Spay Neuter Ordinance Becomes Law!

MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA SIGNS SPAY/NEUTER ORDINANCE INTO LAW

LOS ANGELES - Pledging to continue the efforts to reduce pet euthanasia and control the City’s pet population, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, joined by Los Angeles City Councilmembers Richard Alarcón and Tony Cardenas, Los Angeles Department of Animal Services General Manager Ed Boks, Animal Rights Advocate Bob Barker, Humane Society of the United States President Wayne Pacelle, PETCO Foundation President Paul Jolly and local animal advocates, today signed the Spay/Neuter Ordinance, a new law that requires all pet owners in the City of Los Angeles to have their cats and dogs spayed or neutered.

"By requiring that all cats and dogs be spayed or neutered, we can help to humanely decrease the number of pets abandoned and euthanized each year," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "This ordinance, which contains clear guidelines and enforceable penalties, creates a valuable tool to take this city another step closer toward eliminating the unnecessary euthanasia of animals.

"The Spay/Neuter Ordinance will require all pet owners in the City of Los Angeles to have their cats and dogs (four months of age and older) spayed or neutered, unless otherwise exempted because the animal competes, serves as a rescue or service animal, or unless the pet is a registered breeder. Any person violating the spay/neuter law will be cited, and could be subject to up to a $500 dollar fine or 40 hours of community service.

“This spay and neuter will move Los Angeles towards being the most humane city in America by educating pet owners to be more responsible, making our streets safer, reducing the number of animals killed each year in our shelters and allowing us to more effectively use our resources,” said Councilmember Alarcón.

“The problem in our city is not the animals but the human owners, and this ordinance will allow the Department of Animal services to target resources towards the worst offenders whose irresponsibility threaten public safety and fills our shelters with unwanted dogs and cats.”

This new law, which aims to assist in humanely decreasing the number ofcats and dogs abandoned and euthanized every year, also poses health benefits for the animals as well. Spaying reduces the risk of certain types of cancers and infections in females, especially if it is performed prior to the first heat. Moreover, neutering lessens a dog's temptation to roam, as well as to fight, as studies show that the majority of dog bites are made by intact, untrained male dogs.

The signing of this ordinance comes on heels of Spay Day USA 2008, an annual Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) coordinated event, during which, thousands of volunteers coast to coast host activities to educate and assist people with getting their pets spayed or neutered.

“The Humane Society of the United States commends the Los Angeles City Council for passing this common sense measure that will save animal lives and taxpayer dollars,” said Wayne Pacelle, HSUS president and CEO. “Combined with the availability of financial assistance for pet owners in need, Los Angeles now has the tools in place for successfully ending the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals.”

“As with so many important accomplishments, this Spay/Neuter law is not the end of the story, but rather just the beginning,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “We will continue to lead the effort by getting our dogs and cats spayed and neutered, licensed and permitted, and saving more animals’ lives.”

The new Spay/Neuter law will take effect in April.


http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=223005

Fix Feral Cats FREE!

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L.A. to Mandate Pet Sterilization

City Council votes to require spaying or neutering for dogs and cats that are 4 months or older.

By Carla Hall, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
2:33 PM PST, February 1, 2008

The Los Angeles City Council voted 10 to 1 today to approve mandatory sterilization of most pets at the age of 4 months or older - a decision greeted by cheers and applause from the crowded room at the Van Nuys City Hall - where the council meets the first Friday of every month.

The bill must get a second reading in a week, but it is expected to pass. A parade of supporters and opponents of the bill spoke passionately to the council, but in the end, the measure passed, with the sole dissenter being Councilman Bill Rosendahl. He told the council that he was an animal lover, but he professed outrage at the thought of animal control officers knocking on the doors of people's homes, calling it a "fascist-like" move.



The city has said enforcement of the measure, which affects dogs and cats, will be very low key."Compassion rules the day!" exclaimed Judy Mancuso, who runs the campaign to pass a similar law on the state level and was one of more than 100 people at today's meeting.

"I'm deeply disappointed," said Cathie Turner, the executive director of Concerned Dog Owners of California. "We have to think about what to do next. The mission of our organization is to protect the health of our dogs. The City Council has passed a bill that will force 95% of Angelinos to live with impaired dogs - not because they're spayed and neutered, but because they're spayed and neutered at the wrong age.



