Want to sweat off your Thanksgiving meal? Try keeping up with Sparky and the Gang founder Sherri Stankewitz and her volunteers.

Sherri has so far lived 25 years of rescue, much of it impromptu efforts to save lives. Most of the lives have been canine. She’s pulled grossly injured and emaciated dogs from north of Los Angeles to Tijuana and other directions on the compass. In March, she was instrumental in the rescue of about 100 dogs who would have been dinner, destined for meat markets in China. For a few days, the Fix Long Beach clinic, where Sherri has her office, was a-slobber with mostly pug dogs until they all embarked (sorry) on airplane journeys to rescues and adoptive homes.

It’s not always dogs. When the Canyon Fires in Orange County drove horses from their homes, Sherri automatically jumped into a car with friends and helped tag and identify the animals in a holding area at the Orange County Fairgrounds. The kittens in the video are beneficiaries of another spontaneous rescue when they were found in a warehouse near Fix Long Beach. The kitties instinctively knew what to do with their new toys and have long ceased to hiss. You can take them home pretty soon, too, (ahem) after they’ve been fixed.

Sherri reminds people that her successes aren’t attributable to her alone. A troop of equally impassioned volunteers accompany her on the missions and do all the nonspontaneous, mundane and physical jobs of cleaning the premises, bathing dogs, feeding dogs, keeping an eye on pets who come out of anesthesia, showing dogs for adoption, charging off to rescue more dogs, and having Sherri’s back and helping her maintain her equilibrium and sanity. This week, they’ve all been ending long days at Sparky by showing up at the Los Angeles Auto Show’s Subaru booth with Friends of Long Beach Animals and a bunch of little Sparky dogs.

Sherri contacted me earlier this week about a group of dogs, mainly Labrador retrievers and mixes thereof, that she’d accepted from a worker in an unnamed laboratory. The person, also unnamed, wanted to save the dogs from an unknown fate, and Sherri of course stepped up.

“The message was in my 500 million emails,” Sherri said. “The lab was closing, and there were 18 dogs left. They needed a place to go ASAP, or God knows what would happen.”

Dogs in laboratories, Sherri said, are treated as objects, and no one knew whether they’d wind up in a shelter, a rescue or a euthanasia room.

“It was the week before Thanksgiving, and boarding kennels are usually full at the time,” Sherri said. “I jumped on the horn and contacted all the rescues I knew to take in a couple of dogs each.” Since Labrador retrievers are one of the types of dogs that people favor, she got takers immediately. Again of course, Sherri took in a few herself—six of them.

The dogs range in age from about 6 or 7 years old to 14. A few fosters appeared right away.

“[The dogs] are very sweet, loving with kids, and they’ve been great,” Sherri said. “Three of them are in foster to adopt. They were looking for a senior, and they saw our plea. They found that there were two 14-year-olds and took them both!”

Yellow lab looks at camera, with the back of a chocolate Lab in front of him.
Labs of all shades and status are lucky to have left the status of experimental subjects. Some are in foster homes, and others have been adopted. Email [email protected] to find out how many are left to be adopted. Put “Lab adoption” in the subject head.

 

The intent of the column was to feature the lab Labs, but in the middle of Sherri telling me their story, the phone chimed, followed by “Yeah, yeah, I can do that,” and Sherri was ready to take off again. The call was from the overcrowded shelter at Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS)—a couple of injured dogs who’d been hit by cars and had broken legs were there and needed help. Sherri left for LBACS after we finished and went off to pick up the pups. While she was there, she hit the kennels and scooped up more small dogs like Beyoncé diving into a bin of Telfar bags. Seven dogs came home with Sherri.

The rescue will get them all healthy and cute, and then they’ll be ready to adopt. Naturally, I’m featuring some of those pups as well, since the column is taking on the capricious character of Sherri’s rescue pattern. I’m not even sure that I have all the animals in the right categories, except for the kittens, of course. But they’re all at Sparky.

little white spaniel with liquid brown eyes looks pleadingly at camera.
This little spaniel mix had gotten hit by a car and was badly wounded. All will be well now, and the pup will be up on the rescue’s website when healing has completed.

