Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 12, 2015

10

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 12, 2015 


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?

THE MAGNIFICENT 
MIGRATING MONARCH


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

Do you remember the movie by this name? We have our 
own group of seven special dogs who found themselves 
suddenly surrendered to the shelter when their owner 
passed away recently. We don’t know the details of their 
lives, or why there were not any friends or family able to 
take them in, but they are being safely cared for in their 
transition to the next chapter of their journey.

 “The Seven” all appear to have been well loved and 
cared for in their pre-shelter life. Some of them are 
carrying a little extra weight, so it appears they were 
regularly fed and rewarded with treats. The longer haired 
dogs were in need of a good grooming session – a couple 
of them have already received a professional grooming 
donated by West Coast Grooming Academy in Pasadena, 
and a couple more will be sent to WCGA when they have 
adjusted a little more.

 Let me introduce you to our Magnificent Seven dogs.

 MAX – At 37 pounds, Max is the largest of the group. 
Max is a Wheaten terrier mix, about 2 years old. He was 
dirty and matted when he came to the shelter, and was 
one of the first to get professional grooming. He is now 
quite a handsome dog! Max is a happy boy who is easy 
to harness and take for a walk. He is responsive to his 
handler, sits for treats, and loves getting a good belly rub.

 DAISY – Daisy weighs in at 21 pounds. She is a 4 
year old Lhasa Apso mix who was also badly in need 
of grooming when she arrived at the shelter. She got a 
professional bath and haircut, and now is showing off her 
beautiful white coat. Daisy is a friendly girl with a happy 
disposition. She is easy to harness and walk on leash, and 
she gets along well with her kennel mate. 

 PEBBLES – Pebbles is a terrier mix, about 3 years old, 
weighing 22 pounds. Pebbles was shy and withdrawn 
when she arrived at the shelter, but after a few volunteer 
visits, she was able to take her first walk last week. That 
seemed to lift her spirits so much that she is now friendly 
with people, and loves to engage in chasing toys with her 
kennel mate. Pebbles will greet you with a wagging tail 
and smiling face.

 BLACKIE – Blackie is another female terrier mix, 
about 3 years old and weighing 13 pounds. Blackie also 
was shy at first, but she has warmed up with more contact 
with a variety of people, and was able to go on her first 
walk last week as well. Blackie surprised us on a very hot 
day by going into our small wading pool and lying down 
in the water. She’s a smart girl and knows how to cool off. 
Blackie also likes to give kisses in exchange for some pets 
and belly rubs.

 STYX – Styx is a handsome 2 year old terrier mix, 
weighing about 22 pounds. He has a gentle nature and 
has been timid when meeting new people, still adjusting 
to life at the shelter. When volunteers sit quietly with 
Styx, he will slowly approach and climb into a lap for 
some love and petting. We think with a little more time, 
his personality will blossom. Styx has the potential to be 
a loving companion in a safe and secure home.

 BUDDY – Buddy is being called a Chihuahua mix, 
although at 17 pounds, he is larger than most of that breed, 
and is most likely just “dog.” Buddy is about 2 years old 
and volunteers report that he is a wonderful dog. He is a 
friendly boy who seems to enjoy the company of people 
and is equally happy receiving affection, and giving it 
back. Buddy is easy to harness, and walks well on leash. 
He also has a playful spirit and gets along well with his 
kennel mate. Buddy would make a great family pet.

 JUANITA - Juanita is a 2 year old Chihuahua mix, 
weighing in at a petite 10 pounds. Juanita has a joyful 
personality and is easy to harness and walk on leash. She 
is friendly and affectionate with people, social with other 
dogs and loves to play. Juanita is very agile and will jump 
onto a chair or into a lap if she has the opportunity. 

 So you can see there is a lot of variety with this group 
of lovely dogs, all deserving a loving forever home 
where they are treated as part of the family. We think 
that is the situation they came from and they should 
have nothing less when they move on to their forever 
homes. Please come in to meet “The Magnificent 
Seven” to see if you have a place in your heart for one 
or more of them.