"The organization believes the decision on when to spay or neuter, if at all, should be left to owners."

Mandatory spay-neuter is a necessity," said former game show host Bob Barker, who has donated millions to subsidize the sterilization procedure. "For decades I closed every 'Price Is Right' urging viewers to have their pets spayed. . . . I'd like to think all of us working together would be enough. But it's not enough. We need legislation."

His remarks were greeted with applause and hoots of approval. The parade of speakers supporting the legislation included INXS band member Garry Beers, who told the council that his wife works with a rescue organization."

I have seen the hopeless cause these people face trying to find homes for these animals," Beers said.

Other rescuers echoed his remarks, emphasizing the overwhelming nature of the task of finding homes for unwanted pets."I would like my guest house not to be a permanent foster facility," said Elizabeth Oreck, who works with a private rescue group. "

I would like my taxes to be spent on something other than the housing and killing of animals."
carla.hall@latimes.com

City Council to Vote Friday on Spay/Neuter Ordinance!

http://www.cahealthypets.com/ca-healthy-pets-ab-1634-home.php

On Friday, the Los Angeles City Council will consider a common-sense, effective spay/neuter ordinance - responsible pet owners need to be there and show support. The scheduled 10:00 a.m. hearing this Friday, February 1, on the proposed Los Angeles city spay/neuter ordinance is critically important.

Responsible pet owners and those who truly care about the welfare of animals must plan to attend - or make their views known to the council members BEFORE the hearing.

Opponents - including irresponsible, unlicensed and uncaring breeders - are already organizing to kill the new law. They plan to flood council offices with complaints about the proposal and pack the council chambers, shutting out the voices of responsible pet owners who support common-sense spay/neuter laws.

The proposed ordinance for Los Angeles - approved Monday by the council's Public Safety Committee - would require most dogs and cats in the city to be spayed or neutered by four months of age. The ordinance includes exemptions for show animals that have competed in at least one legitimate show or sporting competition; dogs working or other title; guide, signal or service dogs; dogs that are actively used by law enforcement agencies; and animals with valid breeding permits.



CBS News reports: "The proposed ordinance is intended to reduce the number of animals in the city's shelters and decrease the rate of euthanasia, which costs the city about $2 million a year."

"This ordinance gives us the tools to end the insanity and do something significantly different," said Ed Boks, general manager of the Department of Animal Services. "This law would help to end the cycle of frustration we all face and feel every day and allow us to eventually reallocate precious resources for increasing adoption, educating the public on humane issues and fighting animal cruelty."

If you are a Los Angeles resident, please call the offices of your council member on Wednesday or Thursday.

On Friday, plan on attending the council session at 10:00 a.m. - it appears there WILL be a public hearing and comment period where we can voice our support - either at the Van Nuys City Hall (14410 Sylvan St., Van Nuys, at Van Nuys Blvd.), or in the City Council Chambers at Los Angeles City Hall (200 North Spring St., Los Angeles).

Here is the council members' contact information:

Alarcón - 213-473-7007
richard.alarcon@lacity.org
(Council Member Alarcón is the author of the bill, so thank him profusely.)

Greuel - 213-473-7002
councilmember.greuel@lacity.org

LaBonge - 213-473-7004
councilmember.labonge@lacity.org

Weiss - 213-473-7005
councilmember.weiss@lacity.org

Reyes - 213-473-7001
councilmember.reyes@lacity.org

Zine - 213-473-7003
councilmember.zine@lacity.org

Cardenas - 213-473-7006
councilman.cardenas@lacity.org

Parks - 213-473-7008
councilmember.parks@lacity.org

Perry - 213-473-7009
councilmember.jan.perry@lacity.org

Wesson - 213-473-7010
councilmember.wesson@lacity.org

Rosendahl - 213-473-7011
councilmember.rosendahl@lacity.org

Garcetti - 213-473-7013
councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org

Huizar - 213-473-7014
councilmember.huizar@lacity.org

Hahn - 213-473-7015
councilmember.hahn@lacity.org

Smith - 213-473-7012
councilmember.smith@lacity.org

As a responsible pet owner who truly cares about the welfare of animals, PLEASE call your council member on WEDNESDAY or THURSDAY and then attend the City Council hearing on FRIDAY, February 1, at 10:00 a.m.

