Long Beach Exchange, 3871 N Lakewood Blvd., Long Beach

PetSmart Signal Hill, 2550 Cherry Ave., Signal Hill

PetSmart Cerritos, 12741 Towne Center Drive, Cerritos

PetSmart Compton, 1775 South Alameda St., Compton

PetSmart Garden Grove, 9835 Chapman Ave, Garden Grove

PetSmart Seal Beach, 12341 Seal Beach Blvd., Seal Beach

Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach

 Gelson’s Market, 6255 E. 2nd St.

Chase Bank, 5200 East Second St., Long Beach

Long Beach Little Paws Project needs donations

The most vulnerable animals in the public shelter system are kittens under two pounds. These fragile babies, especially those not yet eating on their own, are typically euthanized on intake at most public shelters. In an effort to change the fate of far too many kittens, two non-profit rescue organizations, The Little Lion Foundation and Helen Sanders CatPAWS, have launched a joint effort to create and operate a kitten nursery. This nursery will give kittens too young to be adopted or those who need medical care a safe place to heal and grow. Newborn kittens are fragile and vulnerable. You can tell by those photos—if you look closely, you’ll see the beautiful cat that each of them will grow to be. Please read all about them here, and please, please donate.

2019 Pet Calendars!

Deck your walls with vows to rescue! We have a growing list of calendars that feature rescued pets who’ve found great homes! Your purchase of a calendar will help each rescue continue its quest to provide the best possible world for animals! All proceeds go to the rescue, not to mention paying for the printing. These are nice calendars!

Ordering information is on the links.

Helen Sanders CatPAWS “Show Us Your Kitties” calendar

Jellicle Cats Rescue Foundation

Low-Cost Pet-Vaccination Clinics: For schedule, visit this link.

Pet owners must be 18 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.

Free Pet Food Distributions

Pet food is available at Beacon for Him Ministries, 439 West Anaheim St., Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. A dog-washing station with a stainless-steel tub is also available onsite at these hours. Donations and supplies such as shampoo, flea control meds and pet food are always gratefully accepted.

The Pet Food Bank is sponsored by Christian Outreach in Action, located at 515 E. 3rd St., Long Beach. Hours are Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Pets of the Homeless provides many collection places across the country to help homeless people to feed and care for their animals. Please support them through a cash donation, or bring pet food to the Long Beach-area drop-off center, Trendi Pawz Grooming, 3726 E. Seventh St, Long Beach. Access this link for resources and donation areas in SoCal and across the country.

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Shelter-enrichment supplies requested for ACS’s cats, dogs and rabbits: drop-off Wednesdays through Fridays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., shelter side of P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village, 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach

Creamy peanut butter, yogurt, beef and chicken broth, pipe cleaners, toilet-paper and paper-towel rolls, catnip, canned pet food, wine-bottle corks (for cat toys) and ice cube trays all are needed. Donations are tax deductible.