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.

I like the Blog Hop, let's get the word out for the animals!!

This is so cool. If you want to get the word out on helping to get shelter animals adopted, join this Blog Hop to spread the word. The more people who participate, the more people who see our blogs! :-)

What is a blog hop? A blog hop is a linky list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS. When several blogs put the same linky list code on their blog, the exact same list appears on each blog. Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list. The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides. Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP! GET THE CODE!

Andy A0866359, lovely senior Gentle & Sweet!

He was turned into the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter on Dec. 22, 2011. .  Andy is a 9 yr. old, neutered,  German Shepherd mix who weighs 35 lbs.  Seniors have a particularly hard time at the shelter and finding a home.

 Poor Andy!

Andy is a sweet, gentle, easy going dog who, once out of his run, becomes very personable and friendly.  He really likes people.  He is housebroken and his loving spirit is hoping that someone will take him away from all of this sadness.  His previous “owner” said that he was the best dog ever, she just couldn’t afford keeping him any longer.  

The shelter scares Andy and that is why he hides out in the back of his run.  This is not the life that he wants or that he remembers. He remembers having a person. He remembers having a warm bed and being best friends with a human who promised to take care of him forever.  That is what we want for Andy.

Please help Andy!  He needs a home before it is too late.  Please adopt this wonderful boy.

 West LA City Shelter, 310-207-3266  Tues-Sat 8-5,  Sun 11-5 

11361 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064 

Contact: Samantha Westbrook, NEW HOPE COORDINATOR

213-485-0494 / CELL  213-792-5811  aninewhopewla@lacity.org.

Sandy the Staffie Seeks Suitable Situation! Seriously!

Sandy A#1219443

Sandy is a 3 yr. old spayed Staffordshire Terrier who has been at the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter since Oct. 9, 2011.  Sandy and her 10 puppies originally came to the shelter on June 4, 2011.

Sandy or momma as we lovingly called her was a good mom who cared for her pups until it was time to separate from them.  She cried and tried to reach them when they were put in a separate run.  She had to be moved to a different part of the shelter where she could not see them. Her pups were all adopted very quickly and it was our wish that Sandy too would find a good home. 

In Sept. the volunteers and staff were thrilled when a family came to the shelter to see her and decided to adopt her.  It was our hope with Sandy, as it is with all of our dogs,  that she find a good home with people who would love and care for her.  Sadly for Sandy that did not happen.  She was returned by the adoptive family because the landlord did not approve.  They described Sandy as friendly with everyone and a good dog which we all knew from her previous time at the shelter.  

Sandy loves to play with her toys but more than anything she loves her people. She is good with other dogs and she is just a fun dog to be around as can be seen in this video.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTM3zGss7Xc

Please help Sandy find her forever home. She is at the West Los Angeles Shelter now!!! -- mirja bishop

West LA City Shelter  310-207-3266  Tues-Sat 8-5,  Sun 11-5 

11361 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064 

Contact: Samantha Westbrook, NEW HOPE COORDINATOR

213-485-0494 / CELL  213-792-5811  aninewhopewla@lacity.org.

Charlotte: Beagle A1187273 Such a cutie pie!

Charlotte is a beautiful, mellow, and friendly Beagle girl who is good with other dogs -- she shares her kennel with a Lab-Pit mix named Madonna! She needs to loose a few lbs but hey, so many of us could use a walking buddy to get in better shape too! She is spayed, healthy, loving and so lovable. Charlotte was dumped at the shelter because her former "owner" was moving. She is anywhere from 7 to 9 years old, and she's tender and kindhearted, with soulful eyes as if she was a Tennessee Williams character in a former life! Please see her video attached here too...she would make a cute, cuddly, and fun best friend to share your home with.

She is currently at the West LA Animal Shelter waiting for you to get her outta there!

West LA Shelter :
11361 W. Pico Blvd

Los Angeles CA 90064

Samantha Westbrook is the New Hope Coordinator there if you have any further questions on this doll.
Shelter: 213-485-0494/ 0495/ 0496
Cell: 213-792-5811
ani.newhopewla@lacity.org

The dog days of August.= DOGS IN DANGER!!!

You may not have heard that this time of year is very difficult for shelter animals, especially dogs. It seems like more dogs come in and fewer get out. Everyone is on vacation, out of town and fewer dogs seemed to be rescued.

