Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 8, 2014

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views News Saturday, February 8, 2014 9 JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views News Saturday, February 8, 2014 9 
Happy Tails 
by Chris Leclerc 

As a young child, I was terrified of every bug 
or insect I came into contact with, particularly 
those that I knew could bite or sting me. I will 
never forget the first time I was stung by a bee. 
Or, to put it in more specific terms, the first time 
I was stung by an entire swarm of angry bees. I 
was five years old, and had not yet learned about 
how nature works. I did not understand any of 
those creeping, crawling, flying creatures who 
inhabited the space beyond the four walls within 
which I lived. 

The angry bee attack was my own fault. I had 
been teasing them as they came and went to and 
from the hive they had built outside the window 
of my parents’ bedroom. My sister and I had both 
spent the morning obnoxiously tapping on the 
glass and had apparently aggravated them to a 
point of frenzy. A bit later that day, when I stepped 
out the front door, I was surprised (although I 
should not have been) to find myself suddenly 
covered with angry bees. The moment I closed 
the door behind me, they came and covered me 
from the waist up, and somehow burrowed their 
way into the backside of my t-shirt.

 They then proceeded to plant their tiny, needle-
like stingers deeply into the delicate skin of my 
neck and shoulders. I immediately panicked and 
began screaming, hoping someone would come 
and rescue me. Within moments my mother 
came out, yanked my t-shirt off and dragged me 
back into the house where she prepared a home 
remedy made of baking soda and milk, and 
spread it heavily over the bee stings on my back. 
I don’t know which was more swollen by the end 
of that fiasco, my face (from crying so hard), or 
my back from the numerous bee stings I had 
sustained. In a short time my temperature rose to 
102, and I became quite queasy.

 Eventually the raised, rosy-red marks where 
the bees had stung, shrank down and my fever 
subsided. I was amazed that my mother knew 
enough to use a homemade baking soda remedy 
to draw out the poison that those bothered bees 
had injected into my skin. The fact is, my loving 
mother had all kinds of alternative health care 
tricks up her sleeve, but then again I guess she 
had to, being the mom of seven children, at least 
one of which knew how to get herself in a heap 
of trouble! 

To this day, I am unsure why my sister and 
I felt the need to pester those poor busy bees. I 
guess we were acting out of fear, knowing that 
they couldn’t terrorize us while we were inside, 
the way we knew they could when we played 
outdoors. We must have found some sense of 
satisfaction in annoying them from within the 
safety of our home.

STING OF THE 
BOTHERED BEE 


 What my sister and I didn’t realize at the time, 
was that bees have no desire to terrorize other 
beings, they are simply going about the business 
that God created them for, which is to work hard 
transporting pollen, to breed freely and to make 
honey. Later in life, I learned about the God-
given purpose of bees and the important part 
they play in nature, and I was finally able to quit 
being afraid of them.

 Bees only attack as a response to aggravation; it 
is not in their nature to do so at random. So many 
aspects of life depend on the bee’s persistent 
activity, which is why it is so important that we 
humans stay out of their way and allow them to 
go about their business. A bee can actually feel the 
vibration of fear being emitted from the human, 
much in the same way that a dog can smell fear 
or danger. With this in mind, the best thing to do, 
if you happen to come in contact with a swarm 
of bees, is to remain calm, keep quiet, and walk 
away slowly. If you handle the situation in this 
manner, bees are more likely to ignore you and 
continue their work than to become aggravated 
and attack. 

 If you are fearful and make loud noises or 
sudden movements, bees are likely to respond 
with aggression and give chase. For them, it’s all 
about completing the task at hand, protecting 
their hives, and surviving.

 Since I have figured this out for myself, I have 
been able to relax and enjoy watching bees fly 
about and do their work with no anxiety or fear. 
It is a fabulous feeling to sit calmly, listen to them 
buzz and observe them as they do what they were 
created to do. And so it is that this lesson from 
nature came with an additional bonus, above and 
beyond the fact that bees no longer sting me.

 Somehow, understanding what makes bees 
“tick“, and learning to trust them not to attack, 
has helped me understand the bigger picture in 
other parts of my life as well. Getting to know 
what bees are all about has taught me to relax and 
let nature, in general, do its thing. This approach 
most definitely beats living in fear and causing a 
disruptive ripple in the process of nature.

 There are so many lessons to be learned from 
creatures that are different from ourselves. They 
have the potential to teach us how to be better 
human beings. Perhaps the proverbial “birds and 
the bees” story that we attempt to tell our children 
during their adolescence carries more substance 
than we might have expected. It’s not just about 
the facts of life (sex and reproduction), it also 
provides a way of explaining what life is really all 
about...you know, the “bigger picture”.

 I strongly suggest that we all learn to relax and 
enjoy our surroundings, fear-free. Even if this 
thought for the day doesn’t mean as much to you 
as it does to me, I guarantee that if you are willing 
to apply it, you are way less likely to get stung by 
a bothered bee! 

LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND,,, 


...Well, Felix would love to be your Valentine!

He is a very sweet, calm, quiet, and gentle 2 year old, golden blonde Chihuahua mix with unique 
eyes - one blue and one brown. This seven-pound ball of love and joy is looking for the right person 
or family to share his life with. 