Together we can make life healthier and safer for Californians and their pets.


Sincerely,
Judie Mancuso
Sponsor / Campaign Director
AB 1634 California Healthy Pets Act
http://www.cahealthypets.com/

Local Kids Have Big Hearts!

Students in Room 33 at Eagle Rock Gifted Magnet Elementary School have been busy making Valentines for chained dogs for the Have a Heart for Chained Dogs campaign.




Teacher Melodie Conrad is committed to integrating humane education part into the standard curriculum of her 3rd and 4th grade classes.

L.A. Considers Pet Sterilization Ordinance

Most dogs and cats in the city of Los Angeles would have to be spayed or neutered by four months of age under a proposal approved today by a City Council committee.

The proposed ordinance is intended to reduce the number of animals in the city's shelters and decrease the rate of euthanasia, which costs the city about $2 million a year.

"This ordinance gives us the tool to end the insanity and do something significantly different," said Ed Boks, general manager of the Department of Animal Services."

This law would help to end the cycle of frustration we all face and feel everyday and allow us to eventually reallocate precious resources for increasing adoption, educating the public on humane issues and fighting animal cruelty."

The proposed law, which was approved by the Public Safety Committee and will be before the council on Friday, would require pet owners to spay or neuter their dogs and cats by four months of age.

Last year, 8,960 cats and 6,049 dogs were euthanized in the city's animal shelters, according to the Department of Animal Services. It costs the city $140 to euthanize a cat and $195 to put down a dog, compared to the $75 it costs to spay or neuter an animal.

Boks estimated that it will cost $380,000 to $400,000 to implement the ordinance.

Owners who do not comply with the law will receive information on subsidized sterilization services. If their pets are not fixed within 60 days, owners could face a $100 fine or eight hours of community service. A third offense could result in a $500 fine or 40 hours of community service.

The proposal includes exemptions for animals who show and have competed in at least one legitimate show or sporting competition; dogs that are in the process of earning an agility, carting, herding, protection, rally, hunting, working or other title; guide, signal or service dogs; dogs that are actively used by law enforcement agencies; and animals with valid breeding permits."

I think it's safe to say that nothing is perfect, but if passed, this would be the largest spay and neuter ordinance in the country and it would save thousands and thousands, tens of thousands of lives that are taken unnecessarily," said City Councilman Richard Alarcon, who proposed the ordinance and worked with city staff to draft the new law.

Two years ago the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors implemented a similar ordinance requiring most dogs in unincorporated areas to be neutered by four months of age.

Copyright © 2008, KTLA

Animal Shelter Design Woes Anger Zine

L.A. DAILY NEWS
by Rick Orlov, Staff Writer

Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine issued a sharp rebuke Monday as the heavy rain flooding Los Angeles recently has exposed problems at some new city animal shelters, where plastic sheeting is being used to protect animals and prevent flooding in kennels.

Zine said use of the sheeting at the city's Northeast Animal Center at 3201 Lacy St. is an affront to taxpayers who approved a $160 million bond in 2000 to build seven new shelters.

Told Monday that the city now might need to pay $180,000 or more from the bond to correct deficiencies in the shelter designs - modeled after shelters used in Pasadena - Zine erupted. "How often do we have to ask the taxpayers to pay for our mistakes?" Zine said. "This is outrageous. I get so frustrated at the incompetence I see happening over and over."

Zine was told the city had worked with the humane community to develop and approve modern designs for the shelters that now make it difficult to require contractors to make repairs without compensation.

"What bothers me is the lack of oversight on these facilities," Zine said. "They designed these and I'm not sure they really looked at our needs here. Here we have brand new shelters and we have tarps up to protect the animals.

"What I want is for the contractor to pay ... to fix the problems. But I want a report on all these shelters." Zine said residents alerted him to the problem and said he understands there might be similar problems at shelters in the San Fernando Valley.

Councilman Ed Reyes asked for a report on problems at each of the shelters, along with steps needed to improve the facilities.

Have a Heart for Chained Dogs!

