Mountain Views News          Saturday, May 14, 2016

11

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 14, 2016 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR 
RETIREMENT ACCOUNT 
AT RISK DUE TO POOR 
PLANNING?

You’ve spent your entire life building up your 
retirement account. It may even be the biggest asset 
you’ll leave behind for the people you love.

If that’s the case, you may want to consider creating 
a special trust designed specifically to receive your 
retirement account assets in the event of your death.

 If you leave your retirement account to the 
people you love outright, simply by naming them 
as beneficiaries on your retirement account rather 
than through a special trust, here are the risks:

Some studies indicate 80% of retirement account 
beneficiaries immediately liquidate the account 
and frivolously spend the assets (and on top 
of using the assets in ways you may not agree 
with, they also lose significant tax benefits for 
these assets you worked so hard to create); 
If your beneficiary is married and does not 
properly handle the retirement assets you 
leave behind, and then gets divorced, your 
hard-earned assets could end up in the hands 
of the future ex-spouse of your beneficiary; 
If you are in a second marriage situation with 
children from a prior marriage, you may be setting 
your spouse and children up for conflict after you 
are gone, due to the way you have planned (or not 
planned) for the passage of your retirement account. 
If your beneficiary is ever in a situation where he 
or she has creditors or may have to file bankruptcy, 
and you’ve left your retirement account to him or 
her without a special trust, your retirement account 
would go to satisfy those creditors first.

 Here’s the good news, it’s not hard to protect 
your retirement account for your beneficiaries with 
the right planning. We use a variety of special trusts 
to ensure the retirement assets you’ve worked so 
hard to build up throughout your life are passed on 
to the people you love so they are totally protected 
from a future divorce, creditors, bankruptcy and so 
that they do not create conflict for your loved ones.

 If you have a significant retirement account whose 
designated beneficiary is your spouse or children, 
or even your regular revocable living trust, call us to 
have your planning reviewed immediately.

 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.

HOLY MOLE!

Among the many things that differentiate humans 
from all other species, most disconcerting to me is 
the tendency to find fault with other creatures that 
“get in the way”, resulting in a huge category of life 
forms we’ve come to label as “pests“. I’m sure the 
human’s tendency to harbor this brand of ‘animal 
animosity’ is not intentional, rather it is driven 
more by ignorance or a lack understanding about 
how certain animals fit into the basic structure of 
nature.

 In today’s society it is considered normal 
behavior to annihilate or remove populations of 
habitat that may pose a potential threat to one’s 
own personal plan. Unfortunately, our desire 
to control nature by killing off other species has 
caused a plethora of negative side effects for earth 
and all its life forms, including us. As a human I 
do understand why certain critters fall victim to the 
vices of extermination, but I feel it is important to 
think outside the box when it comes to this issue, 
and try to understand the impact our actions have 
on the environment as a whole.

 I find it shocking that people are so readily willing 
to poison living things to ease the task of growing 
non-indigenous plant materials where natural 
growth once thrived. Killing small animals as a means 
of maintaining an immaculately manicured, man-
made landscape seems senseless in my mind. It will 
inevitably cause problems for earth as a whole.

 I believe the human’s trigger-happy reaction 
to creatures deemed undesirable comes from a 
negligence to learn and understand each species’ 
reciprocal role in nature. The most predictable 
response of the average human to a “pest” they find 
on their property is to call the exterminator and have 
it removed or killed. To me this just doesn’t make 
sense. But then again, I never claimed to be an average 
human being.

 One little creature that has fallen victim to man’s 
desire to control ‘their own personal’ patch of dirt, 
is the ground mole. The most common mole found 
in our local area is known as the broad-footed mole. 
These little guys like to burrow beneath the surface 
and dig down deep into the soil where they create 
nests for their families. I know these funny looking 
little fur-balls can reek havoc on a freshly landscaped 
lawn, but I don’t think the answer is to kill them all off. 
I think it is wrong to eliminate any animal population 
to facilitate a manicured yard.

