Virtually pets

Benny Leifer, the little feline survivor of extreme physical injury possibly from abuse, is having his third birthday party, and you’re all invited.

You might see birthdays for cats and dogs as frippery even if you’re reading this column, but this one isn’t. Just like Benny’s second birthday, this one’s a fundraiser for a couple of good causes. It’s also a celebration that Benny’s loving human, Beverly Leifer, is organizing because of the gladness she feels that the little guy made it through hell and is now in kitty paradise with her and the rest of the Leifer feline clan.

Benny was brought in to Long Beach Animal Care Services while still in kittenhood—only 7 months old but suffering from multiple injuries. Thanks to a veritable host of angels that included an empathetic animal care officer, a volunteer who kept an eye on him, the shelter’s medical staff and Helen Sanders CatPAWS cat rescue, which footed the bill for Benny’s surgeries, he survived and is thriving, albeit with a wonky walk and a funny-shaped jaw. And Leifer herself simply fell madly in love when she saw the little guy. She desperately wanted to bring him home and make up for the first seven horrible months of his life. To save space, because I’ve got lots of photos of adoptables for you at the end of the article, here’s a link to Benny’s full story.

Last year’s birthday bash was tremendous fun. It was held at Camp Run-a-Mutt in Gardena on what would have probably been his second birthday. It was a celebration of gratitude from Leifer and Benny to CatPAWS and the shelter for their help. Contributing to the fun were a silent auction, games, adoptions, a birthday cake and an appearance by the guest of honor, who seemed bemused over the fuss but enjoyed himself nonetheless. All profits from the auctions and door take went to CatPAWS and Long Beach Animal Care Services, and the vendors donated a percentage of their sales.

Thanks to this year’s pandemic restrictions, there won’t be any formal party, but that won’t stop Leifer and Benny. This time, the fundraiser’s causes will extend to human survivors of abuse.

“This year, we are celebrating Benny & raising awareness about an important topic: domestic violence,” reads the invitation on the link. The text notes the connection between animal and human abuse: Many survivors said that their pets were harmed or killed by their abusers and that fear of more harm coming to their animals delayed them from leaving an abusive partner. CatPAWS will again receive part of the proceeds, and WISEPlace Women’s Shelter will get the rest. WISEPlace allows residents to bring their pets along with them to their residence; a representative from Red Rover’s Purple Leash Program will speak about their mission to allow people to escape domestic abuse along with their pets.

On Monday, Aug. 24, from 7 to 8 p.m., the virtual party will take place (where else?) on Zoom. It will feature raffles of an American Express $100 gift card, a kitty house/scratching post donated by Petique, and wearable Benny-themed tchotchkes; a question-and-answer session; and a guest appearance by the man of the hour. You’ll have to bring your own cake.

You can RSVP to the party through this portal. Check Mainly fur fun for more de-tails.

Meanwhile, there are plenty of feline and canine Bennys. Not all are abuse survivors, but each has special needs aside from the need to get out of the shelter or rescue and into a home with a devoted human family.

House of Broken Cookies rescues mainly cats and kittens with problems such as physical and neurological trauma, illness, and congenital abnormalities or deformities. Broken cookies—they’re just as sweet. They’re in foster homes and would love a permanent one. Adoption fees cover spay/neuter, all shots and exams. Visit this link for application and contact information.

brown tabby with sad eyes les on a beige plaid bedspread
Twizzle! What a face, and what a name! Twizzle is only a year old and has cataracts on both eyes, which may worsen over the years, and cerebellar hypoplasia, a neurological condition in which the cerebellum is abnormally small or underdeveloped. This affects her back legs and makes her walk wobbly, but it’s been diagnosed as mild to moderate and will neither improve nor worsen. She’s funny, loving and playful and gets a kick out of scaling a cat tree or bouncing around like silly goose. Twizzle survived living outdoors until almost 3 months old when she was taken off the street. She’ll need eye ointment three times a week and would do well in a home with no stairs to climb and with older children and adults.

