It’s been a long weekend and hopefully I can stay awake long enough to get this blog out! On Saturday, Oct 15, we had two events. One was at Central Park for San Gabriel Valley Pride that Behavior & Training Manager Caitlin graciously agreed to head up so volunteers could take some dogs there. Tyra took “Ethan,” our mellow, black and white pit bull mix; Morgan had “Bella,” a sensitive, long-haired Chihuahua mix; and Mona had “Elizabeth/Olive,” a pug/mystery mix. I didn’t get over to the location until about 2:00. It was a nice festival with a peaceful environment in the park. The three dogs all seemed to get along and everyone said that it had been a good day. Beyond that, I can’t report much about it.
The other Saturday event was the Race for the Rescues at the Rose Bowl. My cat, Ella, was kind enough to wake me up Saturday morning at 3:30! I had to get up at 4:30 and so I couldn’t go back to sleep. I arrived at PHS, already tired out! It was still dark. I wasn’t sure if the shelter alarm was on, but I shut if off just in case. I went around unlocking doors for volunteers and got the Mobile Unit lit up. Because, as I said, it was still dark. Volunteers arrived at about 6:30 and our first order of business was to get the cats out and into the Mobile Unit. And did I mention it was still dark? The cats that went with us were “Harley,” “Buddy,” “Kilala,” “Bobby” and “Pinky”. The cats were all nestled under Kelly’s watchful eye and everyone else went off to get the dogs. Bill had “Fiona,” a well behaved St. Bernard; Carol had “Pinky,” not the cat, but the boxer/Dalmatian mix puppy; Cheryl had “Daisy,” a super mellow and friendly basset hound; Kathleen had “Prada,” the mellow, playful pit bull mix; Betsy had “Churchill,” the senior Chihuahua that was still looking for a home; and Mary Ann had a shy and cute Jack Russell terrier named “Magoo.”
By the time we were loaded up and ready to go, it was beginning to lighten up a bit, but it was after the 7:00 deadline for us to be at the Rose Bowl. We headed over but I was a bit worried about missing our deadline and that we might be turned away. . . but we got a wonderful welcome and an easy pass into the set-up area. Lisa, the event organizer, met us and had us park next to the main stage area to give us maximum exposure. Adam, our interim rescue coordinator met us there. We got set up and were ready for the day.
The cats stayed inside and except for a couple flipping their water bowls out of the kennels, they were all pretty mellow throughout the day. “Fiona” wanted to play with every dog she saw. Due to her size, she certainly attracted a lot of attention. “Pinky,” (the dog) was filled with puppy energy and within an hour or so, a tired Carol was trying to convince her to take a rest so she could sit down for a while. “Magoo” pretty much wanted to snuggle in Mary Ann’s arms, and for an energetic Jack Russell terrier, that was quiet amazing! “Churchill” may have been a senior, but he had plenty of energy to walk all over the area. “Daisy” loved every person and every dog, and she chugged along as fast as her legs could carry her! She also attracted a lot of attention. Waves of people came through our area, meeting our dogs and cats, collecting flyers and brochures, and opening their pockets for donations.
Off-duty Mobile volunteer Linda was visiting today’s event and saw “Daisy.” She remembered that her neighbor had lost two basset hounds several months back within weeks of each other. She picked up information about “Daisy” and later left it on the door of her neighbor’s house.
Later in the morning, our dogs all got into costumes and went up on stage one at a time to parade in front of a huge crowd of people . . . except for “Pinky,” the dog. She got stage fright and being the puppy she is, we decided not to force it. Race for the Rescues always gets busy for us right around the end of the event as each of the transfer partners began to look over the dogs we had left. “Fiona” was no longer available since we had three separate adoption holds on her! The first adopters were going to meet us back at PHS for an off-leash meeting. The Rescue Train decided that since “Churchill” had been with us so long, they should take him and place him in a foster home! Cheers went up! Then Hooves and Paws Rescue decided they would like to take “Magoo” and he trotted off with them without a backward look!