 Annihilating a species, or removing it from it’s 
indigenous habitat is sure to cause 
a ripple in nature’s balance. And 
since we humans are nothing more 
than an extension of nature, we 
should keep in mind that a ripple 
can become a tidal wave by the 
time it hits us where we sit, at the 
top of the food chain. When a 
species becomes extinct, it has a 
major effect on nature. Before you 
attempt to omit the mole from your 
property, why not take the time to 
learn a little bit about this ominous 
under-grounder?

 First of all, God created the mole. 
That should be enough to convince 
anyone there is a reason for it’s existence. But, did 
you also know that ground moles help aerate the soil 
that sustains those beautiful flowers and shrubs you 
work so hard to plant? Yes, there are times when a 
mole will disrupt the roots of some plantings, but 
with a little forethought, a smart gardener will include 
underground barriers around certain plants to help 
guide the mole in the right direction, where his hard 
work will be effective in promoting the health of 
the soil and the growth of less vulnerable trees and 
shrubs. 

 Ground moles also keep the population of insects 
in check by preying and feeding on the them while 
traveling through their subterranean labyrinths and 
while foraging on the surface. Among the top items 
on the mole’s menu are grub worms, spiders, beetles, 
insect larvae, ants and centipedes. How many of those 
guys have you had to exterminate to keep things ‘up 
to standard’ on your property?

 Through numerous research studies, experts 
have discovered that moles are less likely to feed 
on flower bulbs or roots if there are plenty of bugs 
and worms to eat. Perhaps if we stop exterminating 
entire populations of insects, our relationship with 
ole Mr. Mole will improve immensely. Where does 
it end? Must every creature that “gets in the way” 
be removed for the sake of personal preference or 
convenience?

 As another aspect of the mole’s role in nature, birds 
of prey and other local wildlife rely on them along 
with the other rodents as a source of daily nutrition. 
You see, nature thrives on balance. Whether it be the 
ocean’s inter-dependent relationship with dry land, 
the sun’s nurturing relationship with planet earth, 
or the reciprocal relationships between the species, 
balance is absolutely paramount. With each attempt 
man makes to control nature‘s way of doing things, 
that balance is negatively effected.

 In reality, the ground mole is not our enemy 
at all. From my perspective it is a shy, low-lying 
little creature that prefers to eat insects. It feeds the 
beautiful big birds we so adore. It does the tedious 
work that I‘d rather not do; tilling, turning and 
aerating the soil. I challenge you to educate yourself 
and try thinking outside the box before taking radical 
action that we’ll all have to pay for in the long run. 
Who knows? With a better understanding of it‘s role 
in nature, you might even find a little love in your 
heart for one of God’s oddest creations - the ground 
mole!


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?


Grover is an 
impressive 
2-year-old 
American 
Staffordshire 
terrier mix with 
great looks to 
match his very 
athletic body 
and personality. 
He weighs 62 
pounds and has 
gorgeous bright 
brown eyes as 
well as a cute 
pair of puppy-sized bouncy ears. Grover is came to 
the shelter when he was surrendered by his previous 
owners because their living arrangements no longer 
allowed them to keep him. Despite this loss, he 
remains a loving happy go lucky boy. He enjoys walks, 
jogs, tennis balls, squeaky toys and goofing off with 
people. Grover can be described as “the air Jordan 
of dogs!” He is very athletic and talented at jumping 
high up in the air. He can catch toys and treats mid-
air and would make an excellent Frisbee champion! 

 Grover would thrive with an active family who 
can let him show off his athletic skills and even teach 
him many more skills, sports, or commands. He 
has learned his “sit” and “catch” commands rather 
quickly and is eager to learn more, as long as love and 
treats are involved. See a short video of Grover here 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Q5odHF9Hk 
His adoption fee is $145 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 Grover. 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 Grover, 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/

 Have a great photo of your best friend? Enter our 
2017 Calendar Photo Contest! Click here for more 
details http://www.sgvhumane.org/blog/calendar-
photo-contest/attachment/dog-2017-calendar-ad/. 
Send in your favorite pet photos and yours could be 
one of twelve lucky pets to be featured in our 2017 
calendar. Submission deadline is June 18, 2016! Email 
your photos to sgvhscalendar@gmail.com.