Over at WLA there are several dogs who are OUT OF TIME and will be killed in the coming weeks. Right now, 3 dogs have a death date of August 29th. Jazz, Donny and Tyler... These poor guys through no fault of their own are going to be victims of the system, if they don't get out this week.

Thanks to Mirja Bishop for the descriptions below...

DONNY - ID#A1110189

Donny is a 3 yr. old unaltered male, black and white American Staffordshire Terrier. He was picked up as a stray and has been at the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter since April 26, 2010. Donny is described as a sweet boy who does well on his walks. He can be "all over the place" until he settles down. He likes to play ball and will exchange the ball for a treat. He is good on leash but has shown some signs of leash aggression. Donny does not like kittens or cats. He has played in the yard with a female dog and been quite friendly but not so with male dogs.

TYLER - ID#A1104733

Tyler is a 6 yr .old unaltered male, black and white Labrador Retriever mix. He was picked up as a stray and has been at the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter since April 3, 2010. Tyler is described as being very intelligent. He corrects very easily when needed. He is easy to walk and shows his gratitude by wagging his tail the entire time. He is very friendly and loves to get treats. He did well when meeting another dog through the fence and is described as being good with other dogs unless they are aggressive towards him. He has shown some food aggression. He needs time and attention and then will connect with his handler. He is described as being a "sweet" dog.

JAZZ - ID#A1106409

Jazz is a 4 yr. old neutered male, brown and white American Staffordshire Terrier. He was picked up as a stray and has been at the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter since April 10, 2010. He is described as a sweet boy who is a little timid. He knows "sit" and loves treats. He warms up quickly and enjoys being petted and brushed. He especially likes to have his tummy rubbed. He is described as being "all over the place" when first taken out of his run but is good with recall. He walks well on leash. He enjoys playing catch. He did exhibit a negative reaction to one of the other male dogs.

Please DONATE, NETWORK, RESCUE & SHARE this info far and wide.

Contact:
Samantha Westbrook
New Hope / Baby Bottle Coordinator
West Los Angeles Animal Care Center
11361 W. Pico Blvd, LA, CA 90064
Shelter: 213 485 0494/ 0495/ 0496
Cell: 213 792 5811
ani.newhopewla@lacity.org

The Happy Ending Project: Eli's coming...

Another in a series of stories written by volunteers about dogs they helped save. These stories illustrate the wonderful outcomes that are produced through our volunteers' commitment to saving these animals. I hope you will find them inspiring!

Eli*

Eli’s Allies

Eli was the typical big black dog, stuck at the shelter because he just didn’t have the looks that people were after, maybe a little too scary. Other than his being big and black (statistically the hardest dogs to re-home), he also looked like a Pit bull. What other reason could explain why he languished for so long at the West LA Shelter?

It all started at the old West LA shelter when Eli first arrived. When one of the volunteers took him out for the first time, they noted that “he seems like a great family dog!” Hey, that’s a good start for a shelter dog!

But somehow he went unnoticed by all the families who came to adopt from the shelter. After a few MONTHS of sitting around, Eli started getting what we call “kennel crazy” which means a dog is becoming more anxious, neurotic and sometimes aggressive. Eli was even charged with “unnecessary roughness” one day playing with a volunteer (even though he really meant no harm).

Once a dog is labeled as unpredictable at the shelter, it can be extremely difficult to get him adopted, especially a big black Pit Bull looking dog. That said, the shelter was patient and the volunteers kept campaigning for him in hopes that he would suddenly connect with the right person.

Nevertheless, time marched on without mercy. Eli was headed towards the red list.

Once Eli was on the red-list, things started looking pretty grim for our boy. He was more nervous than ever and he seemed miserable being confined to his kennel. This is about the time we start to wonder if it is too cruel to keep a dog in captivity for that long. He was so unhappy and was not getting the attention that he so desperately needed. Yet, we kept networking and hoping that Eli’s ship would come in…

Finally, good news! One of the shelter employees found someone who was willing to take Eli. He would be living on a big property with lots of freedom to roam around outside. With high hopes, we bid Eli good-by and good luck…fingers crossed!