 

orange cat lies stretched out and yawning on a light-blue surface. Back legs are deforned.

Hopscotch is a sweet, lovely orange-tabby lady, just a year old and ready for a long, happy life. Hopscotch is one of Broken Cookies’ most special special-needs kitties! She has so much personality—look at that yawny stretch! Hopscotch was born missing parts of her back legs and feet. One back leg is only half there and the other is all there but is missing half the foot! Despite this, she manages wonderfully even with her shuffle-walk. Not once has it interfered with her ability to play as hard as any other kitten! A home for Hopscotch would need to be very considerate of her impairments and provide accessibility for her to always access some comfy snuggle time with her humans!

Black kitten with white chest and paws lies on beige hammock looking out at people.

Woozy is a little like Benny. He had some trauma to his head which left him with a fractured skull. Thanks to Broken Cookies, he’s healed now, but it took a long time and left him with neurological problems. He spins in circles because he can’t see very well on his left side, so he favors his right. With all that, he gets around fine, climbs like any other kitten, and loves to be loved! He’s nearly a year old, and he’d love a home with a kitty friend and someone who would cherish a cat who’s just a little quirky! 

brown-tabby kitten looks out over a kennel roof

Goosey got her name because her foster mom thought that her funny little meow sounded like a goose honking! She’s a super-sweetheart, only 4 months old, and she loves to follow her foster everywhere. This is especially remarkable because she’s blind—she was born with retinal degeneration. She learns the ropes quickly and would do well in a quiet home with a kitty playmate and maybe a couple of kids—no dogs, though. And of course, a loving human who knows how to help her navigate her situation.

Every pet at Long Beach Animal Care Services has a story, and each one is sad—how does an animal wind up at a shelter anyway? Some stories are sadder than others. Here are three in particular who need happy endings. Because the shelter is closed to the public, adoption appointments are conducted through email, so contact [email protected] to adopt any of these people.

Big brown-tabby boy wiht white paws, asleepin his kennel on a beige shelf
Haro spent several days shut down, sleeping in his litter box. He’s since moved to the shelf, and if ever there were a depressed cat, it is he. Haro (ID#A646034) is 3 years old, left by his owner at the shelter. All he needs is love, and out. Can you help?

 

In shelter videos, it’s always best to let the volunteers and the pets tell their stories.

Charlie, who walks with a wheelchair

https://www.facebook.com/LBAnimalCare/videos/220743669232285/?t=2

Blossom, who had a jaw injury

https://www.facebook.com/LBAnimalCare/videos/631559917495354/

Pet projects

Please keep your pets inside, especially the small ones

 

Safety alert for cats

There have been several reports of a deceased, mutilated cat or cats found in the vicinity of Bellflower Boulevard between E. Eliot Avenue and Loynes Drive. There’s nothing conclusive, but please do the following if you see any pets in this condition:

  1. Take a photo if you can handle it, or find someone with a thicker skin to do it.
  2. Report it to Long Beach Animal Care Services, [email protected] and to the police.
  3. Please, please, please, have your pets microchipped and keep them indoors—cats, dogs and rabbits. Coyotes are on the roam.

Long Beach Animal Care Services is presently looking into all reported incidences. Long Beach Post will alert readers about further developments.

If you can see the bottom of the kibble bag:

West Coast Toyota of Long Beach bought $3,000 worth of pet food last month to deliver to people in need in our community. If anyone you know is in this position, take a photo of the food you give to your pet, and include your name, contact information and a brief description of your work situation to [email protected]. Fix’n Fidos will deliver the food to you or arrange for you to pick it up.

Helen Sanders CatPAWS offers, through specific private donors, e-gift cards for people struggling during the crisis to buy food for their pets. The CatPAWS Spay/Neuter Fund, also privately funded, has vouchers available for anyone not able to go to the shelter for them. They also accept donations.

Pets of the Homeless’ home page gives a self-description as the only organization focusing only on providing food and care for pets belonging to homeless people. Businesses and other organizations across the country receive in-kind donations of food and other needs that the dogs and cats’ human families can pick up at outreach locations. The following Long Beach businesses will accept your donations:

Trendi Pawz, 3726 E. Seventh St., Long Beach.

