Please send any Long Beach or Seal Beach pet-related events or projects to [email protected]. Posting subject to approval.
Virtually Pets
The new Foster the Fourth effort (see “Foster the Fourth: Team Effort for a Safe Holiday for Pets”) devised by Live Love Animal Rescue and Long Beach Animal Care Services was by all accounts a success.
“In total, 21 will have gone out for Foster the 4th with LBACS—several are not going back!” said Live Love’s cofounder Emily Ghosh. “Also, Live Love and participating rescue volunteers intercepted eight more—I think that’s our final count for today—that we are working to reunite with possible owners before having to surrender to the shelter or welcome into rescue. We also need fosters past the two-week mark [of the Foster the Fourth’s program].
According to ACS Manager Ted Stevens, 3,025 dogs were impounded in 2016, with an average of about eight dogs per day over five days. During the July 4 season, between July 2 and July 6, there were 81 dog impounds, with 10 owner surrenders. Of the impounds, 25 were returned to the owners. This year, the impound level has been 1,321 dogs through June, on an average of about seven per day over five days. At fireworks season, there were 56 dogs impounded, with seven being owner surrender. There were 20 owner returns, which may reflect the lower number of impounded dogs. Pet owners may be getting the clue, but staff and volunteers also deserve praise.
“The ACS clerks handling the phone calls and Animal Control Officers in the field worked together tirelessly in a coordinated effort to help reunite lost pets in the field rather than bringing them back to the shelter,” Stevens said. “Only one dog had to be brought back to the shelter on July 4.”
The shelter’s efforts to bring pets and new owners together takes a neat twist this summer. The shelter’s new mobile pet-adoption van (see “Coming to an Event Near You”) will be present at this summer’s events at the parks. See Mark Your Calendars for dates and locations.
Ghosh also stressed the serious need for long-term fosters as well as fosters and adopters in general to avoid having to return them to the shelter. Here are two of them from her rescue; to adopt or foster, email Emily at [email protected] or fill out an adoption application, available here.
Capolin, a German shepherd/greater Swiss mountain dog mix, is a high energy, playful and goofy dog who will keep you giggling all day. He’d do best in an active home that can take him on long walks (the beach is optional!), hike the trails, and teach him lots of fun tricks! He bonds to his person quickly and can become protective, so we recommend a home that can continue training with him! What a great opportunity to learn and bond with a dog who loves so strongly! Lucky for you, he has already gotten a head start with professional training while in rescue! He’s housetrained and neutered but isn’t good with cats or other dogs. But if you’re looking for a smart, loyal companion, Capolin is the guy for you.
Hey! Leroy! Leroy is a playful American Staffie/terrier mix who listens well. He’s been neutered and needs to be the only guy in the house besides his adult humans—no kids, cats or other dogs. Leroy still needs some guidance and training, but he’s smart and a fast learner! He loves to play with his ball and other toys, and doesn’t mind the water. He will make a sweet companion for someone who is willing to put in some time to work with him. Leroy will be your best friend forever!
ACS has these two who are waiting to go home permanently. ACS is located at 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park. No parking fee for shelter guests.
Old Joe (ID# A586410) is known as the coolest dog at the shelter and definitely deserves a cool pad to live in! He bonds instantly with people who show him love, and he’s an easy-going guy with people. He puts a smile on the faces of volunteers and visitors alike. He’s a senior at age 7, and you know what that means—a $20 adoption fee and a $25 gift certificate toward a meal at Thai Silk!
Meet Horton (A587143)! He’s a 2-year-old pittie whom we told you about before. He came into ACS with a foot laceration, abrasions on his feet and scrotum, paw pads so worn that they resembled old shoes left in the rain, and a broken tibia. He deserves a break of a different kind. The medical team, whom he visited frequently, observed him to be shy at first but compliant during his visit. He’s now a sweet, quiet boy, nonreactive to cats and Whos, when he hears them. Can you provide a loving home to a doggie who’s been through Heaven knows what?
