Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 9, 2016

8

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 9, 2016 


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?

BE YE KIND 

TO THE CANINE

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

Meet Little Guy, a tiny dog 
with a huge personality! 
At less than 5 pounds, 
this 8 year old Chihuahua 
mix is definitely one of the 
smaller dogs at the shelter, 
but that does not keep him 
from being noticed. Little 
Guy was found with a 
severely injured leg in mid-
November, and was brought 
to the shelter for emergency 
medical care. The leg was mangled beyond 
treatment and had to be amputated. Little Guy 
spent several weeks in our clinic recovering from 
his injury and surgery before becoming available 
for adoption. He is ready now to find his forever 
home.

 Little Guy has a big attitude! He doesn’t let 
his size keep him from trying anything, and is 
not slowed down by his missing leg. He is easy 
to harness and loves to go for walks, sniffing and 
exploring the world, moving around quite easily. 
Because he only has three legs doing the work of 
four, he can sometimes get tired and want to take 
a little break. Little Guy loves to get cuddles and 
belly rubs, and enjoys being held. At his size, he is 
the perfect lap dog. 

 Little Guy has a lot of confidence when he meets 
other dogs, and doesn’t hesitate to set his boundaries 
and let them know he can take care of himself. While 
he can enjoy interacting with other dogs, he can also 
be quite independent and able to entertain himself. 
And although he is 8 years old, he still enjoys playing 
with toys in our play yard area.

 In spite of the physical setback of losing a leg, 
Little Guy is quite resilient and ready to face the 
world with confidence and enthusiasm for life. He 
deserves a home that will 
give him the comforts that he 
deserves, but will let him live 
up to his potential to live a full 
and active life. Little Guy is 
proof that good things come 
in small packages. Come in 
to meet this charming little 
character while you still have 
the chance and start the new 
year off with a best friend! 

 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 Little Guy, please stop 
by any time from 10:00am to 4:30pm Tuesday 
thru Sunday. 

 His adoption fee is $130 and includes neuter surgery, 
vaccinations, microchip and a free wellness exam at 
a participating veterinarian. Feel free to call us at 
(626) 286-1159 for more information on Little Guy. 
If you are interested in meeting Little Guy 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. See our 
website at www.sgvhumane.org for information and 
photos of all our wonderful pets. 

 2016 calendars are available at the shelter for 
a $10 donation. The photos were selected among 
hundreds submitted by shelter supporters. They 
make great holiday gifts for the animal lovers on 
your list! If you would like to order a 2016 calendar, 
you can stop by the shelter or do so through PayPal. 
Go to the shelter website at sgvhumane.org for 
more information. 


“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be 
judged by the way its animals are treated.”

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Over the course of the five years I’ve been writing this 
column, I’ve used quite a bit of it’s printed space to share my 
feelings about how animals should be treated more kindly by 
the human. Although what I have written has been based on 
facts as I know them, and while my motive has been pure in 
hoping to encourage change for the better, I realize that my 
writing has, at times turned to ranting on a subject that is, for 
the most part, hard to hear.

 This week I decided to focus my article on all of the 
good things humans have done to help protect animals 
and enhance their quality of life. Many positive changes 
have been made through new legislation, volunteerism, 
philanthropy and donations - all on the part of the human, 
and all on behalf of the animals. There is much more work to 
be done to ensure that all animals, both wild and domestic 
are given a fair shake in life, but we’ve come a long way.

 Here are a few examples of the positive changes that have 
come about for animals over the past several years. This is a 
short list, but it gives you an idea of the progress our country 
has made in terms of bettering our relationship with animals.

 In 1966, The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law, 
making it the first in the United States that regulates the 
treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and 
by dealers. Other laws, policies and guidelines before or after 
may include additional species coverage or specifications for 
animal care, but today all refer back to the Animal Welfare 
Act as the minimum acceptable standard.

 In May of 2006, Ohlone Dog Park in Berkeley, CA became 
the first known of it’s kind in the world. Since then, dog parks 
have been popping up by the hundreds in numerous cities 
within the US, and throughout the globe. This proves that 
all those millions of dog owners truly care about their pets, 
and want the very best for them. Off-leash play in a social 
setting with other canines is one of the kindest things you 
can offer your dog. If you haven’t visited our own dog park 
here in Sierra Madre, you should. It is located behind the Rec. 
Center pool, next to the tennis courts in Recreation Park. 
There are also a few other dog parks nearby with fenced areas 
designated for both small and large dogs to play off leash. 
Use common sense and go by the rules to ensure a positive 
experience.