Dogs Deserve Better recently announced an unusual direct-mail outreach. The group's goal is to send out 10,000 Valentines made by schoolchildren to chained dogs across the country during the week of February 7-14.

By the end of January, the group needs 10,000 address of chained dogs, volunteers to make the Valentines, and donors willing to supply coupons for treats or dog food.

Please visit: Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Week for more details and contact me if you'd like to get involved in this special project locally!



Read about the 2007 campaign here!

An Ode to Animal Shelter Workers

I Couldn't Work Here

When you say to an animal shelter or humane society employee "I could never do your job, it would break my heart. I love animals too much", or words to that effect, it sounds like you are saying:
1. That we don't also love the animals, even though we've taken minimum wage (or no wage) jobs in order to work with homeless animals. For many of us it is our life's work.
2. That we, somehow, don't get our hearts broken.
3. That in order to do this job, one has to be either cold-hearted or an animal hater.

Your declaration leaves us with some questions.
If you can't do this job, who will? Someone must.
When we've euthanized the 500th kitten for the month, because there are no homes available. Will you take the 501st? Our hearts are completely torn out and we just can't kill one more. You already have enough pets? We understand, we do too. Our cages are over capacity, our foster homes are all full.
Do you have a solution? If so, please tell us, we hate this part of the job.

Right now, at this moment, there is a dog or a cat in a shelter employee's arms and there is nowhere on earth for this creature to go. There is no cage space, no foster home. No forever home... nowhere. It is a heartbreaking feeling.

There is a really nice yellow Lab mix named Jake. He's 3 years old, healthy, housebroken, loves kids. He loves everyone! But, he can't find a home because he's quite generic looking, not really flashy and he's not an eight week old puppy. ("I want a dog to grow up with the kids"). We've had him here for 3 months, but can no longer justify taking up valuable cage space for a dog that's showing no signs of becoming adopted. What would you do?

There are 10 dogs that came in today. We have two open runs. Who has to die?
Walking through the kennel, having to choose which ones have no more time is the worst part. It breaks our hearts. If you know of a way to keep Jake alive and still be fair to the other animals, please tell us. We've grown so attached... it's our hearts again, you know. They're breaking into a million pieces this time.

Will you talk to the woman who brings in a blind, 10 year-old Peke-a-poo with bad skin and says, "Don't kill her! Find her a good home!" Oh puhleeeeze. We can't find homes for the healthy 1 year olds - who's going to adopt a 10 year old, unhealthy dog? You? No, not me either. I already have four dogs that were considered unadoptable. Because we can't get this owner to face reality and allow us to euthanize right away, the dog has to spend her last 24 hours on earth in a holding cage, wondering what happened. But, we'll hold her as often as we can and try to comfort her... It's quite unlikely that there is someone that wants an elderly dog that needs a few hundred dollars worth of veterinary care, but maybe you're right. Our crystal ball is broken, but if you think she can find a home and you want to save her, please go back to the kennel and pick which young healthy dog has to give up its space here.

Okay. You can't work at an animal shelter. Not everyone can.
Can you help in other ways?
Can you buy us a bag of food when you buy for your own pet?
Can you come in and talk to the cats?
Walk the dogs?
We are so busy running the place that we often don't have time. When you come back next week we won't tell you the final disposition of your favorite one if you don't want to know. We are, after all, a compassionate group and we understand about broken hearts.
Could you go to your friend or neighbor and offer to get their pet spayed/neutered?
Could you trap one of those stray cats in your neighborhood and get it vaccinated and neutered? That will be one more free-roaming cat that's out of the reproduction loop.
Maybe you could just send a check to say "thank you". Anything at all would help.

I know you mean well. I know you mean to say, "I couldn't work here because my own emotions get in the way of doing what has to be done for the animals, thank you for doing it."

- Author Unknown

Gentle Barn or Bust!

Sunday night Tess came by with an enormous truckload of comforters and blankets she and other Pasadena Humane Society volunteers collected for the Lancaster dogs! I could barely wait until morning to deliver them knowing these poor dogs were still enduring the freezing high desert temperatures. Monday morning we packed up all the donated supplies in Holly's folks' Escalade. And I do mean PACKED! That thing was crammed solid!