We kept getting updates about Eli and although it didn’t sound like the perfect situation for Eli, it was certainly better than the alternative! A few weeks later, he was back. It turned out he had some issues with chickens…

Sadder than ever, poor Eli sat alone staring out of his kennel.

sad Eli at the shelter

Weeks went by and Eli did not get adopted. This second round was more brutal than the first. Sure, a few people looked at him but he just wasn’t the right fit and at this point he just seemed like a square peg. We all worried about what would become of him?

Scheduled for death, we all held our breath. Would all the networking help? Did he have a chance?

At the eleventh hour, Fresno Bully Rescue came to his rescue and swept him off to his new temporary home. The greatest thing was that he was going into a foster home and apparently that’s what this boy really needed!

Human companionship was the key to Eli finding a home. He LOVED being a house dog, being with his person and sleeping on soft beds. He quickly calmed down and became himself again; just like the Eli we first met at the shelter so many months before.

Eli at his foster home

Eli did great in his loving foster home. It didn't take very long before he had a permanent home and loving family. Eli, the big black Pit Bullish dog, was now someone’s pet, companion and the love of their life!

Eli chillaxing at his new home!

Thinking about Eli always gives me hope for our long termers at the shelter… There is a home for EVERY dog, we just have to find it!

*beautiful picture of Eli by photographer Seth Casteel

www.laanimalservices.com

Adopt don't shop!!!

The Shelter Chronicles: A Few Good Dogs

FIRST, some important news! Next weekend on Saturday August 9th the shelter is hosting The BIG LICK! It should be lots of fun with ice cream and face painting and a picture of you with your new pet. We are hoping this event will boost adoptions as we sorely need to get some of these special doggies out of the shelter ASAP. The Summer is often a slow time for animal shelters and WLA is no exception. Higher intakes and lower adoptions mean more dogs in danger of being put to sleep due to over crowding. Believe me, we will try our darnedest to find proper homes for all the dogs, cats and bunnies, but we need YOUR help to succeed! Special thanks to Found Animals Foundation for putting on this event!

Some lovely dogs for your consideration!
SUGAR A0923877 Pit Bull mix
Listen, this dog isn't named Sugar for nothing! No dog loves people more and is as affectionate as this gal. Sugar is pretty young about 2 years or so. She's really cute and a perfect little compact size. Her issue is mainly that she has dog reactivity issues that seem to be workable with a trainer. Sugar has so much potential and has done so well at the shelter for so long... It would be a crime for her to lose her life now just because her time ran out at the shelter. She's so adorable and the volunteers love her. If you are fine having a single dog and working on her reactivity towards other dogs, she would make a wonderful companion. I just hope she gets her chance to prove it!


TIGER A0921072 Pit Bull
Tiger is more like a pussycat. This little girl is really sweet. She's about 2 or less years old, great with other dogs, people, not sure about cats... She's very easy to work with so I can recommend her for a family with older kids. She was at the BIG Irvine event last week and did so well. I was really proud of her. She hung out with her doggie friends very nicely. She even rode in the truck to Irvine with Mono (below) and now they are the best of friends. She's such an easy going dog, at the end of the day she was sleepy so she went in the crate and took a nap. Tiger could use a little help with her leash manners as she likes to pull a bit. But she's so excited to be out in the world! This kid is gorgeous and NEEDS your faith in her to make it to the next level. She wants to bond with you, come see her!


MONO/MIKEY A0904938 Boxer mix
Mono was adopted at Irvine, but only after 4 days he was returned to the shelter. Why, you ask? Because he had a potty accident. Oh wow, way to commit to your new dog! Totally annoying if you ask me. However, Mono IS a wonderful boy, a puppy actually, who is full of fun and energy. He's great with other dogs and overall easy to handle. He has that typical Boxer personality being a fun loving kook! A little training will go a long way with this guy. He's an absolute love, and you will fall in love if you meet him!


MISSY A933094 Pit Bull
This little girl is a youngster who needs a person that will give her the guidance and attention that she will need to thrive. She's done well at the shelter after starting out a little fearful and distant. Now she's a sweetie pie who is looking for someone to take her under their wing. First off she is very much the typical Pittie with lots of energy for playing and fooling around. She's so happy when she gets out of her kennel and can play with a person or a dog. She seems to do well with most dogs even though she comes on pretty strong initially (another typical pittie thing). I would recommend her for a single or couple with time to spend with her and teach her the ropes. Probably she's a little strong to have around little kids but fine with older kids.

SAVE A LIFE ADOPT FROM YOUR LOCAL SHELTER!