Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, December 16, 2017

MVNews this week:  Page A:8

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 16, 2017 
8JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 16, 2017 
8
LOVE ‘EM & LEASH ‘EM 


As a youngster growing up in a rural town in the 
deep south, I was blessed to have had lots of farm 
animals and domestic pets in my life throughout 
my childhood. I remember enjoying the luxury 
of allowing my dogs to roam freely, knowing 
that they would most likely have fun wandering 
through the woods behind our back yard, or head 
off to the neighbor‘s house to play with their dogs 
and beg for left over scraps, then return home and 
beg in at the back door just in time for supper!

It was quite a privilege to have had so much 
freedom as a kid for both myself and my pets, 
and I imagine there are many Sierra Madre locals 
who have similar childhood memories of their 
own. With acres of undeveloped land, plenty 
of ample space between developments, and a 
heck of a lot less traffic passing through on our 
neighborhood streets, the risks were minimal for 
a pet who wanted to explore the great outdoors. It 
just seems natural, right?

Well, now it is almost 2018, and the fact is 
that the open acres and land gaps that existed 
between our homes back in the day have shrunk 
dramatically in most parts of America over the 
past several years. Few & far between are the 
moments of silence without the noise of a vehicle 
passing swiftly by on the boulevards and streets 
where we live. 

Lets face it folks, as American citizens, or at 
least citizens of Los Angeles County, the days 
of “free-range” pet ownership are far-and-away 
long-gone. Not only is it extremely risky to allow 
a dog to run free on the streets these days, it is 
against the law. Even pet owners in Sierra Madre 
today hopefully know better than to let their dog 
roam freely and assume it is safe.

I learned my lesson about leashing several 
years ago, while living in Hermosa Beach with my 
dog, “Lady”. She was such a friendly pup, so I was 
never concerned that she might get into a doggie 
tussle, or get into any other kind of trouble while 
roaming free and off-leash. I lived 2 blocks from 
the beach, and I loved to let Lady play on the 
sand, particularly during the off-season months 
when I knew there would be less traffic and few 
tourists touting about in town.

Then one day I let Lady walk along with me 
on my way to get a coffee at the local breakfast 
nook and a cop stopped and cited me for 
having her off-leash. The leash law was 
new to me, so I was taken very much by 
surprise when I was told I had to take a 
day off work to appear in court and pay a 
fine. 

That was the last time I ever allowed 
my dog to roam free in LA. Although I 
admit that it seemed ridiculous at the 
time, I have since learned to respect the 
leash laws, and I guess I have become 
a self-appointed advocate for full 
compliance, mainly for the sake & safety 


Happy Tails 
by Chris Leclerc 

of the animals. 

While we would all love to assume that our 
own dog is smarter than most, it is never really 
a safe assumption because you never know what 
the “other guy” might do and it only takes one 
time for a tragic accident to happen. Ultimately, 
allowing your dog to roam in spite of the law 
and obvious risks amounts to nothing less than 
negligence.

A domestic dog is a creature driven more by 
instinct than taught intelligence or allegiance 
to it’s master, regardless of how much training 
he has received. In fact, the human’s delusion of 
owning the perfectly obedient dog is an excellent 
example of how, in some ways the dog is indeed 
smarter than the human being.

No offense to those responsible owners 
who have taken the time to properly train and 
discipline their pets, it’s just that humans need 
to come to grips with the fact that a canine will 
do what comes natural, and much of the time the 
instinctual behavior of the canine is not in tune 
with the behavior of the human, particularly 
when the human is behind the wheel of a swift 
moving vehicle.

Even a well-trained, obedient domestic dog willhave a tendency to chase a squirrel scrambling upa tree, a bird taking flight, or a cat meandering byon the opposite side of the road, and when thathappens, it’s instincts are likely to override anyobedience training it may have had. Indeed, even avery well trained and well mannered pup is likelyto be prompted to cross the street and take chaseafter whatever it was that caught it’s attention.

It only takes one time for a the unwitting driver 
of a vehicle to pass by in the wrong place at the 
wrong time, to end the life of a beloved pet. So 
please set your “pet pride” aside, and take proper 
precautions. The risks are simply not worth it, 
and it would be you, not your dog to be blamed if 
such a tragic accident should happen.

A truly loving, caring pet owner will always 
protect their pet from harm, and that kind of 
unconditional love includes educating ones-
self and forfeiting some of the freedoms that we 
would all love to enjoy, such as roaming off leash 
like we did in the good old days. If you truly love 
them, you will leash them! 

PEEPS & PURRTY! 


