A paws for thanks

This has been a short but busy week for us all, so I’ve just typed up a list of stuff I’m grateful for regarding the pet community. I’ve probably left something out, so feel free to (mentally) add your own.

I’m forever thankful for:

• Long Beach’s singular animal-advocacy community, whose members don’t always see eye-to-eye and sometimes get their backs up. But they’re continually working toward a single goal: the best outcomes for animals.
• Rescue organizations that survive, sometimes barely, through public donations and the occasional grant, and who always wish that they could find room for one more. Sometimes, they stretch themselves a little further and make room.
• Our shelter at Long Beach Animal Care Services, which continues to develop its sheltering practices (that link in the shelter name won’t be live until the city takes back its online presence from the Grinch who stole it).
• Every volunteer, everywhere — in shelters, in rescues, in organizations, walking dogs and cat-sitting for older adults and who share adoptable pets on social media.
• Veterinarians and vet techs who care for our pets and sometimes donate their time, and the people who study to become vets and techs in the face of a veterinary shortage.
• Low-cost and free spay/neuter clinics for both strays and people’s pets— not enough clinics, but so glad for the few that exist.
• Fix Long Beach’s canine parvovirus ICU, the first not only in Long Beach but also for miles and miles and miles. Many doggies who would otherwise have had a death sentence are now wagging healthy tails.
• The volunteers who do TNR, i.e., trap/spay-neuter/release as they arm themselves with traps, blankets, pads and stinky, fishy food and lie in wait, sometimes in the dead of night, for stray cats to take the bait. The volunteers then get them fixed, often out of their own pockets, return the adults to their old haunts, and foster and adopt the kittens.
• Adopters and fosters everywhere, particularly those who take in senior pets and those with medical or behavior issues.
• You, the reader, who offer suggestions that I sometimes take and who move to support the people and practices I write about; and the supportive staff at the Long Beach Post, all of whom love and support animals, too.
• And finally, Mildred, Francine, Duncan, Ninki, Shax, Eunice and Hector, and their predecessors whose beautiful memories will be with us forever. They inspired us, as Maude said to Harold, to “go out and love some more.”

Hope you had a good day of thanks, with lots of wagging tails, purring throats, birdsong, and whatever rabbits and reptiles do to show their gratitude for you. Love them back, and keep the turkey bones out of their reach. 

Pets to adopt or foster

I discovered nonprofit Rafiki’s Rescue at a recent event, and if any pets have reason to be grateful, they’re the ones in Rafiki’s care.

Rafiki fosters the most vulnerable among animals. Their fosters have medical and behavioral needs, trauma and abuse, injuries and birth defects, and it’s a struggle to save them and somehow get them adopted. Like House of Broken Cookies cat rescue, Rafiki fosters and rehabilitates pets that some consider unadoptable and finds them loving homes. The rescue offers assistance in special-needs cases and its founders and volunteers strive to let us know that, with the proper care and desire, there’s no such thing as an unadoptable animal.

Find adoption information for these cats and for dogs, reptiles, birds, small mammals and other cats here. Donations are gratefully accepted.

Blossom is a high-energy, brilliant, talkative 2-year-old girl who pours out and purrs out love at every second. Even as she walks, she makes biscuits with each step. Blossom came to Rafiki from Kuwait via a partner organization. She has a head tilt and mild neurological impairment thought to be from a previous head trauma, but it’s nonprogressive. Her hearing and vision come and go, and her depth perception seems slightly off. She needs a place where she’d be accepted for her quirks and would do best as an only cat — her bold personality isn’t always accepted by other kitties. Here’s Blossom in action.

Sasha, age 4, is a bold, sassy queen of the house. She endured a tail-pull injury when living on the streets and consequently suffered nerve damage that affects her ability to use the litter box on her own. Sasha went through many procedures to regain her ability to go to the bathroom, and while they were successful, she leaks a little and requires diaper changes throughout the day. Otherwise, she walks around like a normal house cat. 

“I personally believe that her diapers only better suit her personality so that she can embrace the true fashionista vibe that she embodies!” says one of the rescuers.

Not all special needs are physical or behavioral. Resin is 18 years old and lived in a home where life changes for the humans imposed stress on the cat. She’s currently healthy — she’s just old. She’s a cuddle bug who loves to sleep on your chest and make biscuits. She has done well living with other cats and dogs but would prefer either nonaggressive animals or to be an only pet. Either way, she needs a calm environment. Plus, Resin’s present owner will pay for vet care until the end of her life.

Pet events and announcements

Deck the halls with boughs of bully sticks and catnip. Rescues and shelters are all aglow with events to entertain you and help fill pets’ needs, with loving homes the idea.

Free Pet Photos with Santa Claws

Helen Sanders Cat once again will have the big guy listening to purry and waggy wish lists while they get their photo taken by you, their human! Bring your camera or phone, and get ready to take a photo for your holiday cards, albums or just one of the skillions of pet pictures you have on your phone. Dogs will take photos outside; cats and other pets will have a special place indoors! Oh — no pet? CatPAWS will have their adoption candidates present, and they’ve all been good. Very good!

Saturday, Nov. 25, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pet Food Express, 5265 E. Second St., Long Beach, photos free, adoption fees for cats

Seal Beach Animal Care Center Holiday Boutique and Bake Sale

Stock up on holiday gifts and goodies and help fund this all-volunteer shelter at the same time! Take home some good stuff and maybe, just maybe, an adoptable pet. 

Saturday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Seal Beach Animal Care Center, 1700 Adolfo Lopez Dr., Seal Beach, free to attend, various prices for items

To see a list of local animal rescue groups, click here.