Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 31, 2015

10

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 31, 2015 


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?

VAMPIRISH VECTORS 
VISIT THE 

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

So is Thunderin Cloud! He is a domestic medium 
hair mix, white and black, approximately 2 1/2 
years old and weighs 9 pounds.

 He is a sweet young cat and a friendly boy who 
likes people and enjoys their attention. He loves to 
have his head scratched and responds by happily 
purring. When you stop, he comes to your lap 
to politely ask for more. He has a playful nature 
and likes to play 
with dangling toys. 
Volunteers also watch 
with amusement 
as he demonstrates 
his passion, speed 
and agility for fly 
catching! Thunderin 
Cloud is going to be 
a fun companion 
for a lucky person or 
family. 

 During the month 
of October, celebrate 
with our ‘Fall is For 
Felines’ adoption 
special. All cats 
one year and older are available for the special 
adoption rate of $39. This includes spay/neuter 
surgery, vaccinations, microchipping and a free 
wellness exam at a participating veterinarian. 
What better way to celebrate than with Thunderin 
Cloud at your side! Please stop in to meet him 
and consider making him part of your family! 

 He currently resides 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 Thunderin 
Cloud, please stop by any time from 10:00am to 
4:30pm Tuesday thru Sunday. 

 Feel free 
to call us at (626) 
286-1159 for more 
information on 
Thunderin Cloud. If 
you are interested in 
meeting Thunderin 
Cloud or any of the 
other cats at the 
shelter, visit the 
San Gabriel Valley 
Humane Society 
at 851 E. Grand 
Ave., San Gabriel, 
Calif., 91776. For 
more information, 
call (626) 286-1159. 
See our website at www.sgvhumane.org for 
information and photos of all our wonderful pets. 

 Celebrate the season with our ‘Fall is for 
Felines’ promotion. All cats one year and older 
are available until October 31st for a $39 adoption 
fee. 

For several months I have been complaining 
(bless my husband’s heart) about there being more 
mosquitoes around than usual and more often 
than not, I believe my complaints fell on deaf ears 
because it is a somewhat of an inside joke that my 
body doubles as a bug’s buffet! No matter where I 
am or what I am up to, for whatever reason I attract 
more blood-thirsty stingers and biters than most 
people I keep company with.

 According to recent research studies, an 
estimated 20% of people are known to be far more 
frequently favored by biting insects than the other 
80% and numerous conditions are factored into the 
equation as to why. Genes, blood type, diet, alcohol 
intake and even clothing color are a few examples 
of the presumed common traits found among the 
unfortunate 20%. And because there are many 
potential exceptions to the list of common traits 
found in the vector victim category, making a 
scientifically factual determination is no easy task.

 So, understandably, there are conflicting 
opinions as to what makes one person a more likely 
snack to a vicious vector than another. A July, 2013 
article published by Smithsonian.com reported, 
“One study found that in a controlled setting, 
mosquitoes landed on people with Type O blood 
nearly twice as often as those with Type A. People 
with Type B blood fell somewhere in the middle of 
this itchy spectrum. Additionally, based on other 
genes, about 85% of people secrete a chemical signal 
through their skin that indicates which blood type 
they have, while 15% do not, and mosquitoes are 
also more attracted to secretors than non-secretors 
regardless of which type they are.” While reading 
that report I couldn’t help wondering how long they 
made those poor subjects sit and be bitten before 
they finally blew the horn for lunch! 

 Other on-line articles reported vector attraction 
factors such as the amount of lactic acid, uric acid 
or octenol present in a given individual’s sweat. 
Further readings rendered research results such 
as females, particularly pregnant ones and heavy, 
sweaty fat men as being more likely victims to the 
blood suckers than others in the research pool.

 Regardless of the reasons why some of us attract 
vectors more than others, I am betting most folks 
who live locally will admit that they have also seen 
more mosquitoes in our area during 
recent months. At first I assumed it 
was just my imagination. I thought 
perhaps I was being hypersensitive 
to the presence of an average 
mosquito population, and therefore 
it seemed like more than usual. That 
was until I read an article in last 
Sunday’s issue of the LA Times. It 
was featured on the front page of the 
California Section, titled Menacing 
Mosquitoes.

 Apparently we have been invaded 
by more than a few new vectors 
here in the San Gabriel Valley and 
throughout the LA basin. It all started when a 
shipment of bamboo from southeast Asia was 
delivered to it’s El Monte destination back in 
2011. Initially, for obvious reasons the infestation 
remained somewhat confined to the valley. But it 
wasn’t long before those little buggers had a chance 
to breed enough to take over the foothills and 
ultimately the entire southland.

 There are reportedly three types of new off-shore 
mosquitoes involved in the relatively recent invasion 
caused by the imported bamboo shipment. They’re 
smaller than the mosquitoes we are used to in these 
parts, and they apparently like to do their blood 
sucking during the light of day, as opposed to at 
night like their common counterparts. Imagine my 
elation when I read that now we get to experience 
that lovely buzzing and subsequent sting & itch, 
24-7! If it makes my equally tasty friends feel any 
better, I find that they don’t fly as fast, so they’re 
easier to smash.

 The mass numbers of inadvertently invited 
vectors flying about in our community most 
recently is, for the most part, due to the on-
going drought and recent heat wave we’ve been 
experiencing. Mosquitoes love to nest in warm 
stagnant water, so it’s a no-brainer (even for me) to 
deduce that our current over-the-top infestation is 
mainly due to the fact that they have been doing 
just that for many months.

 I have to admit, it did my heart good to learn 
that there really are more vampirish vectors now 
found in our local great outdoors, because my ego 
just loves the opportunity to say, “I told you so!” 
However, in this case I think I would have been 
content with finding out I was wrong rather than 
having to contend with so many itty bitty biting 
bugs.

 Clearly, there are repellent products available 
for sniveling mosquito-attracters such as myself, 
but unfortunately these vectors are really good at 
becoming immune to the comparatively weak and 
wimpy skin washes we use. I certainly don’t want to 
add fuel to the fire by helping those little buggers get 
stronger in their attack, so rather than slathering 
on the bug sauce I am resolved to keeping myself 
in motion while I am out and about, which actually 
comes quite easy for a dog walker! 


PET OF THE WEEK: DARLA: ANIMAL ID #A4885954

Love can come in small packages. Meet Darla 
(A4885954), a darling and ladylike 10-year-old 
tan female Chihuahua whose owner surrendered 
her to the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center on 
October 8th. Weighing 6 lbs, this perfect little 
purse dog is a bit overwhelmed by her immediate 
predicament. However, 
she perks up with human 
attention; it didn’t take 
long for her handler to 
find out that Darla walks 
nicely on leash, looks to 
be house trained, likes 
nothing better than to be 
in your lap to cuddle and 
get pets and scratches, and 
is quite relaxed with other 
dogs. Given how long 
Chihuahuas can live, 10 
years probably shouldn’t 
be considered senior; 
but, senior or not, Darla 
will make a superb indoor pet and loving family 
member for anyone, from a loving individual to 
a family with children old enough to be careful 
of her tiny frame. All that’s needed is that the 
person(s) recognizes the joys of having a loving 
older dog in the family mix. To watch a video of 
Darla please visit the following link: https://youtu.
be/ny3WW50O19U

 To meet Darla in person, please see her 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 and is ready to go home with you! For any 
inquiries about Darla, please reference her animal 
ID number: A4885954. 
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 Darla 
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