These cuties, justage 3 months, aresibling besties, andare fun-loving andjust the sweetestduo! Typicalkittens, they willplay and wrestle, 
yet are always 
up for some 
cuddles! Peeps,
the adorable 
tabby, has a cute spotted belly. He is a social littlefellow, very playful, with a great sense of humor andwho’s quick to purr for your love. Purrty, his prettyblack sister, is a good “talker,” quick to love you andpurr by your ear. There isn’t a more purr-fect pair ofkittens, ready to be adopted together into a family tocall their own! Adoption fee is $100 for both, whichincludes spay/neuter, microchip, exam & vaccines. Agreat savings! Our cats are negative FELV/FIV unless 

otherwise indicated. 

See more pictures, videos, adoption info &
application on our website, www.lifelineforpets.org.
Call 626-676-9505 for a Meet & Greet. Can’t adopt?
Visit our website for our easy ways to support our 
rescue. 


THE JOY OF YOGA 
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 
HOLIDAY YOGA 
The holidays can 
be an intense time 
with extra parties,
errands, and visits 
with people we don’tsee often and it can 
be overwhelming.
Conversely, a lack of these extra events/merriment canbring its own set of emotions. During this time, it’s bestto figure out how to dial down the intensity and staycentered. So, how about a few essential holiday yoga poses?
For energy, try Utkatasana, or chair pose. On theinhalation, bring the arms in line with the ears. Onthe exhalation, bend knees and sit in a chair that’s 
not there. Don’t go too deep, and try to keep thechin tucked in but eyes lifted up straight ahead. Stayin the pose for just the inhale and exhale, release,
unbend knees, come to stand. Try a few more timesdynamically and then hold the pose, breathing steadily.
For grounding and balance, try Prasarita 
Padottanasana. It’s a wide-leg forward fold. Step the feet 

THE MISSING PAGE 
Real Life Tips from LIfe's Instruction Manual 
It’s December, and that means we have nibbled on Halloween 
candy, gorged at Thanksgiving and now we are rolling intothe last holidays of the year. This month frequently destroysall of the progress we have made throughout the year, but itdoesn’t have to be that way. We could decide to make thisseason a time of reflection and self-care. We could slow 
down rather than running around frantically trying to getto the stores, the parties, and all the work obligations. Self-
care is more than resting, eating well and exercising. It is thecommitment to doing those things and more. Perhaps wecould approach those tasks differently. We need to look forthe opportunity to recharge our minds and creativity.

Are you a shower person? Then try bathing sensuously.
Try a scented bath salt, light some candles, read a book anddrink something relaxing. Most importantly, take your timeand slow down. Bathing is a lovely way to signal to yourbody that it’s time to rest.

Reduce the amount of time you spend looking at ascreen. Remove all electronic devices from your bedroomand make your room a cell phone free zone.

How about reading a real book? Or you could makeyourself a proper cup of tea. When you slow down,
anything can become a ritual and an elevated experience.
Give yourself the gift of care. Prepare something for yourconsumption with love.

Take a few minutes to reflect and meditate. Don’t let 

about 3 1/2 - 4 feet apart and have the feet point straightahead. On the exhalation, soften knees slightly and foldover between your legs. Take several steady breathshere. Try to draw shoulder blades together on yourback to not over-round the back. Release the neck too, 
then release from the pose entirely after 8 breaths or so.

For centering, try Supta Matsyendrasana, a simplesupine twist. Come to lie on your back and draw kneesto chest. With knees to chest, roll over completely 
to one side (fetal position). Then, open up the toparm and look toward the arm that is outstretched. 
Hold steady for several breaths. Make sure to do bothsides. For added centering, add a little abdominalwork such as a low boat pose or something similar.

For digestion and to ease tension in the lowerback, try Apanasana. Lie on your back and drawknees to chest. Stay for several breaths and feelfree to move a little to massage the lower back. 

Enjoy these yoga poses and come see us at Yoga Madre! 
Namaste, Keely Totten 

that stress you out, just set asidesome time to focus on your breath.
Program a timer for 5 minutes. Sitcomfortably, close your eyes andnotice your breathing in and out.
When you get distracted, and yousee that your mind has wonderedLori A. Harris 
just go back to the breath until thetimer goes off. Meditation is simple, and you can’t do itwrong. Just think of it as taking a moment to be still.


How about a massage? There are many ways to get aninexpensive massage. You could grab a Groupon discount,
go to the nail salon, or even Google self-massage onYoutube. I have a roller that I love to use from my shouldersdown to my legs. You can also visit a local day spa. There aremany benefits of massage; relaxation is just one.
When was the last time you had fun moving your body?
There is more than one way to recharge your battery,
especially here in Los Angeles County it is easy to experiencea new environment within an hour. You could go to themountains, go to the beach or even to the desert. Take yourbody out for a walk or hike; your mind will thank you forthat. 

Lori is a lawyer and coach. You can learn more about her atLoriAHarris.com and sign up to attend one of her live chats 

 
Walter Cailleteau, DVM Free Exam! 
927 N. Michillinda Ave. For New Clients 
Pasadena, CA 91107 Bring this coupon to save! 
(626) 351-8863 


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