 

Sherri and the volunteers’ empathy and determination may be boundless and bottomless, and it seems as if their kennel space and foster options are as well. They aren’t. Even superhumans are only human, and relentless effort takes a regular toll and several tequila shots. Sparky and the Gang, as with rescues and shelters everywhere, needs your help in many ways: volunteering, dog walking, foster homes, pet food, monetary donations and, of course, adoption. If you can do any of these things, contact the rescue at [email protected], and donate here.

Virtually pets

To wind it up, here are more dogs under the Sparky umbrella. To adopt one of the pets shown in the article or on Sparky and the Gang’s website, fill out an application on said website and take home a forever friend. Which is what rescue’s all about, anyway.

small three-legged black dog with tan legs and red-plaid harness stands on a cement surface.

Addie did not look both ways when crossing the street and as a result was hit by a car. She has had to have a rear leg amputated. She is sweet and loves to cuddle under the covers. She is good on a leash and is a nice, quiet girl.

white dog with red collar lies on cement floor.
Sim is a sweet boy, a little shy but good with other dogs and people. Sim is just over 20 pounds, which makes him a great size for hiking and walks in general. We don’t see miniature-poodle mixes all that often, and he is a gem!

 

little fluffy white dog in blue scarf looks at camera
Bean, a mix of Westie, cockapoo and West Highland terrier, is a friendly, sweet guy, good with other dogs and people.

 

little terrier named Zippy stands on the gravel. REd letters spell his name. He has black ears and a tan chin. A green blanket is on his back.
Here’s a closeup of Zippy, one of the LBACS alumni. Zippy will be on the website in no time, but you can definitely request a meet-and-greet from Sparky and the Gang.

Deck the bowls with bones and tuna: Festivities featuring fur friends

 

Whiskers in Wonderland: 4–6 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 5, Boathouse on the Bay, 190 N. Marina Drive., Long Beach,, $65, order tickets here.

The pandemic has brought with it so many struggles for independent rescues along with the rest of our community near and far. The Little Lion Foundation, which rescues and raises newborn kittens and their “teenage” and adult counterparts, is one of the all-volunteer organizations that has not been stopped from answering the call for help time and time again in an effort to lend a hand to as many cats as possible. During the giving season, Little Lion is hosting this event to celebrate the volunteers that ask for nothing but good for the cats and to raise funds for the rescue to continue in its efforts. The event will be held outdoors at the restaurant and will include a silent auction, hors d’oeuvres, bar drinks and a chance to meet some of our Little Lions

Second Annual Home for the Pawlidays pet adoption and craft fair: Saturday, Dec. 11, The Hangar at the Long Beach Exchange, 4150 McGowen St., Long Beach, free to attend, item prices vary.

District 5 councilwoman Stacy Mungo has joined fur-ces with The Cat Cove and The Little Lion Foundation pet rescues to present this wonderful opportunity to do some holiday shopping and, of course, to take home someone furry and adorable to share your season with! Shop for crafts and check out a few adoptables. Spaces are still available for local crafters who may want to take advantage of this prime shopping location in a high-foot-traffic area. Space is limited so reserve yours today. Find out space and cost details, and fill out an application here.

 Just fur fun and fur-ther education

Courtesy photo

Jackson Galaxy’s Winter Camp: 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 4, and 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 5, online, $10 per webinar.

Animal Planet puurrr-sonality extraordinaire Jackson Galaxy and animal-companion loss-recovery specialist Stephanie Rogers will be camp counselors, with emphasis on the “counselor” part, for two seminars, one that helps human companions deal with the loss of a beloved animal and another that stresses the stressors that stress out people dealing with rescue and all the accompanying headaches. Raise a Glass: Grief and the Healing Power of Ritual During the Holidays offers rituals and activities to honor departed beloved pets; and Saving Yourself So You Can Continue To Save Animals: Cumulative Grief in Animal Service focuses on the truism of you not being able to save anyone if you’re falling apart. To register, click on the links by the seminar names.

Help wanted, help given

 

Santa’s Give a Little, Get a Lot vaccine clinic and food giveaway: 11 a.m.–4 p.m, Saturday, Dec. 4, Fix Long Beach, 1749 Magnolia Ave. Long Beach, vax prices vary.

In conjunction with the nonprofit Fix’n Fidos and Petco retail pet supplies, low-cost spay/neuter clinic Fix Long Beach is offering a drive-thru vaccine clinic, free flea meds and pet food giveaway while the supplies last. For dogs, four vaccines and microchip: $50; for cats, two vaccines and microchip: $30.

