Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 4, 2015

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDSMountain Views-News Saturday, July 4, 2015 10 JUST FOR BEST FRIENDSMountain Views-News Saturday, July 4, 2015 10 
LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND? 


Happy Tails 

by Chris Leclerc 

July is here, and the heat is on in Southern California.
In fact, July is one hot month not just because of thesun, but also because of all the fun we get to haveby taking part in the festive outdoor activities thecity has in store for us. And because Sierra Madreis such a dog-friendly town, many of us like to enjoythe festivities accompanied by our furry, four-leggedfriends. 

It’s truly a hoot when our pets get to tag alongfor our outdoor summer celebrations, but do be sure 
you are well-prepared and take proper precautionsto prevent your pet from succumbing to the heat.
Sometimes the signs are not obvious until thesituation becomes serious, so it is important to payclose attention and carry enough water, not just foryou, but for your pup too.

If it is expected to get extremely hot whileyou are out and about, you may want to reconsiderbringing your canine companion along at all. Asmuch fun as they add to the mix, it may not be worththe risk. 

If you leave your pet at home, make sure youset the controls on the AC low enough, just as youwould for yourself. Whether or not you decide toleash your little loved one for an outing in the sun,
here are a few helpful hints that will hopefully helpprevent a canine crisis due to the extreme heat of 
summer. 

Tips for Keeping Your Pet Cool in Hot Weather(source: spcaLA.com)

While you’re cool indoors, think about yourpets. Are they cool too, or are their lives in danger?
A dog’s normal temperature is at least 5 degreeshigher than a human’s. If they are confined in a yardor dog run, with no way to escape from the heat,
they may easily become victims of a fatal heat stroke. 

spcaLA offers the following hot weather pet care tips:

Water to prevent dehydration: Plenty of clean,
cool drinking water is a must at all times.

Protection from the sun: If your pet must stayin the yard instead of the cool indoors, be sure he hasadequate shade and ventilation.

Park your pet at home: Never leave your pet ina parked car, not even for five minutes. It could costhim his life. The temperature in a parked car cansoar to 160 degrees within minutes, even with thewindows left slightly open.

Emergency Care: 
If a pet is overcome 
by heat (detected byexcess panting, heavilysalivation, and/or 
immobility) immerse 
him slowly in cool 
water to lower his body 
temperature, then 
contact a veterinarian. 
Never immerse a pet inice cold water, as it maycause shock. 

TOBY... 

Tuby, local folk hero, passed
on at age 21 years. Guinness
record is 25 for a Poodle! Tuby
could be seen around town 
from his early morning 5:00


a.m. walks to his afternoon 
and early evening walks. He
knew everybody at City Hall,
the Police Department, the 
Fire Department, and was 
very popular with the local
merchants in Sierra Madre. 
It was always endearing the 
way in which he pranced into
local shops sniffing around as
if he was a City Hall Inspector.
Tuby lived a wonderful life 
and was so well traveled, that his Uncle Al, from 
Santa Fe, New Mexico, pinned the nickname of 
Marco Poodle on him. Always the connoisseur, 

SAFE SUMMERTIME FUN 
WITH YOUR PETS 


Keep Pets Groomed: Clip long or matted coatsshort to help your pet stay cool, but remember thatpets, like people, can get sunburned too and coatsshould not be TOO short. 

Health Check: Carefully go over your pet’sbody at least once a week to check for fleas, ear mitesand tiny bumps or cuts. Take your pet to the vet for asummer check-up and use a good flea/tick repellentrecommended by your vet.

Fleas: Fleas need to be attacked on three fronts; 

on the pet itself, in the home, and in the yard.
Exercise: Exercise pets in the morning or in the

evening, when it is cooler.

Prevent Burns: Dog pads (on the bottom of

their feet) burn quite easily, so avoid hot surfaces

such as asphalt on hot days.

Identification: With the hotter weather, 
families and their pets are outside more often, not tomention the noises of some 4th of July celebrations,
increasing the chances of a pet getting lost. Makesure your pets always wear proper identification. 

Fun Heat Relief Ideas: 

Ice Cube Treats: Freeze edible mystery treats

into ice cubes for your dog to lick and discover while

you are away! Bits of vegetables and/or meat bits are

excellent ideas for ice cube surprise inners!

