Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 23, 2016

13

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

 Mountain Views News Saturday, April 23, 2016 

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 12, 2016 


STOP SHOPPING AND 
START ADOPTING

Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

My parents were born in the early 1920’s, which means 
they spent most of their early childhood growing 
up under the unfortunate financial influences of the 
Great Depression. I’m not sure whether they had 
the privilege of owning pets when they were young, 
but I do know that by the time I came along in the 
early 60’s, they were both avid animal lovers. My dad 
had such a tender-hearted, open-minded attitude 
towards any animal, regardless of it’s appearance. My 
mother adored animals too, and we spent a lot of time 
watching birds when I was a kid, but when it came to 
domestic pets, she did have her preferences.

 I totally understood, as my mother had her hands 
full raising seven children so she had to be selective 
about which strays she let us keep, for practical 
reasons. Daddy, on the other hand, allowed us full 
liberty to adopt just about any stray we found along 
the way, and he could turn the roughest-around-the-
edges pet into a prize winning trickster! I benefited 
greatly from both my parents’ love and respect for 
animals, but my dad’s open-hearted acceptance of 
homeless, needy pets appealed to me most.

 I now realize that my father’s gentle, kind way of 
loving the “unlovable” animal bequeathed to me a 
desire to carry on his legacy. Whether he knew it or not, 
my dad taught me that caring for all God’s creatures, 
good bad or ugly, was a fore-gone conclusion in life, 
regardless of lineage, looks or likeability.

 My personal memory of my parents’ approach 
to pet ownership somehow reminds me of the 
differences I observe among prospective pet owners in 
today‘s society. Here we are in 2012, decades later and 
while some things have changed, it seems that many 
have stayed very much the same. The most important 
thing that I would like to see change regarding pet 
ownership is the individual’s ideal of what makes an 
animal a great pet.

 Too many people today still maintain the mindset 
that only pure bred dogs are worth having. When 
domestic dog breeding first began, there were very 
specific needs to be met for survival purposes. When 
man realized that a dog could be manipulated to 
meet their preferences for appearance, it eventually 
became a trend to have just the right dog, with just 
the right look; they wanted something they could 
flaunt in social settings. Basically, the practical reasons 
for breeding dogs began to fade into the need to be 
noticed and respected in mainstream society. Kind of 
like the way diamond earrings are worn by women, 
dogs became an accessory, and the “perfect” specimen 
of a given breed would set one apart from the rest.

 Now that the earth is grossly over-
populated with domestic animals left 
homeless by irresponsible humans, many 
of today’s pet owners know better than to 
purchase a pet intentionally bred. The idea 
that a purebred dog makes a better pet 
than a mixed breed is absolutely ludicrous 
and considered passé among today’s ever-
growing community of true animal lovers.

 According to a report issued in 2013 by 
the American Humane Society, California 
ranks as #1 in the nation for humane 
treatment to animals, partly based on the 
fact that we value the life of every animal 
equally, regardless of breed. People are 
realizing the true beauty and intelligence of any dog, 
and many have come to prefer a rescued dog over one 
bred by a breeder. The main reason for the movement 
toward adopting versus shopping is the fact that there 
are so many animals in shelters who need loving 
homes it makes no sense to bring more into the world 
until we can get a grip on the current population. 
The human started a “trend” long ago, and we have 
dropped the ball on our part of the bargain. It’s 
time for “shallow Hal” hound lovers to stop the dog 
snobbery and get on board.

 The United States spends over 2 billion dollars a 
year rounding up, euthanizing homeless animals 
(USA Today). 56% of the dogs and puppies taken 
into shelters are euthanized (National Counsel on Pet 
Population). About 5 million pets are killed in shelters 
each year. In six years, one un-spayed female and her 
offspring can produce 67,000 dogs (Spay USA). The 
public acquires only 14% of it’s pets from shelters, 
48% are found as strays or come from friends, and 
38% get their pets from breeders or pet stores. It is 
that 38% percent that concerns me most, along with 
the many pet owners still neglecting to spay or neuter. 
The way we treat our domestic animals should be an 
embarrassment to our society. Let’s face it, breeding 
has worn out it’s welcome.

 If you really do love animals, put your efforts into 
helping turn things around rather than adding to the 
problem by bringing more animals into the world. I 
love puppies, I do, but I also love chocolate. Get my 
drift? Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. 
There are thousands of puppies in shelters who need 
loving homes, so stop breeding and spay or neuter 
your pets before they breed on their own.

 Dogs are not accessories to be flaunted. Do away 
with the list of hoity-toity criteria, and open your heart 
to the love of every animal. Visit your local shelter and 
I guarantee that the desperate look on those dog’s 
faces will be enough to convince you not to purchase 
a pet from a puppy mill store or a breeder. Haven’t we 
done enough damage?

 With so many homeless animals begging to be loved, 
and hoping to have a home before their short shelter 
life expires, people need to come out of their shallow 
shells and assume responsibility for the mess they’ve 
made. Every animal is loveable, in fact adopted shelter 
dogs are typically much more grateful than purchased 
purebreds. I hope I haven’t stepped on too many toes, 
but I refuse to be silent on this issue. For those who 
“get” my point, thank you. Let’s stop the madness, for 
the animal’s sake. Love and let live.

