Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 28, 2014

10

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 28, 2014 


4TH OF JULY 
PRECAUTIONS FOR 
PROTECTING YOUR 
PETS

LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?


Mr. Dibbs is a very cute and sweet golden brown 11 lb. 
Chihuahua boy with an adorable face that is easy to fall 
in love with. Although he can be shy when meeting a 
new person at first, he loves people, their cuddles, pets, 
massages, and will melt in your arms to receive that love 
and attention. 

When Mr. Dibbs first arrived at the shelter, he was quiet, 
a little timid, sensitive to hand and feet movements, and 
scared of all the street activity that most likely came from 
his experience as a stray, lost in the streets. But it didn’t 
take long for him to trust and enjoy the company of his 
new human friends (staff and volunteers) at the shelter, 
and once he did, he relaxed more in his environment and 
became more confident. So it won’t take long for him to 
warm up to his new family as well.

Mr. Dibbs enjoys interacting and playing with other dogs 
in a yard and going on walks, whether it is just with his 
person or a group of his human and dog friends. He has 
average energy, loves his adventures outdoors, and is easy 
to handle on a leash. Mr. Dibbs is approximately 1 ½ 
years old and has many years of love he wants to share and 
enjoy with people who will return his love and affection. 
It doesn’t matter if it is a single person, a couple, or a family, as long as it is a forever home filled 
with love. Mr. Dibbs would also love it if there were other dogs in the family for him to play and pal 
around with. 

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 Mr. Dibbs, 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 Mr. Dibbs. 

 

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

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc


Well folks, it’s that time of year 
again! Fourth of July is just 
around the corner and the 
fine citizens of Sierra Madre 
are getting geared up for our 
city’s annual Independence 
Day parade. You can almost 
feel the excitement building 
in the air, with float entry 
preparations underway and 
families planning out their 
parade and park activities for 
the big day.

There will be plenty of back 
yard barbecues, out-of-town 
visitors and loads of fun and 
fan-fair for all to enjoy! But 
don’t forget that the use of 
fireworks in our small town is 
illegal and absolutely will not 
be tolerated. This is true every year, but this year 
it is particularly important that everyone comply 
with the city’s ordinance prohibiting fireworks, 
because of the drastic drought conditions we now 
have in our foothills and forest.

Although fireworks are not legal in Sierra Madre, 
there are various venues where organized, 
permitted firework performances will be 
displayed in neighboring cities. Even with the 
distance between us and those places where 
fireworks will be set-off, we will still hear the 
“bombs bursting in air”, as do our precious 
pets. Fortunately, we humans understand what 
the noise is all about, but our furry-four-legged 
friends don’t understand and are often rendered 
terrified by the loud noises they may interpret as 
life-threatening.

There are a few things you can do to help prevent 
your pets from panicking during the audacious 
fourth of July festivities. Some of these tips are 
pretty basic and probably plain common sense 
for most pet owners, but some may come as new 
to you. Either way, it can’t hurt to be reminded of 
things that can be done to help your pets work 
through what is typically the loudest day of the 
year in the USA!

Make sure your pet is wearing a collar with a 
current ID tag.

Take your dog for a nice long walk and bring 
them inside BEFORE dark, when the noise 
usually begins.

Secure them in a covered kennel to muffle sound, 
or in a room away from windows, and cover 
windows with a blanket to help further muffle the 
loud sounds of the fireworks.

Keep the inside of your house well-lit so that any 
flashes outside will be less noticeable.

Play soothing music or keep the TV on loud 
enough to cover up the noises outside.

Give your dog a favorite chew, bone or Kong to 
occupy them and help relieve stress.

Arm yourself with the many anti-anxiety tools 
now available. For example, Thundershirts, 
as well as calming 
pheromones such 
as Rescue Remedy, 
herbs, and essential 
oils have all proven to 
help calm anxiety.

There are different 
schools of thought 
regarding whether or 
not to verbally calm 
your pet when or if 
they should become 
nervous during the 
noise. Some say it is 
best to ignore their reaction and resist talking 
them through it, because you are only reinforcing 
the undesirable behavior, while others believe it 
is best to do just the opposite; speak calmly to the 
animal, saying “it’s OK, “Good girl/boy“ , Don’t be 
afraid, I’m here with you”, etc. I personally believe 
that each dog is different in the way they deal 
with loud noises and the way they may respond 
to your voice at the time. I say pay close attention 
to how your pet reacts to the noisy activity with 
or without your verbal reinforcement and act 
accordingly.

Gradually desensitize your pet during NON-
firework times by playing a CD of firework or 
thunderstorm sounds at a low level - a level that 
does not solicit a fearful reaction from your dog. 
Then reward them for remaining calm. Slowly 
increase the volume over time, and continue the 
positive reinforcement as long as they stay calm. 
Research has proven that animals can gradually 
adapt to loud noise, and being more familiar 
with it is definitely to their best advantage on the 
Fourth of July.

Talk to your neighbors if you have a pet that may 
become anxious and feel the need to bark or bay 
more than usual. Most people already know that 
dogs can be frightened by fireworks, and will 
be more understanding if you have given them 
a heads up. A little communication goes a long 
way in deterring tension between you and your 
neighbors as well as unnecessary calls to the 
authorities.

Do not leave your pets home alone while 
fireworks are being set off. If you have plan to 
be away, make arrangements for a pet sitter or a 
friend to be there with them to avoid unnecessary 
stress or fear on their part.

Regardless of how your pet reacts to the loud 
noises that are inherently part of our up-coming 
traditional holiday, please remember that they 
cannot help the way they react. Be understanding 
and patient. If you remain calm, it is much more 
likely that they will do the same. Enjoy the holiday 
and all the festivities that come with it, but don’t 
forget to take precautions to protect your pet.

PET OF THE WEEK: MARISOL

Animal ID #A4720263 

There is so much to love in this dainty little 
package! Meet Marisol (A4720263), a lovely 
5-year-old white female Mexican Hairless/
Short Haired Chihuahua Whippet mix who 
was found in Baldwin Park and brought to 
the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center on June 
11th. Weighing 7½ pounds and needing to 
gain 3 lbs more, Marisol is a ready-made lap 
dog who savors human companionship. She 
also gets along with other dogs. With elegant 
long legs, pretty Marisol is unusually graceful 
and is sure to turn heads wherever she goes. 
Marisol will be a wonderful indoor companion 
for the members of a calmer household. If you 
are looking for a sweet, calm, loving, uniquely 
beautiful dog, please go down to the Baldwin 
Park Shelter and meet Marisol! To watch a 
video of Marisol, please visit: http://youtu.be/
pJfbPw5Gwhg 

To meet Marisol 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). She is currently available 
now. For any inquiries about Marisol, please reference her animal ID number: A4720263. 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 Marisol 
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/.


IN

SIERRA MADRE

PLEASE!

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