Kitten Party at Mink Shoes on Oct.17th! Buy tix now!!

Fabulous, fun and educational evening featuring...KITTENS!

tix available now at  minkkittenparty.eventbrite.com

Doggie matchmaker's 500th Post!!!

I accidentally noticed today that this post would be the 500th post on this blog!! I also noticed that since it's inception in 2007, the blog has had almost 40,000 page views! Okay, some of those page views may include myself but no way did I look 40,000 times!! Come on, that's just cray cray...

I want to express my thanks and gratitude to everyone who has participated in this blog, providing content, photos, shares and all the love that it takes to volunteer at shelters and rescue animals! I love you all! 

Special shout out to Mirja Bishop, the amazing lady who writes all the wonderful copy for the West LA flyers! She really goes the extra mile in all she does for the shelter.  :-)

Thank you!!!

Okay, tell me this guy isn't a cutie pie! He's at the West LA shelter right now!! Please network him!

Dog reactivity, is it really such a crime??

First off, really great post by trainer Nicole Wilde about how we humans tend to over react to our dog's reactivity! 
Have a look!  http://wildewmn.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/is-reacting-really-reactive

Also, poor Lily, the volunteers at WLA have been working so hard with Lily to get her out of harms way. Right now she is IN TROUBLE with TIME RUNNING OUT... You can donate towards her rescue. Contact Mirja at MBishop355@aol.com.  Please network her too! Thanks!

No good deed goes unpunished. Forte rescue needs your help!

Please, if you can help these former West LA Shelter dogs!

Peach rescued by Forte Animal Rescue from WLA

2 dogs that were rescued by Forte Animal Rescue from the West LA Shelter have serious health issues. 

Peach has heart worm and Bonnie has suspicious tumors requiring many tests & biopsies. Please donate to help offset the costs of these medical procedures which have thus far amounted to $1200.

To donate:

By Mail

Forte Animal Rescue

PO Box 10085
Marina del Rey, CA 90295

By PayPal
http://www.FARescue.org/donate.html

1) If you have a Paypal account, login to your account and please send your donation to > and choose "GIFT," which will prevent incurring a fee to you or to us. 

          2) If you do not have a PayPal account, you can go to our  
         website and click the donation  button at this link, and use a
         credit card.

Spring is here! Feral cats & dogs for adoption.

photo from www.lynchburghumansociety.com

Spring...

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. I do love to enjoy the outdoors and see all the animal activity going on as birds build nests and everyone emerges from their long winter hibernation... Okay, well maybe not so much in LA, but I guarantee that it is going on all around us.

For example, our dear feral cats have done their mating and are now nesting... I just caught two pregnant feral cats that have been living around my property. I will have both cats fixed when they are done nursing, socialize the kittens, have the kittens fixed and find them homes. The queens will be set free back onto my property once again but at least I will know that we won't have anymore kittens that would probably either end up as coyote food or hit by a car.

I love my feral kitties as they keep the rodents at bay which is a real service if you ask me. They are beautiful to look at and seem so grateful for the meals I provide. I look forward to many more years enjoying their presence and I am so glad that there will be no more kittens!

I found a great site called Indy Feral that can give you answers about pretty much everything to do with feral cats! They also have articles from lots of other organizations like the Feral Cat Coalition.  I will keep you posted on how things go with my ferals and their litters as things progress.

Now here are a couple of cuties who need homes. Both are sweet and friendly and get along with each other too! Please network these cuties!

The WLA 3 pack, they are 3 great dogs that are waiting and waiting and waiting... Hurry!!!

Three love bugs who happened to be Pitties at the West LA Shelter

All three of these dogs need homes as soon as possible especially Hiro as he has been there the longest. Please network them! Thanks so much!

Finally, The Yellow Dog Project!

I really like this idea and I'm so glad someone put this together.  Apparently the project is getting national and international attention.  It just makes so much sense. So YAY! to The Yellow Dog Project.  Check them out on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

https://www.facebook.com/TheYellowDogProject

Spread the word for 4 swell dogs available at WLA now!

Fun Fun Fun at the WLA Shelter! Adoptions & rescues watch this!!!!