Kiddy Pools: Fill a baby pool with water and let your

dogs splash about at his leisure while you‘re at work.

When you are at home, you can toss a bowl of ice

cube treat in the pool water for him to hunt.

Frozen Pops: Make your dog a delicious frozen treat

to enjoy! You can use canned pumpkin or fresh fruit

minced with a processor to come up with some

awesome cold creations that your four-pawed friend

will love you for!

Hose-Play: Get out in the back yard with yourbest friend, and spray him down. Be sure and includeyourself in the spray-play too! He will love you all themore for it! 

It may seem kind of silly to some readers, tothink there are people out there who don’t already“get” the basics about how to properly care for theirpets in summer, and hopefully most people areindeed very aware. However, for those who are stillfiguring it out, I sincerely hope this informationhelps. As always, I encourage everyone to appreciatethe animals…please, love and let live! 

Tuby feasted on grass-
fed organic buffalo steak, 
broccoli, carrots, cauliflower 
and a small buckwheat 
pancake on Saturday 
mornings. He listened to 
Mozart symphonies his entire 
life and was very fond of 
taking hypnopompic naps 
with the Animal Channel on 
in the background. A life-long 
portable curmudgeon, Tuby 
liked to stick his head outside 
the passenger’s side of the car 
window, ears flapping wildly, 
watching the world pass 
him by. On the penultimate 
afternoon of his life, he was seen at Sierra Madre 
park gazing silently and contemplatively into the 

sunset. 

Meet Shenzi! Shenzi was 
found abandoned in the 
Humane Society parking lot 
a few months ago. She is a 
petite Chihuahua mix, about 2 
years old and weighs 9 pounds. 
Shenzi was nearly bald from 
mange caused by mites when 
she was found. After several 
months of treatment and 
weekly-medicated baths, Shenzi 
is now free of mites and has 
been cleared for adoption. Her 
fur is growing back, although 
she does have some scars as a 
reminder of her past life. Shenzi 
has been through a lot for a young dog, but she is 
quite resilient. She has the happiest personality, 
and always greets everyone with a smile on her 
face. Shenzi loves people and will jump into 
the nearest lap for some cuddle time. She will 
generously give kisses in return.

Shenzi enjoys the company of other dogs,
and gets along well with most of the dogs, largeor small, that she has met at the shelter. She was 
abandoned with a much larger dog, and the twoof them were best friends and loved to romp andplay together. Shenzi and her current kennel mate 
are new best friends, and they can often be foundwrestling with each other in a good-natured way.
Shenzi is so outgoing that she has been a mentor tosome of the shy new dogs that have spent time withher, drawing them out of their shells and helping 

them adjust to shelter life.
Shenzi is a good ambassador forthe shelter and has been selected 
to attend several off-site adoption 
events. Her joyful spirit iscontagious and sure to bring asmile to those around her. Shenzi 
would make a happy addition toan active family that can give herthe love she deserves.

 Her adoption fee is $120 whichincludes her spay surgery, amicrochip, first vaccinations 
and a free wellness check-up ata participating veterinarian.
If you are interested in meeting 

Shenzi or any of the other available animals at 
the shelter, visit the San Gabriel Valley Humane 
Society at 851 E. Grand Ave., San Gabriel, Calif. 
91776. It is open 10:00am to 4:30pm Tuesday thru 
Sunday. For more information, call (626) 2861159. 
See their website at www.sgvhumane.org 
for information and photos of all their wonderful 
pets.

SGVHS Calendar Photo Contest: Pet photos 
wanted! If you have some great pet photos andwant to share, the shelter welcomes your bestphotos in their second annual calendar contest.
It’s easy - just email your landscape (horizontal)
format photos to sgvhscalendar@gmail.com. Tell 
your friends, family and co-workers! Everyone is 
invited to compete. The submission deadline is 
Saturday, July 11, 2015. 


MAYOR 
ANTONOVICH’S 
PET OF THE WEEK: 
“SHELSIE” 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY — At the Board of 
Supervisors meeting, Mayor Michael D. Antonovichpresents “Shelsie,” a 3-month-old Chihuahua Mixready to be adopted into a loving home. For moreinformation about adopting a pet, please call theLos Angeles County Department of Animal Careand Control at (562) 728-4610.