Virtually Pets
Photo courtesy of The Little Lion Foundation.
First, the good news: Little Star, the kitten who had emergency surgery and is now a tripod kitty (see Pet Projects: “Little Tripod Kitty Is Beneficiary of Extreme Kindness” got adopted! Thanks again to everyone who helped in saving this cute little girl’s life, including the adoptive family!
Second, more good news—as long as she keeps spicing up those noodles, the owner of Thai Silk Restaurant in Long Beach will keep offering $25 worth of food to anyone adopting a senior cat or dog (7 years or older) from Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS). ACS’s senior adoption fee is only $20, so it’s a lotta wins, for your wallet, for your stomach and most importantly, of course, for the sweet senior pets. No gift certificates—just bring in the adoption papers within 30 days of adoption to the restaurant and be treated to delicious food.
Thai Silk is located at 1506 East Broadway in Long Beach. ACS is located at 7700 East Spring Street at the entrance to El Dorado Park. No fee for shelter visitors (another win). Here are a few of these seniors, and we should all wish to look this good as seniors. Remember—adoption fees just $20, and a side or two of fried dim sum included in the price.
Ruf, ID#A471553
Ruf, age 9,is ready for a forever home. This sweet senior girl was surrendered by her family after being with them her entire life! She didn’t do anything wrong to wind up in the ACS dog kennels and hopes that a new family will find her and fall in love with her. Bonus—she’s spayed and can go home with you ASAP. She really wants to be back in a home and deserves to live out her golden years with a family!
Old Joe, ID#A586410
The shelter staff named him Old Joe, but even at 7 years old, this guy is far from old. What they probably meant is “Good Old Joe!” He’s been called the coolest dog at the shelter and definitely deserves the best home! He’s classified as a senior, but he’s lively and easygoing, and he bonds instantly with those who show him love! Adopt Old Joe, and your smile will match his.
Woody, ID#A587913
Woody is definitely a classic beach vehicle—for affection! He’s sweet and quite, and will make a wonderful companion for someone who wants to spend time with coffee, a book or a screen, and a cat! At 11 years old, Woody still has some play in him, but this guy is cut out for companionship.
Misty, ID#A590454
So, what else would she be singing? Misty is also about 11 years old, has tons of personality, and is absolutely nothing like Jessica Walter’s horrid character in that Clint Eastwood movie! She needs someone to take her home and cling to her like a cloud. She’s smart, and definitely knows her right feet from her left. OK, enough—adopt Misty!
Mark Your Calendars (the People Way)
Los Cerritos Furry Friends Faire
Saturday, June 3, 10:00AM–2:00PM, Los Cerritos Park, 515 West San Antonio Drive, Long Beach
Free family event
The Friends of Los Cerritos and Park Partners is a group of area residents working to activate the underutilized Los Cerritos Park and bring in more families. This will be their first event, and it’ll be a real barepaws-in-the-park bunch of fun. Enjoy pet-related exhibitors, demonstrations and contests, including a pet poetry contest (a collaboration between Los Cerritos Elementary and the above mentioned groups). The fun, wacky PetPaw the GREAAAT Animal Communicator will amaze you, and historical figure Fanny Bixby will have service-dog demonstrations. See you there!
Julie Woods’s Darcy, 2016 Wienerschnitzel Champion. Photo courtesy of Los Alamitos Race Course
Los Alamitos Wiener Nationals Call for Dogs
To Wednesday, June 7, Snail Mail: 2017 Wienerschnitzel Weiner Nationals, c/o Los Alamitos Race Course, 4961 Katella Avenue, Los Alamitos, CA 90720; Email: [email protected]
Free to enter
Los Al Race Course is looking for the fastest dog in the West, and it could be your furry four-legged friend! Send in your entries ASAP! The 22nd annual event will be held on Saturday, July 22, and it will benefit the Seal Beach Animal Care Center. The participants will be selected from among the entries received.
To enter, tell why your wiener dog should be in the Wiener Nationals. Please make the letter as creative as possible because creativity, rather than speed, counts here! If you’ve ever witnessed one of these hilarious events, you’ll understand! You can send us a drawing, a poem, an essay or a funny photo, or send a link to Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or other social media. You can also send a video link or a DVD—if you make it, they’ll judge it. Entries will be returned upon request. Make sure you include your phone number and photograph of your prized dachshund! Visit the website for more info!
‘Buddy’s Big Day Out’ Animal-Welfare Kids Musical
Sunday, June 11, 2:00PM, Cal Heights United Methodist Church, 3759 Orange Avenue, Long Beach; Thursday 7:00 PM June 15, Friday 7:00PM June 16, Sunday 2:00 PM June 18, Scottish Rite Event Center, 855 Elm Street, Long Beach
$20 general seating, $15 seniors and students, $12 children
Want to educate kids about animal welfare without preaching? How about through song and script? Buddy’s Big Day Out! features a rambunctious beagle puppy who runs away from home. Out in the world he meets Gemma, a standard poodle, who has been abandoned by her family when they move away and leave her behind. The two wind up as strays at the local shelter, where they meet other lost and abandoned pets. The shelter animals share their stories and teach Buddy and Gemma how important it is for humans to take care of their animal companions and what happens to a pet that ends up on the other side of a forever family. Kids are guaranteed to go home and hug their pets!
Pet Adoption Event at PFE
Saturday, June 3, 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.
Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) Membership Meet-and-Greet
Wednesday, June 7, 7:00PM, Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 East Anaheim Street, Long Beach
Free event
You are invited to come to FOLBA’s annual membership meeting and learn what the oldest animal-welfare organization in Long Beach is planning for next year. FOLBA is an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to reducing pet overpopulation in Long Beach and Signal Hill. Among its projects are the SNIP (Spay/Neuter Incentive Programs) that provide vouchers for low-cost spay/neuter procedures, humane-programs in schools and other groups, and funding for the clinic building at Long Beach Animal Care Services. Come see what they’re all about! Entertainment and light refreshments will be provided.
Fix Long Beach Free Spay/Neuter Clinic
Saturday, May 20, 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!
SpcaLA Pet Adoption Day
Saturday, June 10, 10:00AM–4:00PM, P. D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center, 7700 East Spring Street, Long Beach (at entrance to the El Dorado Nature Center—no parking fee for visitors)
Event free; 50 percent off adoption fees
It’s spcaLA Pet Adoption Day, the organization’s biggest pet adoption event of the year! Enjoy a day of sunshine and pet adoptions at spcaLA’s P. D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village & Education Center in Long Beach. Attendees will get 50 percent off pet-adoption fees, shop and receive free items at vendor booths, lunch at food trucks, and meet and greet 95.5 KLOS’s Frosty, Heidi & Frank and KABC Drive Home’s Jillian Barberi and John Phillips. Best of all, meet and greet your friend for fife!
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. See flyer for details.
Donations Needed for Friends of Long Beach Animals Yard Sale
Friends of Long Beach Animals is having its next yard sale to benefit the animals in our community in late June. 100 percent of the proceeds from sales go directly to helping animals in Long Beach and Signal Hill. If you would like to make a donation, please call (562) 429-4693.
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.
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.
Editor’s note: this story was updated June 2 with information on the Los Cerritos Furry Friends Faire.