Belmont Heights Animal Hospital, 255 Redondo Ave., Long Beach.

Paw Shoppe Pet Center, Inc., 6416 E. Spring St., Long Beach.

Food and supplies are available at Beacon for Him Ministries, 1535 Gundry Ave. Long Beach, Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m.; and at Christian Outreach in Action, 515 E. Third St., Long Beach, Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m. Donations will be gratefully accepted at these locations as well.

Mainly fur fun

Benny’s 3rd birthday celebration and fundraiser: Monday, Aug. 24, 7 p.m. Register online here.

Last year, The Scratching Post published a story about Benny, a little cat who, at a year old, had apparently been through some awful abuse and yet kept his sweet disposition Benny was brought to Long Beach Animal Care Services in 2018 with a shattered jaw and other trauma-related injuries. Long Beach resident Beverly Leifer’s heart went out to him when she saw him, and it wasn’t long after that her arms also reached out and brought him home, forever. Last year, Benny and Bev both vowed to give back to the community and had a birthday bash like no other to raise money for the shelter and to Helen Sanders CatPAWS, the feline rescue that paid for Benny’s surgeries. This year, undaunted, the two have planned a virtual celebration that’ll be virtually awesome. This year, funds will go to CatPAWS again and also to WISEPlace, an Orange County center that empowers homeless and abused women. Benny hopes to help victims of abuse across species lines. More details are available here.

Feline Good Social Club reopening day: Tuesday, Sept. 1, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., 301 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, $15 per hangout.

 The cats and kittens are slowly creeping back into their comfy home-away-from-the-home that surely will be theirs someday! Feline Good Social Club is excitedly gearing up to open the cat door to you after a long absence (during which they managed to adopt out over 80 cats!). The humans are updating the Lounge and have some new COVID-19–related safety precautions that you can read about here when you book your session. Looking forward to a roll on the rug with you!

Best Friends Strut Your Mutt Day: Saturday, Oct. 24, register or donate here

The annual Strut Your Mutt dog walk, which has raised thousands of dollars for lifesaving projects, is going virtual like everything else. Best Friends has teamed up with local rescue groups, shelters, animal-welfare organizations and pet-community members for a virtual community walk and fundraiser to benefit homeless dogs and cats across the country. During this period of relative isolation, raising funds is more important than ever, so join up and participate in engaging opportunities to help throughout the season and build a virtual no-kill community. All funds raised go directly to lifesaving programs such as spay neuter services and adoption—and it’s all off leash!

Help wanted, help given

Fix Long Beach free microchip and low-cost vaccine clinic: 4–7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28, and 9–11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 29, 1749 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, vaccinations $10 each, no appointment necessary.

Fix Long Beach returns to hosting vaccination and microchip clinics, with free spay/neuter clinics coming soon, all to support the pets of our community members who need help caring for them. Flea meds for $10 are also available. In order to comply with COVID-19 recommendations and for the safety of clients and volunteers, everyone will be required to wear a mask. Dogs must be on sturdy leashes, and cats must be confined in dedicated carriers. Enter the clinic from the front parking lot. Volunteers will handle drop-off and pickup. Appointments aren’t needed for vaccines and the other services. Appointments for spay/neuter procedures and for other information available on website.

Second Annual Long Beach Gives: midnight–11:59 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 24, details here.

Long Beach Gives started as a grad student project in 2018. In short, it’s 24 hours of donating to any of the 153 Long Beach charities in their aggregate. Last year’s inaugural event earned a combined total of over $822,000 for 93 local organizations, surpassing their initial goal of $350,000 by 300%, according to their website. This year’s impressive list of charities includes the following pet-related nonprofits: Fix Long Beach, Golden State Humane Society, Helen Sanders CatPAWS, Live Love Animal Rescue, Long Beach Spay & Neuter Foundation, Sparky and the Gang Animal Rescue, spcaLA and The Little Lion Foundation. Show your love and support for pets and the organizations that spend their money and themselves to help them—donate on Thursday, Sept. 23, between midnights.

