JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views News Saturday, February 22, 2014 7 JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views News Saturday, February 22, 2014 7
THE PLIGHT OF
PROHIBITIVE PET CARE
by Chris LeclercHappy Tails
COSTS
& neuter surgeries along with other vital services
to help pet guardians, living on a low and/or
During a recent conversation with a close friend, fixed income, care for their beloved companions.
our casual dialogue eventually found it’s way to a One of their programs is SpayCalifornia, a
discussion about our beloved pets, as it typically state-wide referral network/database to connect
does. My friend and his wife have two darling people throughout the State of California
dogs whom they love very much and treat like with participating programs and veterinarians
family members. They spend loads of time with offering low cost spay/neuter services. For more
their dogs, and enjoy their company more than information, go to: http://www.actorsandothers.
most pet owners do.com/.
During the course of our conversation, my PAWS/LA was founded in 1989 in response
friend mentioned that he had taken one of their to the companion animal-related crises faced
dogs, the older of the two, to the veterinarian a by residents of Los Angeles County who were
week before, and even with the senior citizen financially and physically debilitated by HIV/
discount his vet applies, he still ended up paying AIDS. Since that time, the agency has expanded
just short of an arm and a leg for a few lab tests its scope to assist low-income seniors and any
and a quick exam. He was quite surprised at how low-income individual living with a chronic or
pet care costs have sky-rocketed these days and life-threatening illness. Their PACE Program
when he told me how much the bill was, it took (Preserving Animal Companionship for the
me very much by surprise as well. Listening to his Elderly) assists seniors by providing assistance
story, I thought of how many pet-owning senior with pet care. It has been documented through
citizens probably find themselves in a similar numerous scientific studies that the positive
situation, met with the difficulty of covering the correlation between seniors and animals
costs associated with caring for their pets.improves emotional outlook and health stability
and PAWS/LA wants to help. Visit them at:
Most seniors are retired with a very limited
http://www.pawsla.org/.
income, and if that is not challenging enough,
our present-day economy is making it even more The Pet Fund is a non-profit association that
difficult for them to make ends meet. Nowadays offers financial assistance to owners of domestic
many of the seniors who were fortunate enough animals who need veterinary care. Their purpose
to have put money away for later years while is to work towards a future where decisions
working, have had to use their nest-egg savings about companion animal medical care, need
just to keep their homes and pay off their own not be made on the basis of cost. Perhaps most
medical bills.importantly, they provide information about
preventative care, pet insurance programs
Retirement is when most people finally have
and financial services to help the pet owner
time to spend with a pet, and perhaps when they
develop resources on their own and avoid future
need that kind of companionship more than ever
emergencies through proper care and planning.
before, so it seems ironic and quite a shame to
Such information is often hard to find and
think that the cost of a vet bill could prohibit
The Pet Fund provides a user-friendly, easily
them from caring for their pet properly, or heaven
accessible starting place for this purpose. For
forbid in the saddest case scenario, force them to
more information, contact The Pet Fund through
euthanize to avoid the high cost of keeping their
their web site at: http://thepetfund.com/.
pet alive.
It pleases me to know that there are so many
Later that day, I was still thinking about the
people who care enough about domestic pets
subject we had discussed and I could not seem to
and their owners, to invest their time, money
get that conversation out of my mind. Being a dog
and energy in developing programs that can
walker and pet sitter, I guess it struck a tender spot
help maintain a healthy relationship between
in my heart. I decided to look into what, if any kind
the two. It serves as a reminder to look for the
of assistance might be available for senior citizens
proverbial “rainbow after the storm“. Let’s face it,
who cannot afford the high costs associated with
if this article had ended where the conversation
caring for their animal companion. What I found
between me and my friend ended, it would have
was that there are several programs in place that
been quite bleak. Fortunately, however this tale
offer pet vet bill and/or pet care assistance to
has a happy ending. It serves as a reminder that
senior citizens who qualify. Here are a few of the
where you find a friend in need, you will most
programs and services I found:
likely find a friend in “deed”!
Actors and
Others for
Animals is
a California
non-profitcorporationdedicated to
the humane
treatment of
animals. Their
main mission is
to curb the pet
overpopulationproblem by
subsidizing spay
MOUNT WILSON TRAIL RACE REGISTRATION
Registation Begins
March 1st for Sierra
Madre residents
Registration for the Mount
Wilson Trail Race is fast
approaching and the sign
up process has changed
slightly this year. For 2014
the first 100 spaces for the
race will be made available to
Sierra Madre residents only,
leaving 200 spaces available
for open registration. For
more information about the
change please visit www.
mountwilsontrailrace.com/
registration.
The Mount Wilson Trail Race
is Saturday, May 24, 2014 at 7:30am and begins in Kersting Court. The cost is $66.00 for adults and
$35.00 for youth. All participants receive a tech shirt and goodie bag with entry. For more information
about the event please visit www.mountwilsontrailrace.com.
Sierra Madre resident only registration will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2014 from 9:00am-3:00pm
at the Community Recreation Center in Sierra Vista Park, 611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Registration
will occur on a first come, first served basis and only 100 spaces are available. Proof of residency is
required in the form of a current CA Driver’s License indicating Sierra Madre address, no PO Box
numbers accepted. A physical copy of the CA Driver’s license must be present, no copies accepted.
Participants may only sign up for themselves; signing up for a family member or friend is not allowed.
General registration will begin Monday, March 3, 2014 at 11:00am. Registration can be done online at
https://apm.activecommunities.com/sierramadre, or in person at the Community Recreation Center,
611 East Sierra Madre Blvd.
For both registrations an account with the City of Sierra Madre must be set up prior to registration.
If you do not already have one, please visit https://apm.activecommunities.com/sierramadre to create
one. If you already have an account please double check that the information is current. Acceptable
forms of payment are cash, if in person, check—made payable to the City of Sierra Madre, and credit
card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover).
It is strongly encouraged to sign up as soon as registration is available on Monday, March 3rd as the
race is expected to sell out within two hours. Any questions regarding registration can be directed to
the Community Services Department at 626-355-5278.
LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND,,,
Sadie is too!
She is approximately 4 years old and weighs 24.6 pounds,
so definitely on the medium side of a small dog. We are
calling her a “terrier mix,” but we don’t really know her
breed. It appears that she recently had a litter of puppies
before coming to the shelter. When we first met her, she
seemed a little sad, and we wondered if she was missing
her babies.
Sadie is such a sweet girl; it is hard to not fall in love with
her if you spend time getting to know her.
She is not good at hiding the fact that she is not happy
being kept in a kennel at the shelter. She is usually at
the gate with a sad look on her face and will cry a little
when you walk by, saying “please take me out!” When
the gate is opened, she can’t get out fast enough and her
face lights up with a huge doggie smile telling us, “Yes!
That is what I want – let’s go for a walk!”
She is a great walker on leash, so happy to be out in the
world and not cooped up in a kennel. And she LOVES people and will happily climb in your lap
for petting, smiling the whole time. She seems great with other dogs, and would make a wonderful,
faithful pet for any family.
She is looking for a good home where she can be part of family activities. She would love a nice yard
to explore, and a nice soft bed at night, close to her people. If you take her home, she would have lots
of love to share with you.
She currently resides at the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in San
Gabriel. We are located off San Gabriel Blvd., north of Mission and south of Las Tunas.
To arrange a ‘Meet and Greet’ with Sadie (aka….. 7937), please stop by any time from 10:00am to
4:30pm Tuesday thru Sunday.
Her adoption fee is $120 which includes her spay 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 Sadie.
See our website at www.sgvhumane.org for information and photos of all our available pets.
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