 In February, 2012 LA County agreed to allow dogs to 
accompany their humans for dinner on restaurant patios. 
Now your four-legged friend can really be a part of the family, 
by joining you for an evening outing rather than waiting at 
home anxiously until you arrive. With LA county being the 
forerunner and followed example, this law carried over to 
several other counties in California as well. 
It was amended later to prevent restaurant 
owners from being cited by the Health Dept., 
opening even more doors to four-footers.

 In October of 2012, The LA City Council 
voted 12-2 in favor of a law that would require 
pet stores to sell only rescued animals. In 
addition to reducing euthanizations, the law 
seeks to put an end to puppy and kitten mills 
that keep animals in poor conditions and 
then ship them to pet stores for profit.

 Pet ownership in the United States, 
Great Britain and Australia is on the rise! 
According to a recent census, the number 
of dog owners in these three countries has 
grown by several millions from the 1990’s 
to the 2000’s and the number of dogs per household has 
increased as well. We humans are obviously becoming much 
more willing to forego another toy or trinket, in order to 
love and care for someone besides ourselves! Pets are great 
teachers.

 In the early 1990‘s, pet supply stores started showing 
up all over the place in the US, coast to coast. Nearly every 
sizable city now boasts at least one PetCo or PetSmart store 
along with a variety of neat boutique mom-and-pops where 
you are sure to find anything and everything you may want 
to pamper your pet. Is this not a true sign of our growing 
affection for Fido? After all, our money typically follows our 
heart.

Countless animal rescue organizations have formed over the 
past few decades. Best Friends is a prime example of kind 
humans helping animals in need. Their efforts have reduced 
the number of euthanized pets to a proportionate fraction 
of what it used to be and numerous other organizations 
have followed their lead by placing rescued animals and 
advocating spay and neuter to all pet owners.

Many licensed veterinarians in the United States now 
offer affordable spay and neuter services to those who are 
financially strapped. Several non-profits network with 
veterinarians who share their desire to stop accidental 
breeding, and are willing to provide such services at their 
own cost. Do the research to find the right vet for your pet, 
and discuss your financial status frankly with him/her. You 
may be surprised at how helpful your vet will be when you 
tell them your desire is to prevent pet pregnancy.

Last but certainly not least, there is a growing trend in our 
present society, to adopt and not shop. This relatively new 
concept that was started by animal rights advocates, was 
mostly made popular by celebrities who agreed with the 
philosophy. Now it seems just about every animal lover is on 
the band wagon. It thrills me to hear people say, “My dog is a 
rescue from a local animal shelter, and I wouldn‘t have it any 
other way.” So now, adopting is not only a win-win for the 
animal, it is also a cool trend that has caught on like wildfire. 
I think this trend is here to stay, and will continue to grow.

I benefit daily, from the mere presence of my little Molly. 
And, I am blessed with the added benefit of spending time 
with my clients’ pets as well. There is nothing like being 
greeted at the door by a dog who is elated to see you. No other 
boss I have had in the past could make me feel so privileged 
to do my job.

 Kudos to all the humans who recognize the value of the 
animals and show them the respect they deserve. Thank you 
for selflessly paving the way to a better life for them. May we 
all try to focus more on the good things being done to make 
changes for the better, and let’s keep up the good work! Love 
and let live.

PET OF THE WEEK: EBONY: ANIMAL ID #A4905917

Are you looking for a sweet and soulful companion? 
Look no further and meet Ebony (A4905917). 
Ebony is an angelic 5-year-old tricolor female 
Dachshund and Rat Terrier mix who was left at the 
Baldwin Park Animal Care Center on December 
18th by her previous owners with no reason 
given. Weighing 11 pounds, Ebony is a cute and 
cuddly puppy who adores human companionship. 
Ebony is familiar with the leash and enjoys going 
for walks, especially if it means meeting other 
dogs and making new friends. Ebony will make 
an awesome indoor companion for anyone in 
any living situation, especially a family with 
children. To watch a video of Ebony, please visit 
the following link: HYPERLINK “https://www.
facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.
be%2FsBH6PVhFaYg&h=fAQHT8U69&enc=AZMzTeTk9HgAk9a_f62MpiGNjX5NoI_7rdBH-
MHtKJ5a5YNLlROXOks4i8i1Ub2GD9TAs1vW-
XAKSTmBdn4H85CMU0EA2FMraniQXXSDp_
Vwq7sMAsB7RvzbiL0PQbL-
NZwnnI7fBM9zJn9jMnCx2n5W&s=1” \t “_
blank” https://youtu.be/sBH6PVhFaYg 

 To meet Ebony 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. 
For any inquiries about Ebony, please reference her 
animal ID number: A4905917. 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 Ebony or the adoption process, 
please 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