Two great dogs on alert at WLA Shelter NOW.

Let's start the New Year right and make sure these dogs are safely out of the shelter!

Two great ways to celebrate the holidays, adopt a shelter dog.

Wow! So far it has been a stellar December at the West LA shelter with many larger dogs finding homes for the holidays. That is wonderful news! 

Yet, there are always more dogs (and cats) who are slipping through the cracks and are patiently waiting for a new home. If you are thinking of adding a pet to your family, now is the time to save a dog or cat from your local shelter. Shelters are FULL during the holidays and  they desperately need your kindness to get through this season. 

If you can't adopt consider fostering. You can also volunteer, donate/sponsor a dog or cat. 

Please, reach out to your local shelter and help. Happy Holidays!

http://www.laanimalservices.com

Striving for a No Kill LA in December! LAAS want to make it happen!

Brenda Barnette, the GM of LA Animal Services just sent out this press release. It's a great idea so I hope you spread the word and tell everyone you know to ADOPT and not shop for a pet. Your local shelter is a great place to start with all types of wonderful dogs, cats, rabbits and more! Some shelters even have horses, goats, chickens, etc. looking for homes. 

Come on, we all know that pet stores SELL animals from puppy mills and other similar breeding situations where the animal's well being is not considered.  So let's not perpetuate this horrible trade that tortures animals to make a buck.

Please support your local shelter, they need you!!!

First No-Kill Month in Los Angeles HistoryJoin the movement for the Animals

For Immediate Release
Contact: Brenda F. Barnette, General Manager
brenda.barnette@lacity.org
Phone (213) 482-9558

It has been an amazing 2012 for the animals!  At of the end of October, in addition to more adoptions, there were 3,500 fewer animals’ lives taken this year in L.A. city shelters than last year. That’s a huge achievement and a giant step toward No-Kill. Thank You Angelenos!

There’s still one month left to achieve what we could once only dream about. Together, let’s close out 2012 on a high note – and make the month of December a No-Kill December!

You can help make December the first month in LA history that the number of healthy or treatable animals killed in L.A. Animal Shelters is ZERO. Here’s how:
1. Adopt from a City Shelter – Open your home to an animal in need. From December 1–23, you’ll receive a special discount on select pets at all L.A. city shelters, thanks to FoundAnimals “12 Pets of Christmas” adoption promotion.

2. Foster – If you can’t commit to adopting, then fostering is a great way to give a pet the time they need to find a forever home. For more information on fostering, click here.
3. Spread the Word – The more people who join the movement to get Los Angeles to No Kill, the sooner we will get there. So encourage everyone to help make this a No-Kill December! Tweet it, Facebook it, encourage your friends and family to adopt or foster a furry friend for the holidays.
4. Donate – Can't open your home? Your generous donation could still help a pet find a home of his or her own. Here is a link for online giving:http://anidonation.lacity.org/. There are several options to choose from: an in-kind donation, a one-time cash donation or a monthly pledge, a kennel sponsorship or a direct donation to the STAR program dedicated to animals who need extra medical care.

Some AMAZING dogs looking for a home by Xmas!

Give thanks for Thanksgiving but no bones!

REALLY GREAT ADVICE FROM LA ANIMAL SERVICES!!

Los Angeles Animal Services Important Pet Alert

Over-eating during Thanksgiving can be serious for pets too!

Thanksgiving is the time of year when family and friends get together to enjoy each other’s company and a myriad of delicious foods. We have a tendency to include our four-legged family members in this feast, which often results in overindulgence.  Even when we don’t purposely include them, the agile and creative dog or cat can capture a special treat from the kitchen counter, trash or even the dining room table!


Thanksgiving weekend is also a busy time for emergency veterinary clinics. Dogs and cats suffer very serious and sometimes fatal consequences from turkey bones, too much rich and fatty foods and just plain overeating. If your pet is not acting like himself or herself, consult your veterinarian.  Your best friend could be seriously ill.


