Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, January 20, 2018

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 20, 2018 
8
RAPTOR’S 
RAPTURE 


One weekend my husband and I decided it hadbeen far too long since the last time we‘d gone “outto country”, so we put everything else aside anddrove to Lake Matthews in Perris, CA to spend theday at the Animazonia Wildlife Foundation’s big catrefuge.

Animazonia opens the gates to their gorgeoussanctuary for public visitation & site tours on thefirst Saturday of each month. If you have nevervisited the Animazonia Wildlife Refuge or the LakeMatthews area for that matter, I highly recommendit. Steep, rounded rolling hills with huge boulders& dramatic outcroppings add remarkable beauty tothe wide open country as you wind your way uppassed the lake and you’ll enjoy the fabulous viewof Mount Baldy in the distance, to the north.

You’ll see herds of sheep on the hillsides andsmall farms along the way with horses, chickensand goats. But to me, the best part of the drivewas seeing numerous big birds soaring in the skyaround the lake and over the meadows. If you dodecide to take that drive, be sure to stop by and sayhello to the ladies who work so hard at Animazonia 
Wildlife Foundation. 

That month’s feature event at Animazonia, 
entitled “Raptor Release” was sponsored by theOrange County Bird of Prey Center (OCBPC) andpresented by veterinarian Dr. Scott Weldy, directorof the organization and owner of Serrano Animal &
Bird Hospital in Lake Forrest, CA.

Raptors, or birds of prey include owls, eagles,
falcons, condors, hawks, ospreys, kites, and 
vultures. They have strong grasping feet with sharptalons for catching and holding prey. Their hookedupper beak tears and kills their catch, and theirbinocular vision allows them depth perception forhunting.

Raptors are very important to our environmentbecause they help maintain the balance of natureby controlling the population of rodents, reptiles,
insects and other small wild life. Because of the 
important role they play in the balance of nature,
raptors are now protected by state and federal laws,
but if you ask me, their beauty and elegance alone isenough reason to protect them.

Well-known for his sincere heart-felt dedication 
to rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned, injuredor ill birds of prey, Dr. Weldy brought with him 5raptors, 3 of which had been rehabilitated and wereready for re-introduction to the wild. The other 2were “Hank”, a gorgeous red tail hawk and 
“Gus”, a sweet petite screech owl. Both hadbeen rescued as youngsters and had spenttheir formative weeks as babies being caredfor by humans, so they came to know thehumans as their parents.

This phenomenon of nature is called“imprinting” and it can be the reason whysome wild birds in captivity will neverhave a chance to be released and fly freeagain. Dr. Weldy and the Animazoniastaff volunteers gave a very interesting andeducational presentation which was quitea treat, but the best part of the event was 


FOSTERS NEEDED! 



We are in urgentneed of fosters 
homes for our 
shy cats! You 
can make the 
difference for 
one, like GIGI 
and others 
who are too 
shy to take 
to adoptions 
but who can 

blossom in a loving foster home! Gigi is almostage 3, and is a gorgeous, sleek, all black beauty!
Although very shy, she is making slow but goodprogress with the help of treats. She will needstability, gentleness, and patience, but as wealways say: Even skittish cats deserve a foreverhome! We’ve seen amazing things happen when“scaredy cats” finally feel love and security! Wepay for any needed vet care, fosters providefood, litter, safety, and love. We have a whole 

BEST FRIEND 

Lovely Lola is a Chihuahua


houseguest.Lola deserves a 
mix girl, a little over 5-years


new secure and loving home.
old, weighing about 8 pounds.

If you can offer Lola a foreverShe is a good-looking girl with

home, please come and meeta short black and tan coat that 

her, she is eager to start her newshines after she has had a bath. 

life .Her adoption fee is $130,
Lola is a sweet girl who was 

which includes spay surgery,
surrendered due to a difficult 

a microchip, first vaccinationsfamily situation. Lola loves 

and a free wellness check-upgetting attention, and will 

at a participating veterinarian.
easily jump into a friendly lap,

Feel free to call us at (626) 286sharing 
kisses with her human

1159 for more information on 
friends. Lola seems to enjoy

Loa. She currently resides atgoing for walks to the park.

the San Gabriel Valley HumaneShe walks well on leash and is 

Society located at 851 E. Grandeasy to handle. She is friendly

Avenue in San Gabriel which 
with people and with other

is located off San Gabriel Blvd, 
dogs. Lola appeared on Pet

north of Mission and south of 
Project LA, showing what a

Las Tunas Drive. To arrange a 
well-behaved, calm girl she can be. Prior to her ‘Meet and Greet’, please stop by any time fromTV appearance, Lola spent the night with one of10:30am to 4:30pm Tuesday through Sunday.
our volunteers who reports Lola was a perfect Website:www.sgvhumane.org. 

Happy Tails 
by Chris Leclerc 

when the 3 raptors were released.

It was an emotional experience to watch themtake to the sky, after being in captivity for thetreatment & care that allowed them to become 
healthy enough to fly again. As each bird flew away,
I couldn’t help thinking they were being lifted up tothe heavens and given a second chance at life, muchlike the rapture we read about in the Bible.

All 3 birds had their own story to tell, from beingpushed out of the nest too early by a larger sibling,
to falling from the sky after coming into contactwith an electrical wire or some other man-made 
obstruction. All 3 had been rescued at a crucial 
time, when it was touch and go, life or death. Theywere the lucky ones who were found by someonewho cared enough to rescue them.

