Come claw–uh, cut a rug at Hot Paw’gust Night!

Next Friday, Aug. 18, Friends of Long Beach Animals, a pet advocacy and assistance nonprofit, will host A Hot Paw’gust Night at the EXPO Center in Bixby Knolls. There, you can visit with several local pet rescues and organizations, learn about what they do and what they need, and find out how to adopt one of their cats or dogs.

You’ll also meet Melanie Wagner, Long Beach Animal Care Services’ recently appointed acting bureau manager. Bone up on her vision for the shelter in this article. Lap up food and cocktails, win some raffle prizes you can share with your own furry buddies, and foxtrot the night away. Dress up like the Great Catsby and raise the woof at this event that helps the venerable Long Beach nonprofit help other animal nonprofits to help animals (that’s a mouthful of kibble). Get your tickets while you still can.

Pets to adopt or foster

Our shelter at Long Beach Animal Care Services is past the point of full. So much needs to be done to mitigate this crisis—available spay/neuter, putting some oomph into mandatory spay/neuter and breeding laws that stand, and public education. Meanwhile, these are a few of the dear souls who need out, in the best way possible. To adopt the dogs or any pet in the shelter, you can email [email protected] to speed the process for adopting or fostering. Better yet, visit them Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park. (There’s no parking fee for shelter visitors.)

Missy (ID##A693982) is a pretty girl who seems to be around 6 years old. She’s been spayed and is ready to go. Her human friends at the shelter guess that she’s a pit bull/cattle dog mix, but it’s just a guess. She has never lived indoors, to the volunteers’ knowledge, so she doesn’t quite know what to do with a toy yet. But does she love treats, and she loves to walk on leash and smell the good smells! She does her zoomies and then settles down for a nice nap. She doesn’t like other dogs much, but does she love people! Doesn’t she sound perfect?

 Lois (ID#A693552) sure needs a superhero to fly her out of the shelter and into a home. She’s an adora-bull girl—she’s been spayed and, depending on the light in the room, is a beautiful chocolate brown or near black. She gently takes treats, loves to play, and even get a paw-dicures! Lois loves the Pet Literacy Program at the shelter, so if you take her home, read her a YA book, inasmuch as she’s only 2 years old. We suggest “Superman: Birthright.” Some of our shelter kitties get real lucky—they get to live and play in the condos at Pet Food Express’ Cat Adoption Center, located at 4220 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach. The center also helps with overcrowding in the shelter.

Luca, about 3 months old, is one of three fortunate little fellows in the playroom. They were trapped along with their mom, were neutered and vaxxed, and are happy and healthy and ready to play with you! Stop in to meet Luca, Elliot and Omar. To adopt him or any other cat there, ask a volunteer or call Julie Somers at (562) 673-5050. Please check out more pets who need to go home at our shelter at Long Beach Animal Care Services.

Pet events

A Hot Paw’gust Night: Friday, Aug. 18, EXPO Arts Center, 4321 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, begins 6:30 p.m., $25, tickets available here

Friends of Long Beach Animals, Long Beach’s most venerable animal organization, is throwing a big bash to benefit some the great animal rescues in Long Beach. The Little Lion Foundation, The Cat Cove, K9 Kismet Dog Rescue, Jellicle Cats Rescue Foundation, Blockhead Brigade and Helen Sanders CatPAWS will all be there, and you can meet Melanie Wagner, interim director of Long Beach Animal Care Services! Have fun as you help fundraise—enter raffles, dance the evening away, have your photo taken, and lift a cocktail glass to Friends and all the great animal organizations.

Benny’s Sixth Birthday Party: Saturday, Aug. 26, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Marina Community Center, 151 Marina Way, Seal Beach, $20, kids 10 and under free, tickets available here

Benny is a little cat who suffered horrible abuse when he was a kitten. After one of CatPAWS’ board members fell in love with him at the shelter, had him stitched up with the help of CatPAWS and the medical team at Long Beach Animal Care Services, he’s been living the life. And he’s about to turn 6—no one thought he’d make it to a year! Celebrate with Benny in a big way at his party. Enjoy an included lunch, games, vendors, arts and crafts, adoptions (and maybe some kitten races!) and an appearance from the great man himself. Help fund CatPAWS so it can continue to help more cats like Benny.

Music for Mutts and Cats: Saturday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m.–9 p.m., Syncopated Brewery, 3671 Industry Ave., Unit C1, Lakewood, raffle tickets $2 each

The “for” in the event title doesn’t imply an audience of dogs and cats tapping their claws on the tables and moving their tails to a syncopated beat. Nope—it’s a fundraiser organized by a shelter volunteer for the benefit of the animals at Long Beach Animal Care Services. Funds from raffle tickets will help support spay and neuter for all the pets who are staying at our shelter.

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