Mark Your Calendars (the People Way)
Saving Orphaned Kittens Workshop
Friday, July 7, 6:00PM–7:300PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Free
The Little Lion Foundation and Helen Sanders CatPAWS are continuing their mission of engaging the community in saving the lives of orphaned kittens through bottle feeding and related care practices for very young kittens, under 8 weeks old. If you encounter abandoned kittens, this workshop is for you. Kitten-care kits are provided by Long Beach Animal Care Services through a donation by CatPAWS. Note: Unless you find kittens in trash cans or other locations where [expletive mentally deleted] may dump them, be sure to keep watch for a few hours. The mothers sometimes leave the babies alone in order to find food.
Moon Cat Café Fund-Raiser for Helen Sanders CatPAWS
Saturday, July 8, noon–5:00PM, Petco, 6500 Pacific Coast Highway and 2nd Street, Long Beach
$12 per person, including coffee, one pastry, a coaster and a visit with the cats (while supplies last); adoption fees apply for the cats
Stop for the cats, and stay for the coffee. Or is it vice versa? No matter—the coffee’s great, the pastries are great, and the cats are really great. And just like the coffee and the pastry, qualified adopters can take a kitty home!
Quiz for a Cause with Geeks Who Drink
Sunday, July 9, 3:00PM–6:00PM, Congregation Ale House, 201 East Broadway, Long Beach
$5 entry fee; menu prices also apply
This is a heck of a lot of fun! Unlike the classic trivia game, this is a multimedia contest between teams whose questions go far beyond “How many dogs played Lassie?” They call it trivia for nerds, but on this night, it’ll also be for cats and dogs at spcaLA. There’ll be a cash prize for the winning team, and the rest of the purse will go to the pets!
Summer Events with Shelter Pets!
Tuesday, July 11–Thursday, August 24, Band events’ van arrival at approximately 4:30PM, Movies in the Park’s van arrival at approximately 6:00PM. See schedule for locations.
Events are free; adoption fees apply (senior pets are discounted at $20!)
Don’t you love previews of coming attractions? At this year’s Summer Events at our parks and beaches, you can preview our pets and make room for some of them in your home! ACS’s new mobile vehicle will be attending all of these events before they start and leave when they begin. A heads-up—and a tails up—for you!
Municipal Band events start at 6:30-Van will arrive around 4:30-5:00pm
Movies in the Park start at Dusk (approximately 8:00pm)-Van will arrive around 6-6:30pm
Van is estimated to leave when the event starts.
July Events
7/11—Tuesday—Whaley Park, 5620 E Atherton St, Long Beach (Muni Band)
7/20—Thursday—Marine Stadium, 5255 E Paoli Way, Long Beach (Muni Band)
7/24—Monday—Drake Park, 951 Maine Avenue, Long Beach (Movie in the Park)
7/28—Friday—Houghton Park, 6301 Myrtle Avenue, Long Beach (Movie in the Park)
7/31—Monday—Ernie McBride Park, 1550 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, (Movie in the Park)
August Events
8/1—Tuesday—Signal Hill, 2175 Cherry Avenue, Signal Hill (National Night Out)
8/4—Friday—El Dorado Park, 2800 N Studebaker Road, Long Beach (Muni Band)
8/10—Thursday—Bixby Park, 130 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach (Movie in the Park)
8/18—Friday—Silverado Park, 1545 W 31st Street, Long Beach (Movie in the Park)
8/24—Scherer Park, 430 E 49th Street, Long Beach (Movie in the Park)
PizzaRev Fund-Raiser for spcaLA
Wednesday, July 12, 11:00AM–10:00PM, PizzaRev, Long Beach Towne Center, 7551B Carson Boulevard, Long Beach
Menu prices apply
Instead of giving up a meal to help someone, have one and help! Build your pizza at PizzaRev, and 20 percent (wow!) of the bill will be donated to help the homeless shelter pets of spcaLA.
Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic
Saturday, July 15, 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!