It was such a nice drive up to the still funky/rural part of Santa Clarita to our destination, The Gentle Barn. It was chilling to see how close the recent fire had come to destroying their property - the entire mountain ridge was still charred all the way down to just outside their back arena. Yikes!

Aldo, the foreman showed us around and we got to meet the newly arrived pigs, emu and llama - all taken from the same hoarder.



There are still more than 100 dogs still needing foster and forever homes.
Please take a look at this link to see some of these soulful, deserving dogs and the terrific volunteers who spent their weekend trying to make them more comfortable.

Dogloos are still desperately needed - please contact me ASAP if you can donate one!

Collecting Supplies for the Animals

We have secured a local drop-off place for donations of supplies:
LOTS OF PETS 6540 Foothill Blvd. Tujunga
(in mini-mall corner of Tujunga Cyn Blvd. south side of street next to McDonald's)
Please take donated items to the back of the store to the blue wall next to the restrooms.
We will have large plastic tubs designated for donations.
Donations will be accepted during store hours Sat & Sun. 8pm - 9pm
A volunteer will be driving a truck up Monday, so please get supplies to this location by then! THANKS!



p.s. an urgent plea has come our way for DOGLOOS with the long entrance (see photo) - we need 30 total - any size! They are the only shape of temporary shelter for the dogs that will not blow away in the 75mph winds of the high desert.

Also, need plastic vari-kennel type crates of ANY SIZE for transporting animals in vehicles.

Call: 323-719-5052 if you have any to donate!

Animal Hoarding is BAD NEWS!

Here is the latest framed in a Q & A format to make it less confusing.

Where are these dogs?
All the dogs are at a property of a known hoarder in Lancaster. 5-6 dogs to a cage... There are many cages. 20-40 dogs in one big area… There are many big areas.

Which organizations/rescues are working to help the animals?
Gentle Barn and Animal Acres are working together to alleviate the suffering of the animals, but Animal Acres is not set-up for dogs. Gentle Barn has 4 workers caring for the dogs during the day. (It’s a 30 minute drive) No workers can stay there (Lancaster) at night, since there is no place for them. Some farm animals are at Animal Acres for quarantine before they go to Gentle Barn or into foster or adoptive homes. Animal Acres is not involved with "dog, cat" aspect of rescue, only farm animals. Gentle Barn and Animal Acres continue to look for fosters/homes for all the animals.

A Wish for Animals got the hoarder to release the animals to its organization, but has no resources (aka man power nor ready-to-be used facility) to care for this huge influx of sick, hungry, cold, un-spayed/neutered animals.

What happens next?
A Wish for Animals will let Gentle Barn use their newly acquired Acton location to build some temporary shelter. Gentle Barn is hiring Andy Gump Temporary Site Services to build such temporary facilities to move approximately 50 dogs needing immediate life-threatening medical attention, about 10 pregnant females here.

What are the conditions of the other dogs?
A majority of the animals have mange, upper respiratory problems, pink eye, vomiting, diarrhea and all are exhausted. Five litters of puppies have been removed from the property with horrible medical issues. The temperature has been below freezing and the animals have no protection from the extreme climate and because of the rain are living in mud puddles with no dry area at all.

What type of dogs?
Shepherd mixes, Lab mixes, Pbull mixes, Rottweiler mixes, Corgi mixes...

What type dog food is needed?
dry - in 50 lbs. bags. There is no place to store food at hoarding place without it getting wet. Gentle Barn workers transport food every day to Lancaster.

How many total pounds of dog food is needed?
3000 lb. = 30 days

Has Best Friends been contacted yet?
yes.