It is difficult to comprehend, but when giving pets treats you must consider the relative size of their body compared to yours. If you weigh 150 pounds and your dog weighs 25 pounds, he or she is only 1/6th of your total weight. If you visualize yourself as a whole pie, comparatively your dog is only one slice of pie. Consequently, sharing an unfinished plate that still holds a generous serving of mashed potatoes with gravy, a side of very rich dressing, a few bites of turkey and a small slice of pumpkin pie with your best friend can make him or her feel miserable.


You do want your pets to enjoy the holiday. Stop by a pet food store and purchase some new dog biscuits or cat treats; then reduce the amount of their regular meal to accommodate the treats they will be getting throughout the day. Remember, biscuits and treats are usually much higher in calories than regular pet food so having them skip dinner may be a prudent choice if they have been snacking all day.


If you are planning a quiet holiday at home without a lot of company and confusion, and you don’t already have a dog or cat to share your life with, this could be the perfect time to visit one of our six Los Angeles City Centers and fall in love with your new best friend. You can get him or her settled in while you have a couple of days off work. What better way to give thanks than to give an orphaned shelter pet a home? You will be repaid with unconditional love and laughs for years to come. 

Happy Thanksgiving!
Brenda Barnette
General Manager
brenda.barnette@lacity.org
(213) 435-0815

Los Angeles Animal Services is one of the largest municipal shelter systems in the United States with six shelters serving approximately 60,000 animals annually and responding to 20,000 emergency calls involving an animal or person in danger each year. Visit us on the web athttp://www.laanimalservices.com.

Arnie and Ziggy, both need homes and help!

Arnie and Ziggy are 2 dogs that were rescued from a sad situation. They've been living in kennels for the last year, a step up from their original arrangements, but not they need to move on due to their caretaker's illness.

These wonderful dogs need your help. Please network them and disseminate their flyers to anyone who may be looking for a new love in their life.  Thanks!

Another lesson in don't judge a book by its cover. It's in the DNA!

Don't call me a Pit Bull!

How a dog looks can be very deceiving indeed.  A study done by Maddie's Fund Veterinary Medicine program at University of Florida  makes the point over and over...and over.  It's simple, do DNA tests on a bunch of dogs, ask people what they think the primary breed of the dog is and then compare the DNA test results. The results will amaze you.

I had to laugh at some of the results because you have to wonder how some of these dogs got together?! It's a fascinating study and it will definitely make you reassess what you thought you knew about identifying dog breeds.  All I can say is those American Eskimo Dogs sure get around! ;-)

On a more serious note, I can tell you that every shelter out there is WAY off on their guesses as to what kind of dog breeds they have.  One reason there are so many Pit Bulls in the shelters is that most mutts look like a what we think of as a "Pit Bull."  How many dogs on this list would be categorized as a Pit Bull at your shelter?

Most importantly, this study proves another reason why BSL is such nonsense. How do you identify a dog as a Pit Bull?  I seriously doubt they are doing DNA testing on every dog.  How can BSL be legal when they don't even know the breed of the dog?  I'm starting to think that we need to eradicate the term Pit Bull from our vocabulary and call a spade a spade: it is a mixed breed dog!

So, check out this study, you'll be really amazed at some of the mixes.

http://sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/library/research-studies/current-studies/dog-breeds/dna-results/

Brandon Fouche dog behaviorist and aggression expert Fundraiser appearance.

Don't miss this unique chance to learn from the master of dog rehab.  Brandon Fouche is an expert on dealing with dog aggression and has helped countless shelter and rescue dogs find their way back into a normal life.  

Brandon is donating his time for this special fundraising event to raise money towards FREE S/N and microchips for the under-served communities in South Los Angeles.  All ticket sales will go to this purpose.  

This event is being co-sponsored by SAAFLA, Downtown Dog Rescue, The Fouche Way, Planet Speck and Council member Jan Perry.

Tickets are available now at the www.saafla.org website. Special low rates for students, shelter employees and volunteers.

URGENT! Sonora doesn't deserve for the shelter to be her last home.

Please Network Sonoma!!! She's in trouble, out of time and needs to be rescued ASAP!

Bow Wow Meow pet fair in Santa Clarita Oct.14!