Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 21, 2014

8

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 21, 2014 


LOVE EM’ THEN, LEASH 
‘EM

LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?


To Enjoy The Summer With? Think 
Bronson! 

He is a four year old, 12 pound handsome tri-colored 
brown, black and beige Chihuahua and maybe, Corgi 
mix boy with a muscular firm body. He was named 
after “Charles Bronson” because he has had tough 
challenges in his life, dealing with harsh treatment and 
trying to survive and fit in this world. He wants to 
find his place in a secure home with a compassionate 
adult or couple who will not only love and care for 
him, but also be the friend, teacher and guide in his 
life that he has never been fortunate to have. 

When he is taken out of his kennel for walks and 
time in the play yard, he is very happy, relaxed, and 
lights up with a big smile. He loves going for walks, 
is easy on the leash, and is a good little walker with 
average energy. He is inquisitive, loves to explore 
and meet up and interact with other dogs. He is very 
curious about all the activity around him and eagerly 
participates. He seems to enjoy being busy focusing 
on or doing something, and not just sitting around 
while he is out, and because of this, he would most likely be happy if he had a task or a job to focus 
on. A positive training program would be the best thing for this intelligent guy. 

Bronson isn’t all brawn and brains. He also has a soft affectionate side, loves attention and shares that 
with you during down time. You can expect that he will enjoy sitting or lying close to you, or proudly 
up on your lap listening to everything you have to say. 

Bronson will probably be the happiest as an only dog in the household. He is looking for a best friend 
to give him a happier and better chance in life, and he and all of his friends here at SGVHS are hoping 
it is one of you!

 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 Bronson, please stop by any time from 10:00am to 4:30pm Tuesday 
thru Sunday. 

His adoption fee is $120 which includes a microchip, neuter surgery, 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 Bronson. 

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

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

 

As a youngster growing up in a rural setting in 
the deep south, I was lucky enough to have had 
lots of animals and domestic pets throughout my 
childhood. I remember enjoying the luxury of 
allowing my dogs to roam freely at will, knowing 
that they would most likely wander through the 
woods in our back yard, head off to the neighbor‘s 
house to play with their dogs for a bit and beg 
for leftovers, then eventually return home, just in 
time for supper.

 That was such a luxury of freedom for myself 
and my pets, and I imagine there are many 
Sierra Madre locals who have similar childhood 
memories of their own. Those were the days, 
weren’t they? With acres of undeveloped land 
surrounding us, ample space between our 
homes, and way less traffic passing through our 
neighborhoods, the risks were minimal for a 
pet with a nose for wanderlust who just loved to 
explore the great outdoors. It just seems natural, 
right?

 Well, unfortunately the open acreage and 
broad land gaps that used to exist between our 
homes and property have shrunk dramatically in 
most parts of America over the years, and few & 
far between are the moments of silence without 
a vehicle passing swiftly by on the boulevards 
and streets that we live on. Let’s face it folks, as 
residents in America, and most certainly in Los 
Angeles County, the days of “free-range” pet 
ownership are far-and-away long-gone.

 Not only is it extremely risky to allow a dog 
to run free these days, it is also against the law. 
Pet owners in Sierra Madre and other parts of 
LA County should know better than to think 
it is OK to let their dogs roam off-leash outside 
the boundaries of their own fenced-in yard. I 
learned my lesson several years ago, while living 
in Hermosa Beach with my dog, “Lady”. She was 
a friendly girl, so I was never concerned that 
she might hurt anyone, and at the time it never 
dawned on me that she, herself could be hurt by 
roaming free. I lived 2 blocks from the beach, and 
I loved to let Lady go play on the sand or follow 
me on foot as I rode my bike along the strand 
during the off-season months when there was 
minimal traffic and few tourists in town.

 One day, I was riding my bike with lady following 
behind, when a cop stopped and cited me for 
having my dog off-leash. The leash laws were new 
to me then, so I was taken very much by surprise 
when I had to take a day off work to appear in 
court and pay a fine. That was the last time I 
ever allowed my dog to roam free, intentionally. 
Although I admit that it seemed ridiculous at the 
time, I have since learned to respect the leash laws 
in LA County (one of the most densely populated 
places in the entire US) and I guess I have become 
a self-appointed advocate for full compliance, 
mostly for the sake of the animals’ safety.

 While we would all love to think that our 
own dog is smarter than other dogs, or at least 
smart enough to stay out of the street and behave 
properly by responding to the re-call command, 
it is simply an unsafe assumption that amounts to 
nothing less than illegal negligence. A domestic 
dog is a creature driven more by instinct than 
taught intelligence or allegiance to his master, 
regardless of how much training he’s received. In 
fact, the human’s delusion of owning the perfectly 
obedient dog is an excellent example of how, in 
some ways the dog is indeed smarter than the 
human being.

 No offense to those responsible owners 
who have taken the time to properly train and 
discipline their pets, it’s just that humans need to 
come to grips with the fact that a canine will do 
what comes naturally to itself, and much of the 
time the instinctual behavior of the canine is not 
in tune with the behavior or thought patterns of 
the human being.