What type of supplies are needed?
- 200 collars (different sizes) - 200 leashes
- 30 bags of dry dog food (50 lbs/each bag) to last till next Wednesday 1/23/08
- 100 big clips to secure water buckets to chained link fences, so dogs won't kick the buckets and no water left to drink.
- 200 blankets - Bleach (40 gallons)
- 15 Flat oversized shovels,
- 15 metal leaf rakes
- 50 pooper scoopers
- 200 plastic trash bags
- 50 food/water containers no more than 2-3 inches height for small, short dogs (must be able to reach the content inside the containers)
- $8,000 for spay/neuter 200 dogs at $40/each.
- $12,500 (est) about 50 needing immediate life threatening medical attention, about 10 pregnant females.
- $800 (est) for transportation costs to move 50 dogs from Lancaster to Acton, and to vet offices.
- 25 volunteers to care for the sick dogs which will be transferred from Lancaster to Acton (currently in rushing mode to have some type of temporary shelter to be built, so they can be cared for).
- Funds for the following:
* Feed for the emu, pigs, horse and llama
* Veterinary Care for neutering (there are about 200 dogs and they all need to be fixed at about $40.00 each), vaccines, stitches and treatment for mange and other sicknesses.
* Animal transportation costs

Donations may be made through PayPal at: http://www.gentlebarn.org/id17.html OR http://animalacres.org/donate.html

Who do I contact about volunteering my services or donating supplies?
Please contact Desiree at Gentle Barn: (661) 886-0901 (ok to call her 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) OR Lori at Animal Acres: 661-269-5404 /email: info@animalacres.org

THANK YOU!

URGENT Situation at Animal Acres

COUNTRY CRITTERS IN THE CITY NEED HELP

Over 100 severely neglected farmed animals need food, shelter, veterinary care, and YOU. Approximately 100 goats, chickens, turkeys, pigs, an emu, llama, and one pregnant horse ---along with over 185 dogs --- were abandoned at a farm without shelter, water, or food. Working with L.A. County Animal Regulation & Control, area dog rescue organizations and other sanctuaries, Animal Acres rescue staff and volunteers have been working to remove suffering animals from the property, and provide food and care for animals still left behind.

Animal Acres rescuers on the scene found dead dogs in wheelbarrows, and the farmed animals did not have any food or water . One of the pigs could not stand because his hooves were severely overgrown. Most of the sheep and goats have upper respiratory ailments, pink eye, and mange. Two of the sheep are blind in one eye, and all of the sheep and goats have eye infections. The animals were forced to live in filthy puddles and dirt in 30 degree temperatures without any protection from wind or rain. The stench was horrific.

The Animal Acres sanctuary is now providing emergency rescue care for 38 sheep and goats, 32 chickens and turkeys, and is working to find temporary or permanent placement for 46 ducks and geese. L.A. County Animal Services informed us they did not have shelter for the farmed animals and Animal Acres assistance was critical for this rescue -- BUT WE DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT HOUSING SPACE OR FUNDING TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR ALL OF THE FARMED ANIMALS. PLEASE, help us come to the aid of Los Angeles' country critters. You can help by:

1. ADOPTING OR HELPING FIND ADOPTIVE HOMES FOR DUCKS, GEESE, GOATS, AND SHEEP: Homes are urgently needed for the ducks and geese that remain at the property, and we only have temporary housing for the sheep and goats. We must find permanent placement for these animals. If you or someone you know can provide a loving home for ducks, geese, sheep, or goats, please call 661-269-5404 or email: info@animalacres.org

2. VOLUNTEERING TO CARE FOR THE ANIMALS: As a volunteer based organization, we depend on dedicated volunteers to help us with large cruelty cases. The rescued animals need to receive health care (treatments, hoof trimmings, etc) and be fed, watered, and cleaned every day. PLEASE help us care for these animals by volunteering at our shelter. Volunteers need to arrive by 11 a.m. (and can volunteer as as early as 8 a.m.) and commit to a three hour caregiving shift.

3. DONATING TO THE EMERGENCY RESCUE FUND: We are in need of funding for feed, veterinary treatments, and neutering costs (ten of the male goats must also be neutered.) Your donation TODAY to the Animal Acres EMERGENCY RESCUE FUND is vital for us to continue this lifesaving rescue.

Please visit http://animalacres.org/donate.html to make an ER FUND donation today.

Animal Acres is a Los Angeles farmed animal sanctuary and compassionate living center directed by Farm Sanctuary co-founder Lorri Bauston. Thank you for your support.

ANIMAL ACRES: 5200 Escondido Canyon Road Acton, CA 93510
Phone: 661.269.5404 - Fax: 661.269.0194
info@animalacres.org
www.animalacres.org

Mystery Mutts Secrets Revealed!

