Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, April 6, 2019

Sheila is a beautiful 10-year-old Spitz mix lady who was originally 
found as a stray at a local Trader Joes. Sheila is about 10 pounds with 
a soft and silky white coat. Sheila is very friendly, loves people and is 
a social girl who will go from person to person and spread her joy, 
love, and kisses to everyone who comes near her. She will greet you 
vocally when you are near her kennel. She loves going for walks and 
easy to manage on leash. Sheila has a playful personality and loves 
toys. She interacts well with other dogs in a friendly way. She is a 
smart girl who sits for treats and is eager to learn more. 

If you are looking for a happy girl to share your life, come and 
meet her. Her adoption fee is $130, which includes spay surgery, 
microchip, first vaccinations and a free wellness check-up at a 
participating veterinarian. Sheila also qualifies for the “Senior for 
Senior” adoption fee discount program. 

7

BEST FRIENDS & MORE 

Mountain View News Saturday, April 6, 2019 


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

MIGRATION SENSATION

During a recent walk with “Tatertotts“, my nine-year-old black & tan 
bloodhound, we were enjoying the peaceful ambience of dusk, with 
stars slowly beginning to show their light in the sky and not another 
soul in sight, when she suddenly engaged in a series of intense bays, 
taking me very much by surprise. You see, Tater rarely ever bays or 
barks during our walks. She is typically too involved with sniffing out 
subtle scents, keeping her nose trained to the trail in hopes of tracking 
a furry critter, or dream-of-all-dreams finding a discarded bag of fast-
food left-over‘s thoughtlessly tossed out by a previous passerby. 

We were hiking along the short trail that begins where Sycamore Street ends in Sierra Madre, between the ball parks and the city 
yards. That’s where the pavement turns to a dirt path surrounded by overgrown grass, floral fauna and shady oak trees. It was a great 
evening for a walk; the moon was full and everything seemed calm and peaceful. We were both relishing the solitude when all of a 
sudden, Tater stopped sniffing the ground and threw her head back, pointing her nose upward and sending her huge ears flopping 
wildly. She let out the loudest baritone bay I think I have ever heard from her, shattering the silence and shocking me out of my 
peaceful state.

Her first howl was followed by several more, before her voice slowly faded to a whimper as she became calm again and resumed her 
trail tracking endeavor. I looked up to see what had excited her and I saw a flock of geese flying low overhead, coming in for a landing 
on the water in one of the settling basins about 100 yards away. They were Canada Geese and there about 12 in the flock. As they 
landed one by one on the surface of the water, they made quite a splash! I thought how happy they must be to have found a water hole 
where they could refresh themselves and rest before continuing their journey, and how lucky I was to have been in the right place at 
the right time to see them fly in and land so close to where I was standing.

Canada Geese are native to North America and best known for the distinctive honking noises they make as well as the “v” flock 
formation they assume while migrating over the continent. The “v” formation is by no means random. It is their instinctual way of 
utilizing the power of wind and air foil by following behind and slightly to the side of one another to make the most of their stored 
energy as they travel. Geese are much larger and heavier than other types of migrating birds, therefore it takes a lot more energy for 
them to fly. By using the “v” formation technique they reserve energy and increase their endurance while traveling.

In the summer months, most Canada Geese reside in the Canadian region of the Arctic Circle, where they nest and raise their new-
born goslings in the safety and solitude of the wilderness. Fresh snow-fed waterways and reservoirs provide them with plenty of water 
and food resources for the season, as they foster the bonds within their growing family and prepare for the impending multi-mile 
migration south. By the time Fall comes around, the temperatures in the Arctic will have dropped dramatically, and the geese have 
prepared themselves for the 2500 mile flight that will take them to the Gulf of Mexico, their seasonal destination.

There they spend the winter months avoiding the frost of the Arctic north. The flight south can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 
months, depending on their point of origin and the route they follow. Male and female geese maintain a monogamous relationship 
with the same partner throughout their lives and raise their family as an integral unit, caring for their young until they are adults. 
Research has shown that familial geese will even fly closely together during the migration process, and communicate among themselves 
using honking calls that are unique to their own family members, to keep from being separated along the way. Fascinating, eh?

We have all heard the term “bird brain” used to refer to someone who acted stupidly. I remember hearing it as a kid, and I assumed 
that meant birds must be pretty stupid. Of course later in life I learned the true facts about birds and I realized that couldn’t be further 
from the truth. The next time someone calls you a bird brain, you can take it as a compliment!

Looking into the life of the migrating goose, I was able to draw a few parallels between their sensational migration and my own personal 
migration or navigation through life on this earth. Let’s face it, life presents some pretty difficult challenges at times, but if we 
take a lesson from the goose by “flying” in a way that helps those behind us keep up and stay strong, and if we support one another 
as a family unit and communicate clearly with each other as the geese do, I imagine we could handle the challenges of life in a similar 
way to how the goose handles that 2500 mile flight; with unity, strength and determination.

Observing animal behavior brings me to a higher level 
of understanding what life is all about. Some people 
think the most important thing in life is to make a 
lot of money and collect a lot of toys. I feel that there 
is much more to life than that, but I certainly don’t 
claim to have all the answers. One thing’s for sure, 
I do hope to be in the right place at the right time 
for many more close encounters with nature, such as 
the one Tater and I had last week with the migrating 
geese. Those rare moments can help teach us how 
to live life more fully and how to appreciate and better 
understand the families and loved ones we are all 
blessed with, and I think that is truly sensational!


CAT OF THE WEEK

MAGNETIC MELODY!

This pretty orange & white girl is the best ever! She’s 
highly adoptable and just a joy! She is feline purr-
fection! Super Friendly! She will come up to you and 
give you strong head butts, asking for pets, cuddles & 
snuggles! Melody is used to being around people, most 
likely because she spent lots of time hanging around a 
high school. Maybe she just wanted a good 

education! Melody is active and curious. Now she would 
love to be pam-purr-ed and love you to bits. We haven’t 
observed it yet, but she may be fine with other kitties 
and maybe even nice dogs. She would be great in a home with gentle older children 
who will play with her. Don’t pass her by--Come and meet her. Contact 626-355-7672 
after filling out the adoption application at our website, www.lifelineforpets.org, and see 
more pictures of Melody at our Teens/Adults Cats page. She will come spayed, vetted, 
and microchipped—ready to go!


LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND?


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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