Coco ID#A0939629

This cross eyed cutie is such a high spirited dog! He loves to fetch and will play for hours. He's a wonderful dog for an adult family and probably best with a knowledgeable owner. He is very active so no couch potatoes!!! He would be really happy to run around outside and explore. Coco loves to play in water! No cats though...

He is only 2 years old and very healthy. Coco is already neutered so he's ready to go home today. He was turned into the shelter back in August because his family lost their home. He is now an urgent case!

It breaks my heart to hear all the stories of lost homes and financial hardship that are bringing all these beautiful animals into the shelter.

The holidays can be a particularly difficult time for some people and, as we see at the shelter, for many animals. Even though it seems like people are lining up to get a pet as a gift for their kids, it's actually a pretty slow period for shelter adoptions. Everyone is looking for a puppy while all these wonderful young dogs, bunnies and cats wait at the shelter. It kind of reminds me of the island of misfit toys... :-(

The shelters do what they can to encourage adoptions by offering discounts and having additional adoption events. For example the Found Animals Foundation is sponsoring the city-wide Save a Stray for the holidays event on December 19th. http://www.foundanimals.org/index.php/Events/Events/index.html

This is all good, but these events barely make a dent in the number of dogs that still are put down during the holidays.

In fact, the reality is that people are still losing their homes and jobs in Los Angeles. The animals have been the collateral damage from the housing crash. It's all pretty depressing and most of us know someone who has been touched by financial hardship. Apparently things are improving for the economy from what we see on Wall Street but not necessarily for the people who have yet to find a job or a decent place to live.

The good news is that you don't have to give up your animals if you are forced to move from your house. Many more apartments are allowing pets. I've been told by property managers that there are many available apartments in LA right now so it seems like it may be more possible to negotiate a deal now.

There are websites that are specifically focused on pet-friendly rentals. Some are free and others require a membership. However, even Craigslist shows if apartments allow pets or not. Again, with all the empty apartments out there, it really is a renter's market!

This is a pretty comprehensive list of renter's websites that can help: http://www.dogfriendly.com/mysearchp/mysearch.cgi?category=Apartments

Another thing, if you need help to get food or medical care for your animals, there are organizations that can help you. Lack of funds doesn't necessarily mean you have to ditch the family pet. Due to need, more organizations are forming programs to help keep animals in their homes. Even many city and county shelters are now offering some type of assistance for financial hardship.

In Los Angeles, PAWSLA, The Animal Health Foundation and Actors and Others are only a few of the organizations that can help with veterinary and other expenses. For a complete listing of all the CA and national orgs see The Humane Society's website.

Please spread the word to all who are looking for help during these tough times. Don't let people think that all is lost and that the shelter is the only option for their animals. There are resources out there for those who are willing to make the effort and keep their commitment to their pets.

Of course, for all those people looking to "buy" a holiday pet, please remind them that they should save a life by adopting a shelter animal! Adopt don't shop!!! www.laanimalservices.com