One man was left over looking at “Pinky,” the dog, and decided to follow us back to PHS to finalize the adoption, and she headed off to her new home. As Cheryl was walking “Daisy” back to the shelter kennel, the neighbor that Linda had left “Daisy’s” information with showed up! We had another adoption! The people meeting “Fiona” didn’t realize they needed to bring their own dog in to meet her, so the hold was extended for another day. None of the cats were adopted or transferred, but the Rescue Train was going to work on all of the pets we still had left over until they get adopted! I dragged myself over to Central Park to check in and then back to the office to get ready for the next day.
I could barely wake up the next morning as my 6:00 alarm went off. It was Sunday, Oct. 16. Dragging myself to PHS, I unloaded supplies from my SUV into the Mobile Unit and realized I had left my laptop and my adoption folder back at home. I then discovered that I can leave PHS, drive home, and get back within 18 minutes without traffic on a Sunday morning . . . if I really fly low! Mary Ann had “Ethan” (both were tired from yesterday); Cheryl had “Prada” (both were tired from yesterday), Louise had “Bella” (only Louise was rested; Kelly had “Pumpkin”, a rather shy Beagle/Dachshund mix (only Kelly was tired); and Cindy had “Olive” (neither seemed tired). We drove over to Petco in San Gabriel for their final weekend in business.
After getting set up and taking dogs for a walk, each of us meandered through Petco to take advantage of the 70% off sale going on. I picked up nearly $100 of pond supplies for less than $20 (Yes, I have three backyard ponds. One has rather large goldfish and the other has extremely huge koi)! I spent much of my time today trying to stay awake and on top of things. When “Prada” wasn’t in my lap (that kept me awake!), she became BFFs with “Ethan” and the two of them were a playful item throughout the day. At one point Cheryl brought out a brand new snake-like stuffed toy and “Ethan” and “Prada” happily played tug-of-war with it. It lasted 30 seconds before it was ripped in half and each began chewing on their half! “Bella,” who had been fine at the park yesterday, did not like all the noise of traffic and shopping carts and retreated to a corner on Louise’s lap underneath a jacket and on top of a fluffy pillow before she could relax. “Pumpkin” was cautiously outgoing and would prefer to be on Kelly’s lap, which Kelly appreciated since she was tired out and wanted to sit. But “Olive” had plenty of energy and was on the go much of the day.
We did have a lot of people throughout the day but no takers . . . until a lady showed up with her cocker spaniel. She was there to meet “Pumpkin” and was so sure that it would be a match, she had already bought a leash an harness for him! She, her dog, and “Pumpkin” all loved each other on sight and within minutes “Pumpkin” headed off to his new fur-ever home! After a gust of wind blew our shelf unit over and our flyers earned their name, I decided it was time to pack it up and we headed back to PHS.
I then found out that the first adopters of “Fiona” were no longer interested, and the second adopter, who was a Channel 7 News cameraman, showed up and adopted her! But, he couldn’t take her in the news van, so she goes home on Tuesday. And, “Pinky,” the dog, was back at PHS. Apparently, the adopter lived in a small apartment of some kind and “Pinky,” the energetic puppy that she was, was simply bouncing off the walls. She had too much energy for such a small space. Oh well, we want what’s best for her! And lastly, “Kilala,” the kitten, was adopted Sunday!
Other Mobile dogs to mention: “Abby,” the beagle mix taken out last weekend, has been adopted! And, finally, “Freddy” has been adopted!!! Our Mobile volunteer, Betsy, decided she would like a third dog; they all got along with “Freddy,” and finally he has a home! (And maybe, I could mention I’ve adopted another pet here at PHS! It is a goldfish that we had taken in (did I mention we are an open door shelter and take all kinds of critters?) and was finally released for adoption. Okay, not quite a dog or cat, but it’s a pet. Okay, I can’t walk it or play much with it, but I can enjoy it. It was too small for an outdoor pond, so he/she went into my 100-gallon aquarium with some other goldfish there.)
Coming up this week: On Wednesday, October 19, assuming I’ve caught up on my rest, I will be driving the behavior staff, their volunteers and shelter dogs over to mid-Pasadena for a walk over to Euro Pane Bakery. Then on Saturday, October 22, we will be going over to Verdugo Park in Glendale for the annual K-9’s in the Park/Glendale Kiwanis’ Great Rubber Ducky Race from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. On Sunday, October 23, we will be at Tommy Bahama inside the Paseo Colorado at 303 E. Green St., Pasadena from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Hoping soon to see you “On The Road”!