Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 20, 2014

9

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 20, 2014 


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND??

LOVING LIFE 

AND LIVING FREE

To sit by the fireplace waiting for Santa? Luna is 
an adorable Chihuahua mix girl, about 8 years old 
and weighing 6 pounds. She has a sleek, shiny black 
coat that is very short and easy to care for. She has 
white tips on all four paws that make it look like 
she is wearing little shoes. She is larger than most 
Chihuahuas, and has very long slender legs, so she 
has some other breeds mixed in her ancestry. 

 Luna has calm, gentle energy and is very easy 
to walk on leash. She has a dainty prance and is 
light on her feet. She likes to explore and sniff her 
surroundings, and also enjoys relaxing and rolling 
on the grass for a belly rub.

 Luna loves people and is an affectionate dog who 
loves cuddling in a lap. She likes the company of 
other dogs, but prefers those who do not have a high 
energy level. 

 Come in and meet the lovely Miss Luna and 
see if she would fit into your family. She would 
love to have a �Home for the Holidays�. She would 
probably do best in a quiet home with an individual 
or couple who are looking for a gentle companion. 
Luna qualifies for our �Senior For Senior� reduced-
fee adoption program. 

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

 To arrange a �Meet and Greet� with Luna, 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 Luna. 

 

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


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

During a recent conversation with a client of mine, 
she told me about an animal rescue group that I 
immediately became intrigued with. I was actually 
quite surprised that I had never before heard of the 
organization, as they are located here in Southern 
California, and have been in operation for 34 
years. Because animals are such a big part of my 
life, I spend lots of time researching rescue groups, 
and I support as many as I can, so I was surprised 
that I�d never come across this amazing sanctuary 
before.

 Living Free Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 non-
profit organization that I feel is uniquely worthy of 
support because of their commitment to rescuing 
otherwise euthanized pets from high-kill shelters 
and promising them a loving home outside of a 
cage for the duration of their lives. There are many 
non-profits that rescue animals and work hard at 
finding them homes through foster and adoption 
programs. However, due to limited space and 
resources, the animals are often kept in cages with 
no guarantee of a forever home where they can 
roam freely and receive all the love and attention 
they need. This is why I was so pleased to hear 
about Living Free.

 Founded in 1980, Living Free Animal 
Sanctuary was among the first privately funded, 
no-kill sanctuaries to rescue dogs and cats from 
imminent shelter euthanasia. The sanctuary�s 
founder, Emily Jo Beard (1923-1989), was strongly 
passionate in her belief that freedom, reverence 
and justice should prevail for all life, not only for 
human-kind, and that philosophy is what drove 
her to carry out her mission. Beard understood 
that the human�s position of �dominion� over 
animals means guardianship and stewardship, 
versus power and tyranny. Inspired by the beliefs 
of Albert Schweitzer, and with a goal to provide 
hope and dignity to animals, she chose to devote 
her life to the cause.

 Today, the staff and volunteers at Living Free 
Sanctuary continue to carry out Emily Jo Beard�s 
original mission with equal compassion. Located 
at 54250 Keen Camp Rd. in Mountain Center, 
CA off highway 74, the sanctuary offers animals 
a gorgeous setting in the San Jacinto Mountains. 
They are open to the public 11am-4pm daily 
except Wednesday, for visitors to come and see the 
good work they are doing with the 
animals. They also hold various fund-
raisers throughout the year, allowing 
donating supporters the opportunity 
to socialize and enjoy good food and 
entertainment, all on behalf of the 
animals.

 Currently, Living Free has a project 
underway to renovate and expand 
existing facilities that will allow for 
more optimal care of the younger 
furry four-legged friends they take in. 
As we all know, puppies and kittens 
have unique needs that require more 
specialized attention than that of 
adult dogs and cats, and the good folks at Living 
Free recognize what it takes to accommodate those 
particular needs. The newly renovated facility will 
provide a safe haven where the babes will be cared 
for as they grown into mature, less dependant 
adults.

 As part of their endeavor to raise necessary 
funds for their current renovation project, 
Living Free is planning a fund raiser to be held 
at the Heather James Gallery in Palm Desert. 
The exact date is yet to be announced, but it will 
definitely take place sometime in January or 
February of 2015. Be sure to visit their website at 
HYPERLINK �http://www.living-free.org/�www.
living-free.org for more information, and to get 
the confirmed date for the fund-raiser. You can 
also follow them on Facebook, to read updates 
about their activities and to view adoptable pets. 
I personally enjoyed perusing their website, and 
found it very easy to make a �click-and-pay� 
donation using my Paypal account. Donations 
can also be made on-line with a credit card, or by 
mailed check. 

 Those of you who read my column regularly, 
know how strongly I feel about adopting and not 
shopping for pets. While Living Free ensures a 
life-long, loving home for the animals they take 
in, they also make it their mission to find loving 
adoptive homes for the animals they rescue. So, if 
you think you are ready to share your life with a 
precious pet, that might be something for you to 
consider. For obvious reasons, the folks at Living 
Free are very selective when it comes to placing 
their animals into forever homes, but in my mind, 
that just proves that they truly care about the 
animals they assume responsibility for.

 I have often dreamed of starting an animal 
sanctuary myself, but so far my life�s path has 
not taken me there. Meanwhile, I am pleased to 
have the opportunity to play an important role 
in giving animals a second chance at life with the 
resources I am able to share, and I hope to inspire 
other animal lovers to do the same. The domestic 
pets that are under our �dominion� need us to help 
them find their way in life, so let�s all do our part 
to make that happen for them. I trust you will do 
what you can to help out, and as I always say - love 
and let live - freely!

PET OF THE WEEK Jesso: Animal ID #A3591759

Meet the cutest pup in town, Jesso (A3591759)! 
Jesso is a loving 10-year-old white-and-tan altered 
male Shih Tzu whose owners left him at the 
Baldwin Park Animal Care Center on December 
10th because they felt Jesso was �too old.� Jesso 
may be a senior, but that�s no real drawback: 
Seniors make outstanding pets! Weighing 16 lbs, 
Jesso has many of the desirable assets typical 
of senior dogs: He already knows how to walk 
perfectly on leash, is well-socialized with people 
and other dogs, and has a calm, relaxed energy. 
Jesso loves to be out and about to meet new 
people and dogs, and is also happy to spend the 
day lounging at home. He does seem to have dry 
eyes that should be evaluated by a vet to see if he 
needs eye drops. Jesso will be a fantastic indoor 
pet and best friend for anyone looking for a calm, 
wise pet, and he will repay you for giving him the 
good life in his golden years with his wonderful 
loyalty and humorous antics. To watch a video of 
Jesso, please visit the following link: http://youtu.
be/SBm3p9b9e2Q

 To meet Jesso 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 available now. For any 
inquiries about Jesso, please reference his animal 
ID number: A3591759. 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 Jesso 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/.


DogWalking & Sitting ServicesSierraMadre, Californiawww.canyoncanine.comchris@canyoncanine.comChris LeclercCanyonCanine626-355-8333 626-533-9536CCConCaCanyonCanineCanineeeieCCChris LeclercChris Leclercae,
chris@canyoncanine.com.canyoncanine.comwwwnCaSierraMadrare, CaliforCaalking&SonDogWWalking & Sitting ServicesonCa626-355-8333 62onCayeclercinnia6-533-95362eclerccanine.comanine.comani,CaliforirnanineSittingServiceseaninee