22nd Annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals
Saturday, July 22, 6:30PM–9:30PM, Los Alamitos Race Course, 4961 Katella Avenue, Los Alamitos
$3 for adults; free for kids 17 and under
Julie Woods’s Darcy, 2016 Wienerschnitzel Champion. Photo courtesy of Los Alamitos Race Course
Herding cats is nothing when it comes to getting dachshunds to race along a course—but that’s the fun of it all! This oft-hilarious event features one qualifying race, 10 trials, one specialty “big” versus little match and, of course, the grand championship at the end. Each trial winner will receive $100, and the champ will get a bunch of prizes, including a $1,000 award—that’s a lot of grain-free kibble! Come early, because this event is very popular, and general admission fills up quickly! No ice chests, and no dogs allowed at event except for the racing guys. Best of all, all proceeds go to Seal Beach Animal Care Center. Visit the Wiener Nationals website for more info!
spcaLA July Foster Class
Saturday, July 22; 10:00AM–noon, spcaLA PD Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach
Free event—spcaLA provides all the supplies. Foster parents provide the home and the TLC.
Want to help pets? Become a foster parent by submitting an application and attending a foster class. Application available here. Please call 323-730-5300 x300 for more info. We can’t do it without you!
‘Guys and Dolls’ Fund-Raiser for FOLBA
Thursday, July 27, 6:30PM–approximately 11PM, Long Beach Playhouse,5021 East Anaheim Street, Long Beach
$30; includes play and reception
We’re willing to gamble that you’ll enjoy yourself at this production of the Tony Award-winning musical Guys and Dolls! Talk about a winning trifecta: a reception that includes tasty finger foods and Ralph Brunson’s expert tickles of the ivories; a production of Damon Runyon’s classic show of mugs, hot tomatoes and playing the ponies; and the donation of all that lettuce to Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA), Long Beach’s most venerable animal-welfare charity! No sucker’s bet that you’ll have a whoopee of a time!
Pet Adoption Event at PFE
Saturday, August 5, 11:00AM–3:00PM, Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Adoption fees apply
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.
Ongoing
Free Pet Food Distributions
Papa, a big “teddy bear’ of a dog, sits with his human in Ashlee’s Pet Care station at Beacon for Him.
Beacon for Him has extended an outreach for people experiencing homelessness and their pets. Pet food, primarily dog food, is available at their facility at 439 West Anaheim Street, Mondays from 9:00AM to noon and Saturdays from noon to 3:00PM. A dog-washing station with a stainless-steel tub is also available onsite at these hours. Donations and supplies such as shampoo, flea control and, of course, pet food are always gratefully accepted.
The Pet Food Bank is sponsored by Christian Outreach in Action. COA is located at 515 E 3rd St, Long Beach. Hours are Thursday from 9:00AM to 11:00AM.
Shelter-Enrichment Supplies Needed for ACS Dogs!
Drop-off: Wednesdays through Fridays, 10:00AM–5:30PM and Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00AM–4:00PM, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach
Individual donations requested
ACS is continuing our kennel enrichment activities for our canine guests here and could use so more donations (there are plenty for the cats!). Here is what’s needed:
- creamy peanut butter
- yogurt
- beef broth (canned or in the box)
- chicken broth (canned or in the box)
- incense
- carabiner clips (heavy duty)
- ice cube trays
Donations are tax deductible. Our pups say thanks so much!
IndieGoGo Fund-Raiser for Trots Dogs Incorporated
Until beginning of September
Individual donations
Long Beach resident Johanna “JoJo” Stanford started Trots Dogs Inc. in 2009 after being inspired by Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer. Stanford says that her goal is “to provide Long Beach with a dog-training facility with structured daycare and boarding that accepts all dogs regardless of temperament or behavior by educating staff, dogs and owners. Our mission is to create a community of people who understand their dogs and want to have a loving, balanced relationship.”
Stanford’s group is looking to purchase about 10,000 square feet of warehouse space with a potty area and are partnering with a design group. Click on the link in the header to find out all the details of this enterprise.
“You’ll be helping us fund a model that could turn a ‘dog-friendly city’ into a city of friendly dogs,” Stanford said. “Imagine the possibilities of having an entire city of balanced dogs who are happy, obedient, well behaved and pay attention.”
spcaLA Friends for Life Summer Camp™ Registration!
Begins April 17, 10:00AM on this link
$350 for each camper
spcaLA Friends for Life Summer Camp is for kids 8 to 13. At camp, kids learn the basics of pet care and responsibility, respect for all animals, and the beginnings of dog training, all while making new friends! There are eight Monday through Friday sessions, running June thru August.
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.