 Even a well-trained, very obedient domestic dog 
harbors a tendency to chase a squirrel scrambling 
up a tree, a bird suddenly taking flight out of a 
bush, or a cat meandering by on the opposite 
side of the road, and when such playful prey does 
make its way into a dog’s proximity, his instincts 
are likely to override any obedience training he 
may have had, prompting him to take chase after 
whatever it was that caught his attention.

 It only takes one time for a fast-moving vehicle 
to pass by the wrong place at the wrong time, 
to end the life of a beloved pet, so my advice is 
to set your “pet pride” aside, and take proper 
precautions. The risks are simply not worth it, 
and it would be you, not your dog at blame and 
fully responsible if such a tragic accident should 
happen.

 A truly loving, caring pet owner will always 
protect their pet from harm, and that kind of 
unconditional love includes educating ones-
self and forfeiting some of the freedoms that we 
would all still love to enjoy, such as allowing them 
to roam off leash like we did in the good old days.

 The leash laws in California also apply to 
when you are with your pet in the wilderness 
or forest. In fact, that is where you want to be 
most cautious, since there are so many potential 
unexpected dangers that you or your pet might be 
subjected to, such as soft soil giving way beneath 
a steep hillside, or some form of wildlife suddenly 
surprising you on the trail. Wherever you might 
be with your beloved furry, four-legged friend, 
one thing is for sure; If you love them, you will 
leash them!

PET OF THE WEEK: WAFFLE

Animal ID #A4718808 


Puppies do not come any cuter 
than the very adorable Waffle 
(A4718808)! Waffle is a precious 
4-month-old white male Short 
Haired Chihuahua mix puppy 
who was found in La Puente 
and brought to the Baldwin Park 
Animal Care Center on June 7th. 
Weighing 8 lbs, Waffle is a sweet 
baby with adorable freckles and 
beautiful coloring. A little timid 
in the shelter environment, he 
takes comfort in being around 
people and loves being held and 
carried about. He already gets 
along with other dogs and is ready 
to learn the training basics all 
puppies need to grow into happy, 
healthy adults. 

Waffle will make a darling and adorable lap or purse dog for any individual or family with older 
children (who will be careful not to injure his small frame) living in any situation. He is a great 
little boy waiting for someone to adopt him! To see a video of Waffle, please visit: http://youtu.be/
rMaCkPk60zs 

To meet Waffle 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 Waffle, please reference his animal ID number: A4718808. 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 Waffle 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/. 


SO DO CATS!...A SUMMER 
GUIDE TO KEEPING CATS CALM

(StatePoint) The majority of pet owners say they 
have at least one dog or cat with behavioral 
problems, which easily can be exacerbated by 
such startling things as July 4th fireworks and 
summer thunderstorms.

And unfortunately behavioral issues are the 
number one reason for euthanasia in dogs and 
cats, resulting in the death of approximately 15 
million pets each year.

“Summer can be an especially tough time for pets 
and pet owners, when thunderstorms, fireworks 
displays and travel can cause distress and bad 
behavior,” says Carolyn Stichler, vice president of 
marketing for Sergeant’s Pet Care Products.

If you’re part of the 73 percent of owners who say 
they have a pet that is scared of fireworks, you’ll 
want to create a plan to help keep your cat calm.

In time for the Fourth of July, here is a 
summertime guide for a happier, healthier cat:

• Safe Space: Create a safe space for your pet to 
seek refuge. The area should comfortable as well 
as secure so he can’t escape and wreak havoc 
or leave your home. Provide toys and other 
distractions. 

• Stay Calm: Even if your cat is flipping out, 
remain composed. Doing so will help send 
the message that there’s nothing to fear. Also, 
exhibiting anger could contribute to your pet’s 
stress and make the problem worse. 

• Rely on science: More than two million cat 
owners have used a calming product on their pet.

“You may want to consider a calming collar for 
your pet that has been scientifically proven to 
reduce or eliminate bad behaviors provoked by 
stress-related situations,” says Stichler.

For example, Sergeant's Vetscription Calming 
Collar for Cats, available at mass retailers 
nationwide, mimics the pheromone that the 
mother produces to calm and reassure her 
kittens. Pheromones are chemical substances 
used for communication between members of a 
species.

Good for all ages and breeds, the pheromone 
calming collar provides constant exposure 
calming pheromones to helps pets feel safe and 
secure. More information can be found at www.
sergeants.com.

• Be there: You can’t be home all the time, but if 
you know that a fireworks display will be taking 
place in your community or there’s a stormy 
forecast, don’t leave your pet home alone. Stay 
in or consider asking a neighbor, friend or cat 
sitter to come over. Make sure they know what 
to expect and coach them on how to keep your 
cat calm.

• Ask a vet: It never hurts to check in with a 
veterinarian and explain your pet’s behaviors 
and symptoms. Your vet can offer tips and let you 
know whether the behaviors are normal.

Summertime is known for fun, sun and 
relaxation. But for pet owners and their furry 
friends, this is not always the case. Take steps to 
help your cat feel safe and secure in the face of 
seasonal stresses.

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com