 Their individual adoption fees are $130 which includes 
spay/neuter surgery, a microchip, first vaccinations and 
a free wellness check-up at a participating veterinarian. 
They currently reside 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 
any of the magnificent seven, please stop by any time from 
10:00am to 4:30pm Tuesday thru Sunday. 

 If you are interested in meeting them or any of the other 
wonderful pets at the shelter, visit the San Gabriel Valley 
Humane Society at 851 E. Grand Ave., San Gabriel, Calif., 
91776, Tuesday through Sunday. For more information, 
call (626) 286-1159. 

 Readers are invited to join the San Gabriel ‘Strut Your 
Mutt’ dog walking team and the ‘Race for the Rescues’ 
team to raise funds for shelter animals. The Walk is 
Saturday, October 10th at Exposition Park and the Race 
is Saturday, October 24th at the Rose Bowl. Go to the 
shelter’s website at sgvhumane.org for more information 
and how to sign up!

I have been seeing so many monarch butterflies 
flitting about in Sierra Madre recently. They seem 
to enjoy the flowers on the bougainvillea bushes 
growing along the fence in my back yard, and like 
a voyeur, I like to watch them through the window 
as they pass from one blossom to another before 
flying back up into the sky and on their merry way. 
They intently investigate each blossom on the bush 
with their bright orange wings striking a stark 
contrast against the green fauna. The way they fold 
their massive wings in and out with such grace 
somehow gives me a sense of peace.

 Seeing so many monarch butterflies in such a 
short period of time reminds me of an experience 
I had several years ago while visiting the beach in 
Carpentaria. There was a huge colony of monarchs 
lingering in clusters, hanging onto the bark and 
leaves of a very dense and shady eucalyptus grove. 
That was the first time I had ever seen so many 
butterflies lurking together in one area at the same 
time. I had to blink and take a second look before 
I could be certain of what I was seeing. All those 
butterflies clinging in clusters to the trees created 
a surreal scene that, from a distance looked like a 
colorful work of moving art. And, I guess that is 
indeed what it was. God’s art.

 Until I got close enough to see that the brilliant 
orange menagerie was actually made up of 
thousands of live butterflies, it crossed my mind for 
a split second that perhaps someone had come along 
and spray-painted that entire grove of trees with 
some sort of sophisticated stencil. But, in reality 
I was looking at a vast population of magnificent 
migrating monarchs taking a break to rest and 
restore their energies before resuming a very 
long and treacherous 
journey from their 
original spring season 
home, to their final fall 
destination.

 The monarch is the 
only butterfly in North 
America that is known 
to migrate north in the 
spring and south in the 
fall, much like various 
species of birds migrate 
semi-annually. I find it 
quite remarkable that 
such a small and delicate creature could have the 
energy and tenacity to travel so far without loosing 
it’s way or falling from the sky to it’s death before 
reaching the next resting spot. It is a phenomenon 
of nature that I find hard to wrap my mind around, 
and certainly one that is worthy of human attention 
and appreciation.

 The Monarch butterfly migrates for 2 reasons. 
One, they cannot withstand the freezing weather 
in the northern and central continental climates 
during the winter months. And two, the larval 
food plants do not grow in their over-wintering 
nest sites, so the spring generation must fly back 
north to places where the plants are plentiful. The 
south-bound monarch migration usually starts in 
about October of each year, but can start earlier if 
the weather turns cold sooner than that.

 When the weather changes again, and the 
temperatures in the south start to rise in the 
spring, the monarch knows that it is time to head 
back north, and off they go once again on that long 
journey to their next seasonal destination. This 
magnificent migration pattern explains the sudden 
appearance of the many monarch butterflies we 
have been seeing in Sierra Madre recently.

 It blows my mind to think that those little 
winged wonders I have had the privilege of 
observing in my own back yard will soon be living 
in a place very far away from here, planning their 
next move to survive the winter months! Nature 
never ceases to amaze me, and it really brings 
things into perspective for me when I take the time 
to notice and appreciate all of it’s wonders.


BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS AT ST. LUKE’S 
MONROVIA SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 

Stuffed animal donations sought for children treated for exposure to violence

Monrovia, CA, 
September 7, 2015 
— On Sunday, 
October 4, St. Luke’s 
Episcopal Church 
in Monrovia will 
once again celebrate 
one of its most 
beloved traditions, 
the Blessing of the 
Animals on the Feast 
Day of St. Francis of 
Assisi. The church 
invites everyone to 
bring their pets to 
the 10 a.m. service to 
sit in the sanctuary, 
share the experience 
of worship and 
receive a blessing.

 Attendees are also invited to bring a stuffed 
animal to donate to the Martin Luther King Jr. 
Medical Hub, a South Los Angeles center that 
provides medical and mental health care to 
children exposed to 
violence. St. Luke’s 
Senior Warden, Dr. 
Janet Arnold-Clark, 
is Medical Director 
of the Hub.

About St. Luke’s

With roots in 
Monrovia dating to 
the 1890s, St. Luke’s 
Episcopal Church is 
an inclusive church 
that welcomes all 
to its community. 
The landmark 1924 
Romanesque church 
is located at 122 
S. California Ave. 
at Foothill Blvd. 
Eucharist services are held on Sundays at 8 a.m. 
and 10 a.m. and Wednesdays at 12:10 p.m. The 
Reverend Neil Tadken is Rector. For more, visit 
saintlukesmonrovia.org


MOBILE SPAY/NEUTER VEHICLE APPROVED 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY – On a motion by Mayor Michael D. Antonovich and Supervisor Hilda 
Solis, the Board of Supervisors approved a public/private partnership to expand needed spay and 
neuter services throughout the county. 

 “Access to spay and neuter services is vital to reduce the number of unwanted pets which are 
abandoned, neglected, contribute to public health concerns and may ultimately be euthanized at 
County animal care centers,” said Antonovich. “A mobile clinic can bring services to communities 
where transportation to a stationary clinic may be difficult.”

 The Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) has received a generous offer from the 
Coalition for Pets and Public Safety, a local nonprofit animal welfare organization, for the donation 
of a mobile spay/neuter clinic and half a year of operating costs to run the clinic. The motion 
directed the Department of Animal Care and Control and the Chief Executive Office to pursue a 
donation agreement with the Coalition for Pets and Public Safety for the development of a mobile 
spay/neuter vehicle. 

PET OF THE WEEK ATHENA: ANIMAL ID #A4865125

St. Luke’s Rector Rev. Neil Tadken gives a benediction to a 
participant at last year’s Blessing of the Animals.

Cuteness comes in many forms, and in this case, it is 
that of an adorable puppy! Athena (A4865125) is a 
wiggly-butt 5-month-old chocolate-and-white female 
Pit Bull Terrier mix whose owners left her at the Baldwin 
Park Animal Care Center on August 10th. Weighing 35 
pounds (and likely to get to around 55 pounds when 
fully grown), Athena is all puppy. She has tons of energy 
and the strength that goes with the Bully breeds, and she 
loves everyone—people and dogs alike. Given her age 
and size/strength, she requires exercise and attention, 
plus the puppy basics and leash training to build both 
her bond with her person and her attention-paying 
skills. She’s quite beautiful, with a white chevron pattern 
on the back of her neck and a wide white chest. She’s also 
silly, displaying that puppy clumsiness and wiggliness 
that’s so delightful. Shelter volunteers think Athena 
will do best as an indoor pet in a home where people 
understand and appreciate how strong and energetic 
she is. She’s currently a “mouthy” (which training may 
address) puppy, too, so we think it’s best that she not 
be in a home with small children. To watch a video of 
Athena, please visit the following link: http://youtu.be/
qlMnsLzBpS4

 To meet Athena in person, please see her at the 
Baldwin Park Shelter, located at 4275 N. Elton, Baldwin 
Park, CA 91706 (Phone: 626-962-3577). She is currently 
available now. For any inquiries about Athena, please 
reference her animal ID number: A4865125. 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 Starlet 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


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