PROBLEM; SOLUTION

It’s important for businesses to understand what problems they solve for their customers. Understanding 
pain points is a great way to develop content for your marketing campaigns.

3 things to consider:

 Identify the audience you serve. 

 What problem does this audience have?

 What do you offer that helps solve their problem?

Try to come up with a simple two-part sentence that includes the problem and the solution. If you can 
get it down to 6-10 words, even better!

For example, say you have a dog grooming business. Your problem/solution might look like this:

 Your dog stinks; we have openings on Saturday. 

Get creative with your subject lines and social media posts. You are competing with tons of content and 
you need to find a way to stand out. 

Don’t forget that images are content too; a photo that shows the problem and solution is even better!

If you want to learn more about digital marketing and campaigns that get results, HUTdogs will be 
offering a workshop, March 17 & 24 at the SBDC in Pasadena and March 18 at the Arcadia Chamber 
of Commerce. The classes are free to attend. To register, sign up at www.hutdogs.com/workshops/
schedule 

About MJ: MJ and her brother David own HUTdogs, a creative services and digital marketing business. 
“Like” them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hutdogs. Sign up for their upcoming workshops at: 
www.hutdogs.com/workshops/schedule 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


EMERGENCY IPHONE 
HEALTH APP CAN SAVE 
YOUR LIFE

Have you given any thought to how emergency 
medical care providers know who to contact 
or what to do if you are in an accident? Some 
people wear wristbands that contain important 
health information, such as drug allergies. But 
there’s an even better tool located in something 
many of us already carry every day—our 
iPhones.

The Health App

The iPhone, manufactured by Apple Inc., 
comes with a free Health app which allows 
users to track details of their health. From the 
Health Dashboard, a user can track daily steps, 
weight, and heart rate. Even nutrition and sleep 
patterns may be managed using the app.

But setting aside all that fancy stuff, Health is a 
great app for ensuring medical personnel, such 
as of emergency room staff and paramedics, 
have critical information for both treatment 
and contact purposes.

Users can create an “emergency card” that others 
can access directly from the lock screen. Even 
if a passcode is required to unlock the phone, 
the emergency card can be accessed simply by 
pressing the Emergency button on the lock 
screen. Users can choose the information that 
is displayed, and the information input into the 
emergency card is not shared with other apps.

How to Get Started

Click the icon that looks like a white square 
containing a red heart. The Medical ID card 
should open. Click the “Edit” button in the 
upper right hand of the screen and input the 
information you want to be available from your 
“Lock” screen, such as the following:

Birth date;

Medical conditions;

Medical notes;

Allergies and reactions;

Medications;

Blood type;

Organ donor information;

Height and weight; and

Emergency contact information.

With the Health app, you can arm your 
emergency health care providers with critical 
information, potentially saving your life and 
ensuring your loved ones are contacted in the 
event of an emergency. So why not spend a few 
minutes to take advantage of this valuable, free 
tool today?

Dedicated to your family’s health, wealth, and 
happiness,

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is 
on a mission to help parents protect what they 
love most. His office is located at 49 S. Baldwin 
Ave., Ste. G, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule 
an appointment to sit down and talk about 
ensuring a legacy of love and financial security 
for your family by calling 626.587.3058 or visit 
www.GarlettLaw.com for more information.


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?

Pixie

Pixie is sweet 3-year-old 
Dachshund-Chihuahua mix that 
came to the shelter as a stray dog 
from Rosemead. She has beautiful 
fur coloring in black, white and 
brown. She is definitely a mixed 
breed, and appears to have some 
Jack Russell terrier traits as well. 
Although initially shy and cautious 
when she arrived at the shelter, she 
is adjusting well and open to trusting 
new people. She has become a very 
friendly girl and she is eager to 
receive pets and attention. She has a 
charming gesture of standing on her 
hind legs and pawing the air with 
her front paws, as if she is begging 
for some treats or attention. 

 Pixie is easy to harness and handle 
on the leash, enjoys sniffing and exploring the grass and 
trees and loves the outdoors. She has shown a playful side 
to her personality and seems to enjoy playing with toys, 
shaking them vigorously while her tail wags non-stop. 
She also enjoys playing with other dogs while in the play 
yard or on a walk. 

 Pixie is a lovely girl who needs a secure and loving 
home to help her become more confident. Her family 
will need to be patient with her to let her adjust at her 
own pace, but she is sure to be a treasured member of the 
family for many years to come. Come in to meet sweet 
Pixie and see if her charm doesn’t 
touch your heart.

 Her adoption fee is $130 and 
includes spay 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 Pixie. 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 Drive. To arrange a ‘Meet 
and Greet’ with Pixie, please stop by 
any time from 10:30am to 4:30pm 
Tuesday through Sunday. Website: 
www.sgvhumane.org 

 We are always looking for hard 
working, dedicated animal lovers to 
join our team to fulfill our goal of ‘Putting People and 
Pets Together’. If you have what it takes to succeed in our 
life-saving work, we want to meet you! Check out our 
employment opportunities at http://www.sgvhumane.
org/career-opportunities/

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


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