As I watched each raptor flying up into theheavens, it gave me new hope that wild creatures areway more tenacious than I sometimes think theyare. It is true that they appear quite delicate whenthey fly high in the sky and they can be renderedvulnerable due to habitat encroachment or various 
other causes of injury or illness, but the raptor isone tough bird that will not give up without a fight,
and that is yet another lesson learned from nature’swild creatures that I can live by.

If you should happen to come across an injured ororphaned bird of prey, please call the local AnimalControl Department, or contact OCBPC @ 949837-
0786 to report it. Do not attempt to care for aninjured or orphaned raptor yourself. Not only is itagainst the law to do so, but it may result in seriousinjury to you or the bird.

If it is necessary to handle the injured bird beforethe pros arrive for the rescue, use heavy gloves anda towel or blanket for easier handling. Grasp thebird on the sides, over properly folded wings andplace it in a cardboard box just slightly larger thanthe bird itself. It is important to keep a record of thetime, date and location of the capture.

Some raptors have been “banded”, meaningthey were in captivity at some point, and are nowwearing an ID bracelet that will provide importantinformation and a phone number to call. Be certainthat any baby bird you might find is truly orphanedbefore removing it from the area. It may have fledit‘s nest, but still being cared for by it’s parentsthat are not visible but nearby, in which case it ismuch better off being left alone. Show respect to allwildlife, and as always, love and let live! 

page devoted to our shy cats at http://www.
lifelineforpets.org/shy-cats-need-homes-too.
html. Call for for info or a foster application: 626676-
9505 or 626-797-1753. 

Yogic Wisdom for 
Everyday Life 
YOGA AND AYURVEDA ON STRESS 
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES 
Together yoga and

its sister science 

Ayurveda, provide 

a well-rounded 
solution to address the effects of stress. It’s an interestingpoint of view that empowers each one of us to live the lifewe want each day. Stress is not always out of our control.
Viewing through the lens of Ayurveda-- one of the world’soldest medicinal systems--stress has a significant impacton our vital energy reserve (Ojas) and causes a weakenedimmune system. 

Stress is primarily associated with Vata and Pitta Doshasor Mind-Body types. Kapha Dosha, made up of earth andwater, is literally “unmoved” by stress and tends not toworry, over-schedule or react quickly. So let’s focus on the 
other two. Vata-type (air & ether): Stress occurs throughanxiety, fear, excess travel, loss (relationships, jobs, etc.),
physical trauma, being worn out and energy depletion.
Pitta-type (fire & water): Stress occurs through anger,
intensity, deadlines, physical trauma, competition anddrive, and being burned out

Stress is inevitable. However, by knowing our owntendencies, we have one of the keys to reduce stress. Aplan for support and self-care can be planned in advance. 

THE MISSING PAGE 
Real Life Tips from LIfe's Instruction Manual 
PLEASE AND THANK YOU 


I have declared 2018 to be the year for unapologetic,
joyful living. It feels so good to be joyful, and it isa choice, although sometimes we don’t recognizeour power to choose. Aspire to live joyfully every 
day. When I get up in the morning, I practicegratefulness, and then I meditate. Mindfulness helps 
me set the tone for my day. I remind myself throughoutthe day that while I cannot control other people orcircumstances, I have control over my responses. I 
can influence the conditions around with my attitudeand manners. Being kind just feels good.What couldyou do to welcome more joy in your life? Try releasing 
criticism and judgment quicker. Let go of anger and 
blame. When a thought comes to mind that does notgive you life, release it instead of pondering a contrarynotion. Holding a grudge is not healthy, it does moreharm to you than the other party. Set a goal to createhealthy boundaries this year. Do not engage in 
activities out of guilt. If you don’t want to participate 

If you identify with Vata-type stress, creating stability andregularity is most important. This can be done throughschedules, diet and rest. When things are always changingor “up in the air,” it creates fear and uncertainty which canexacerbate stress. 

If you identify with Pitta-type stress, creating calmand coolness is best. The key is lessening the intensityof tasks and thinking. Have you ever gotten a headachefrom thinking? That means intensity needs to go down!!
Restorative practices that facilitate the practice of letting goare essential. Restorative yoga, yoga nidra, and meditationare wonderful. 

A regular yoga practice does wonders for stressreduction. The body and breath receive nourishment whileour overall well-being also improves. Yoga gives us skillsto cope with the ups and downs of everyday life. There’s aseed of self-compassion and self-love planted each time wedo yoga. It teaches us that we are human and striving to doour best on this journey called life.

Ask questions and learn more about yoga, meditationand Ayurveda by emailing me at keely@keelytotten.com. 

Namaste, 
Keely Totten, Yoga Teacher, Mentor & Writer 


in a project or complete a task,
be honest and decline. No is 
a complete sentence. No one 
enjoys being in the companyLori A. Harris 
of a resentful person. You havepermission to ask for exactly what you want. When 
the little voice inside your head asked, “Can I go onvacation two months in a row? Answered boldly, “Yes 
I can!” This year ask for what you want, and thenexcitedly and expectantly be ready to receive it. When 
an opportunity comes to you, ask yourself, “would Ilove that?” If so, keep the door of possibility open.
Don’t become overwhelmed with the mechanics of 
how. With an open mind, good ideas will come toyou to make your dream a reality. Let 2018 be themost joyful ever and be ready to receive.Lori is lawyerand coach. She’s offering free clarity sessions at her 
website www.LoriAHarris.com/chat sign up today,
and you will be on your way to joyful living for 2018. 

 
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