Zazu was adopted in 1998 from DAWG rescue in Santa Barbara. I named this feisty, fun-loving teenage pup after Zazu Pitts - one of my favorite character actresses of the 1930's.

Every day for close to ten years, I changed my mind about Zazu's likely breed mix. One day she looked like or acted exactly like a herding dog, other days there was no doubt in my mind she had retrieving genes. In the winter, her coat grew to a length and density not unlike that of a wooly mammoth's! Frankly, I thought she enjoyed being such an enigma, and this little guessing game became somewhat of a daily ritual for me.

As with my other mixed-breed rescue dogs, I was benignly resigned to spending our days together never knowing for certain anything about Zazu's parentage. That was, until the Canine Heritage Breed Test became available.

For $65, a kit including a special cheek swab to sample your dog's DNA is sent to you. As easy and detailed as the instructions were, I still managed to mangle my fist attempt, sending in a "corrupted" DNA sample. The company graciously sent me another kit to re-do Zazu's test and the second time was the charm!

According to the test, Zazu has no Primary Breed (that would need to be 50% or more). Her Secondary breed is Golden(!) Retriever, and "In the Mix" breeds are Chow Chow and Siberain Husky. All this makes perfect sense to me.

Only 38 breeds are presently in their data bank, and they're pretty slim on certain breed-types (like Terriers), but it was fun and not crazy-expensive like the new (but probably more accurate) Mars Wisdom Panel Mixed Breed Analysis Test - which runs about $200 and can only be administered by a vet. Plus, I got this cool, suitable-for-framing certificate. Ooh... So official!

The Local Feral Cat Crisis

According to the Stray Cat Alliance web site ,there are an estimated 4 million feral cats in Los Angeles county alone. Irresponsible pet owners who abandon their animals expecting them to fend for themselves, or those who simply don’t get their cats spayed or neutered are at the root of the problem. Add to it unchecked breeding (a single female cat and her offspring can result in the birth of hundreds of thousands of feral cats in less than a decade), and you begin to scratch the surface of what can only be described as an epidemic.

A common misconception is that feral cats are a different species from your domestic “house cat”, while in fact, there is no difference whatsoever. Feral or stray cats have simply been forced into a dangerous, shadowy and stressful existence by thoughtless humans. They tend to congregate around food sources and shelter, whether the dumpster of a local market, crawl space of a building, or under a shrub in the yard of your neighbor who sets out a single plate of food now and then. Local shelters and humane societies are overwhelmed with calls from uninformed residents requesting the cats removal, as though they are vermin or bothersome pests.

Kittens born to feral mothers can, with intervention and handling by humans, be tamed in a matter of days or weeks, going on to live normal lives as domesticated house cats. In contrast, those who mature into adult cats while living as homeless cast-offs will retain their wild attributes and may require human assistance for the rest of their natural lives in order to survive. A small brigade of local cat lovers and animal advocates step up to the plate and commit to this task. These volunteers feed, monitor, and see to the individual and collective veterinary needs of feral cats living in tight-knit social groups known as colonies. In an effort to stem the seemingly endless tide of unwanted litters of street kitties, TNR - Trap/Neuter/Return - is an ongoing activity undertaken by these volunteers. According to experts in the field, trapping feral cats humanely, having them surgically sterilized, then returning them to their original location is the only effective and humane method of controlling their population. TNR helps stabilize a colony and keeps it from growing.

Those not acquainted with the issue are aghast at the suggestion that a cat be returned to life on the streets. Yet, according to studies, removing or relocating individual cats or entire colonies never works because it creates a vacuum, attracting even more cats to the area. Additionally, adult ferals, unlike their kitten counterparts, have few adoption options, so great is their fear of humans. Life on the street, though imperfect, is often the only reasonable life-choice available to them.

For those who want to learn more about feral cats, have questions, or wish to become involved in their caretaking, visit the links on the sidebar for organizations that offer education, training, support, traps and even financial assistance towards spay/neuter and other medical needs.

Dogs That Changed the World

While channel surfing last Sunday night, I got to catch one of my all-time favorite shows about dogs. This Nature series on DOGS is highly recommended!