 DIY Kitten Care Kits available free at Long Beach Animal Care Services

It’s kitten season—the time of year when cats give birth. It starts in the spring—sometimes before, depending on the weather, peaks in midsummer, and ends in autumn. It occurs because so many cats are not spayed or neutered, and soon, kittens flood our shelter. It isn’t unusual to find nests of young, seemingly abandoned kittens during kitten season. It is a natural reaction to want to help, to save them. If you are interested in obtaining a Kitten Care Kit made possible by Helen Sanders CatPAWS, please email [email protected].

Spay/neuter vouchers available at shelter

Long Beach Animal Care Services has spay/neuter vouchers available. They’ll take a healthy nip out of the cost of a procedure. Residents of any of the five cities served by the shelter can telephone the general number at 562-570-7387 to request a voucher.

The Spay/Neuter Project of Los Angeles (SNP/LA) is back in business for free and low-cost spay/neuter services, and they’re extending the hours of their vaccination clinics. Beginning June 18, the San Pedro clinic, located at 957 N. Gaffey St., will give shots every third Thursday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Call 310-574-5555 to see if you qualify for services.

Calendars—save the date, and save some pets!

Helen Sanders CatPAWS Show Us Your Kitties 2020 calendar contest: through Sunday, Sept. 20, register your floomf here

Sick and tired of 2020 already? Let’s build a new year and help cats at the same time. Helen Sanders CatPAWS Show Us Your Kitties calendar contest is back, and it’s time to submit your photos! This year the rescue’s goal is to reach $10,000 so they can continue the lifesaving work to make sure every cat gets the best life (and home) possible. The rescue will try its best to place every photo they receive somewhere in the calendar, even if not in the top 13. Because times are tough and CatPAWS wants to encourage people to share their beloved kitty photos, they have waived the usual entry fee this year! You can reserve a day for your cat for $10—a birthday, a memorial, St. Gertrude’s Day… Read the full rules here.

 Southern California Bulldog Rescue’s No Bulldog Left Behind calendar contest: through Monday, Aug. 31, register your slobbery baby here.

 Southern California Bulldog Rescue provides shelter, rehoming assistance, and funds for medical treatment for over 250 bulldogs each year coming from animal shelters, other rescue groups, and owners who wish to surrender their purebred pets. They rely on donations for support, and this calendar of jut-jawed beauties is their biggest fundraiser. Do you and your adorable, squatty little friend want to reserve a day or strive for an entire month? Of course you do! Find out how here.

Adopt, adopt, adopt

spcaLA Are You Kitten Me? adoptions: Through Sept. 30, shelter hours at all spcaLA locations, $20 adoption fee for all felines.

Help the community raise kittens born during kitten season and shine a spotlight on the adult cats passed over for their younger counterparts. Because of closures to the public, spcaLA will conduct all adoptions virtually, so check out these pointy-eared cuties here and complete an application on any of the adoptables’ pages. An spcaLA adoption counselor will contact you to complete the adoption. (This adoption special is for qualified adopters; exclusions may apply.)

 Helen Sanders CatPAWS adoption center: Daily, store hours, 2341 Seal Beach Blvd., Seal Beach, adoption fees apply.

Window-shopping’s a neat pastime and likely has become more common during the pandemic. Helen Sanders CatPAWS has applied window-shopping to cat adoption; you can peer at several of the fine felines through the windows of the PetSmart adoption center in Seal Beach. Sadly, no ear scratching or chin rubs at this time, but volunteers can answer questions and provide you with adoption information! Be sure to wear a mask. You can find adoption applications and all the kitties here.

The following pet-related businesses regularly feature cat, dog and rabbit adoptions, but as of now, adoptions are mainly by appointment. Click on the links for each rescue in case of updates or changes. These organizations operate through donations and grants, and anything you can give would be welcome. Please suggest any Long Beach-area rescues to add to the list.