When Felix first arrived 
at the shelter back 
in September, 2013, he 
was on the timid side, and 
sometimes a little hand 
and feet shy. But since 
that time, he has relaxed 
more, gained a lot more 
confidence, and has made 
many friendships with 
people and other dogs. He 
may be shy when he first 
meets you, but once he gets 
to know you, he will happily 
run to you, look up at you 
in a flirtatious way, curl 
his head down in a bowing 
position and lean on you so 
you will pet him. He has a 
magical way of stealing your 
heart and he is irresistible! 

Felix is very easy on walks 


and thoroughly enjoys them, loving to explore new territory and enjoy your company. When you 
tell him what a good boy he is, he will wag his little tail, look up at you, smile and walk proudly next 
to you. Felix loves the company of other doggies, is very loyal and caring of his friends and will avoid 
all confrontations. He loves running around a yard, chasing and fetching toys and playing tug-a-war 
with another little dog. His Valentine wish is to share his life with someone who will fill his life with 
these experiences. 

He currently resides at the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in San 
Gabriel with his roommate. We are located off San Gabriel Blvd., north of Mission and south of Las 
Tunas. 

To arrange a ‘Meet and Greet’ with Felix (aka….5123), please stop by any time from 10:00am to 
4:30pm Tuesday thru Sunday. 

His adoption fee is $120 which includes his neuter surgery, a microchip, first vaccinations and a free 
wellness check-up at a participating veterinarian. Feel free to call us at (626) 286-1159 for more 
information on Felix. 

See our website at www.sgvhumane.org for information and photos of all our available pets. 

PET OF THE WEEK 

PETEY: ANIMAL ID #A4670281

Meet Sweetie Petey! Petey (A4670281) 
is a polite two-year-old tan male Chug 
(Chihuahua/Pug mix) who was found in 
El Monte on January 22nd and brought to 
the Baldwin Park Shelter. Weighing fifteen 
pounds, he walks attentively on the leash and 
is well socialized. Good with other dogs his 
own size, we think this sweetheart will like 
children. He has an adorable under-bite and 
when he is happy he jumps up and down 
with joy! Petey is a fabulous indoor pet and 
companion for anyone in any living situation 
and would be ideal for someone living in an apartment or condo as he is on the smaller side. To 
watch a video of Petey please visit the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaxbEtboV1w 



To meet Petey in person, please see him at the Baldwin Park Shelter, located at 4275 N. Elton, 
Baldwin Park, CA 91706 (Phone: 626-430-2378 or 626-962-3577). He is currently available 
now. For any inquiries about Petey, please reference his animal ID number: A4670281. The 
shelter is open seven days a week, 12 pm-7 pm Monday-Thursday and 10am-5pm Friday-Sunday. 
This is a high-intake shelter with a great need for adoptions. For more information about Petey 
or the adoption process, contact United Hope for Animals Volunteer Adoption Coordinator 
Samantha at Samantha@hope4animals.org. To learn more about United Hope for Animals’ 
partnership with the Baldwin Park Shelter through its Shelter Support Program, as well as the 
many dogs of all breeds, ages, and sizes available for adoption in local shelters, visit http://www. 
unitedhope4animals.org/about-us/shelter-support-program/. 


DENTAL DISEASE IN PETS – PART II 

By Dr. Gueniat, Monrovia Animal Medical Center 

Prevention of dental disease is crucial to the health of your pet. This starts with your pet’s annual 
wellness visit to your veterinarian. Every year, and twice a year if your dog or cat is 7 years or older, 
your pet should be examined by a veterinarian and have a complete blood count, blood chemistry, 
heartworm test, intestinal parasite detection test, a urinalysis and a thorough oral exam; this is often 
where dental disease is first diagnosed. Part of the dental exam should include a new test called 
OraStrip that can be used right during your visit to determine the severity of periodontal disease. 
This test is more accurate than a visual exam alone, but should be used in conjunction with the oral 
exam. Owners can see the result of the test right then and there. 

If your veterinarian finds broken teeth, red, swollen or bleeding gums, loose teeth, a foul odor, gingival 
masses, oral masses, and calculus on the teeth, a dental diagnostic and therapeutic procedure should 
be performed. This requires anesthesia. Owners should be careful not to be conned into the myth 
that anesthetic dental procedures are dangerous and to fall for teeth cleaning at grooming places and 
pet store personnel. These procedures are done illegally by unlicensed and untrained people, who 
can do more harm than good to your pet. Just ask yourself, would you let your hairdresser do your 
dental work? Anesthesia allows the veterinarian to do a thorough exam, explore around the teeth for 
periodontal pockets, and perform dental x-rays to find disease not visible above the gum line. Pets 
can benefit from every dental procedure available to humans, including implants, orthodontia, root 
canals, crowns, and cavity restorations. A careful chosen anesthetic protocol and vigilant monitoring 
of the patient during anesthesia and recovery make this a very safe procedure. 

Your veterinarian will counsel you 
on preventive dental home care. Just 
like for humans, tooth brushing at 
home is the mainstay of home care 
for dogs and cats. Ask to receive 
information about toothpaste, tooth 
brushes, oral rinses, and dietary 
products that can help you maintain 
oral health in your pet. Home care 
can’t replace dental care by your 
veterinarian when needed, but it 
can lengthen the intervals between 
procedures. Good oral heath will 
greatly extend the life span as well as 
the quality of life of your pet. 


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