Volunteers of many stripes needed at Helen Sanders CatPAWS

Want to spend a few hours playing with cats? How about brightening the day of a bunch of senior citizens with kitten visits? Fostering cats because you aren’t sure you want to keep one but wish you could have one ever so briefly in your life (and yes, you could change your mind and keep them forever). Delivering pet food to needy shelters? Assembling do-it-yourself newborn-kitten-care kits, and maybe bottle-feeding a few? Kennel cleaning (whee!)? Lend a paw to CatPAWS—fill out the volunteer application at this link.

Volunteer walkers needed for senior citizens’ dogs

Ida’s Walkers is a program of The Heart of Ida, a 501c3 nonprofit organization serving the older-adult population in and around Long Beach. Ida’s Walkers offers dog-walking services to low-to-moderate-income seniors who are hospitalized, have limited mobility, or are at risk of falling. If you want to help senior citizens keep their beloved pets as long as they are able to live at home, call 562-370-3548.

Fix Long Beach low-cost pet-services clinics: selected days and times, 1749 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, services available by appointment at www.fixlongbeachpets.com.

Fix Long Beach is taking appointments for low-cost spay/neuter, dental, vaccines and other vet needs for cats and dogs. Vaccination clinics take place on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Visit their webpage or Facebook page for details.

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

Kitten season is supposed to be over by now, but it seems as if it never is or will be. Shelters and rescues still scramble to save little lives, get them fixed, get them adopted. It isn’t unusual to find nests of young, seemingly abandoned kittens during kitten season. 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.

 Spay/neuter appointments available at SNP/LA

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

If you can see the bottom of the kibble bag

a pile of pet food and pet accessories
Photo courtesy of Friends of Long Beach Animals.

 

Pets of the Homeless’s 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 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 Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. at Beacon for Him Ministries, 1535 Gundry Ave. Long Beach; and Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m. at Christian Outreach in Action, 515 E. Third St., Long Beach. Donations will be gratefully accepted at these locations as well.

Adopt, adopt, adopt

woman in denim jacket holds little white cat with tabby ears. kennels with kittens are in the background.

In-furson events

Long Beach Animal Care Services’ Adoption Waggin: 10 a.m.–2 p.m., second Saturday of each month, Pet Supplies Plus, 2086 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach; 10 a.m..– 2p.m., last Saturday of each month, VBurger, 420 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, adoption fees apply.

 The shelter’s favorite glamping vehicle for cats and dogs has been making the scene twice a month. Adopt at the locations and find either everything you need for your pet or a fine vegan lunch.

 Pet Food Express Cat Adoption Center: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Sundays., Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, adoption fees apply.

This adoption center is a much-needed satellite operation of Long Beach Animal Care Services. Julie and her team pull adoptable cats—”adoptable,” to these guys, means any cat in a shelter kennel! The team socializes the kitties until they’re adopted, which takes less time than you could imagine!

Helen Sanders CatPAWS adoption centers: viewable daily during store hours, playtime Saturdays and Sundays between noon and 3 p.m., PetSmart, 12341 Seal Beach Blvd., Seal Beach; Petco Marina Shores, 6500 Pacific Coast Hwy., third Saturday of every month between 1 and 3 p.m., Long 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, and now, you can finally visit with them, scratch their little ears, and rub them under their chinny-chin-chins on Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. Visitors to Petco  Marina Shores every third Saturday of the month can see them running around their playpens and cuddle them, too. Volunteers will answer questions and provide you with adoption information! Be sure to wear a mask. You can find adoption applications and all the kitties here.

two dogs and a cat on one border, two cats and two dogs on other. Caption says, "May we couch-surf at your place?"
May we couch-surf at your place?

Nota bon-e—fosters are needed everywhere!

If you’ve always wanted a pet but aren’t sure if you’re ready for a lifetime (the animal’s) commitment, or if you’re past the pet-roommate days for any reason, fostering might be a great way to go, especially with one or more of the kittens popping up during kitten season. Every one of the organizations listed below is in desperate need of fosters who’ll social them and help save their little lives. Who knows—maybe one of those lives will change your mind about the not-ready-for-roommate thing!

These nonprofits also regularly feature cat, dog and rabbit adoptions. As of now, adoptions are mainly by appointment. Fosters are needed for kittens as well. 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.