Where in the world did dogs come from? How is it that there is such a huge variety within the species? Why do Border Collies instinctively herd, Siberian Huskies pull sleds, Retrievers swim and fetch? Sure, scientists and anthropolgists are interviewed, but I promise, you will never find this program boring or too technical!

Here is the schedule for upcoming airings of Parts One and Two.

Day Street Deer

One of the great things about living in this area is our proximity to wildlife. These deer visit the neighborhood frequently. I sometimes drive over to Day Street with my lunch and park, just hoping to spot them.

L.A. City FREE Spay & Neuter

FREE Spay & Neuter Services are available for companion animals of low-income households, Senior Citizens, and Disabled residents of the city of L.A. Qualified individuals can have their pet spayed or neutered for FREE at one of the two mobile spay and neuter clinics that travel throughout Los Angeles - making monthly visits to the Foothill areas of Sunland and Sun Valley.

The Sam Simon Foundation’s mobile clinic includes FREE vaccinations, flea control, deworming, nail trims, and antibiotics along with the spay/neuter service. To make an appointment for your dog or cat, please call 1-888-DOG-SPAY, 1-888-364-7729.
Current Sam Simon SpayMobile Schedule

The Amanda Foundation mobile clinic operates by appointment only. Please call to schedule an appointment at 1-888-FIX-PETT, 1-888-349-7388.
Current Amanda Foundation Mobile Clinic Schedule

For additional Spay/Neuter services available to L.A. City residents, click here.

Catching up with Animal Services

Local residents should be pleased to learn that a thoroughly modern animal shelter recently opened its doors to serve them, with another nearing completion early this year. Replacing the converted dairy farm on Sherman Way that for years served as the East Valley shelter, the new East Valley Animal Care Center at 14409 Vanowen Street in Van Nuys is a sight for sore eyes.

Los Angeles "pounds" have seen relatively few improvements since their establishment at the end of the 19th century. Causing barely a blip on the city's budget, these temporary safe-havens for our lost and cast-off pets left a lot to be desired. Funky, old buildings were routinely adapted for re-use, save for the occasional drab, cheaply built structures modeled after correctional facilities.

Thanks to overwhelming voter support in 2000 for the Animal Facilities Bond Measure (Prop F), the cramped, antiquated shelters of old are being replaced or renovated with state-of-the-art models. Award-winning facilities were toured to gather design ideas - notably, the SPCA's in Long Beach and San Francisco. It appears that the research paid off - the new centers have a family-friendly, park-like ambiance, 180 degrees from past incarnations.

Determined to meet a goal set by Mayor Hahn for L.A. to become a "No Kill" city by 2008, the Department of Animal Services has been working feverishly to improve its image and lure potential adopters. Positioning shelters as community centers, the hope is that residents will choose to adopt an animal in lieu of purchasing one from a pet store or breeder. Increased shelter adoptions mean decreased euthanasia of adoptable animals, a win-win equation for all.

After fine-tuning the mister system and adding shade canopies to cope with last September's extreme heat, the new East Valley center appears to be running smoothly. The sleek facility utilizes green building concepts that meet or exceed current standards, including solar power, radiant heating of kennels, and xeroscopic landscaping.

Visitors enter a spacious lobby filled with art and color. Across from the nearly-completed on-site spay and neuter clinic is a community room available for gatherings. Cats bask in sunlit catteries and centrally-located public greeting rooms. The number of dog kennels is almost triple that of the old shelter, alleviating the ongoing space crunch. Grouped in small clusters, the aisles are punctuated with fountains and landscaped "get acquainted" areas resembling pocket parks. The design of the kennel area has all but eliminated the stress-related barking that was constant and deafening in the old facility. On a recent visit, it was remarkable how calm and quiet the dogs were in this new environment, making them all the more appealing to potential adopters.

The East Valley facility will provide service for foothill residents until the newly constructed Northeast Valley Animal Care Center at 11030 Stranwood in Mission Hills opens its doors towards the middle of 2008. Modern in every other aspect, the handsome center's classic architecture compliments that of the well-known landmark across the way, Mission San Fernando.
For more information about LAAS services, visit: www.laanimalservices.com

Welcome to Tails of the Foothills!

I hope readers of this blog will find it useful, informative and even inspirational! It is for all animal friends and animal lovers! Enjoy!