Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, March 18, 2017

JUST FOR BEST FRIENDS

8

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 18, 2017 

LOOKING FOR A BEST FRIEND


Charmander is a sweet teen 
boy with a glistening black 
fur coat and serene yellow 
eyes. He was surrendered 
to the shelter at a very 
young age. For a kitten that 
should still have been with 
his mother, it was a bit of a 
rocky start to life. Never 
fear, Charmander thrived 
and is now living in Meow 
Manor with other young 
cats. He’s no longer shy 
with visitors, and for those staff, and volunteers that 
cuddle him, he’s a charmer and often climbs into free 
laps. Charmander is also very playful, and enjoys a 
good chase after a moving red laser dot or batting 
around toys that come in his direction. After such 
a sad beginning, Charmander is waiting for that 
forever home he so deserves. Please come in, meet 
Charmander in Meow 
Manor. Charmander will 
do fine as a sole companion 
or in a multi-cat home. His 
adoption fee is $99, which 
includes neuter surgery, a 
microchip, first vaccinations 
and a free wellness check-
up at a participating 
veterinarian. Feel free to 
call us at (626) 286-1159 
for more information on 
Charmander. ID#23602. He 
currently resides at the San Gabriel Valley Humane 
Society located at 851 E. Grand Avenue in San 
Gabriel which is located off San Gabriel Blvd, north 
of Mission and south of Las Tunas Drive. To arrange 
a ‘Meet and Greet’ with Charmander, please stop by 
any time from 10:30am to 4:30pm Tuesday through 
Sunday.Website:www.sgvhumane.org. 


Happy Tails

by Chris Leclerc

THE LONE COYOTE

Most folks who have lived in Sierra Madre and the 
other local foothill communities for any period 
of time, have by now developed an awareness, a 
respectful regard and a careful concern for the 
coyotes with whom we cohabitate, particularly 
when it comes to the safety of their children and 
small pets.

 I, myself have had several relatively close 
encounters with coyotes over the past 26 years I’ve 
lived here, and fortunately in my experiences there 
have been no tragic mishaps, however I must admit 
I have, on occasion felt somewhat intimidated by 
coyotes traveling in packs.

 Recently, I have been seeing a particular 
coyote wandering by itself on the north side of 
town, more often during the day than at night. I 
am not an expert on coyotes or coyote behavior, 
but having observed them countless times over 
the years I‘ve lived here, I have noticed what I 
have come to consider a somewhat predictable 
behavioral pattern. So when I see a coyote 
behaving dramatically different from what seems 
normal to me, I can’t help noticing.

 The coyote I’ve been seeing recently stands 
out to me because of both it’s appearance and it’s 
behavior. First I noticed that it has what appears to 
me to be a multi-colored coat, almost like a brindle 
pattern which is often worn by certain domestic 
dogs. This made me think perhaps it could be a 
mix between a coyote and a feral domestic dog.

 I took a photograph of the lone coyote one 
day when I happened to see it standing in a yard 
on Santa Anita Blvd. When I showed the photo 
to a few local friends and neighbors, a couple 
of them agreed it does indeed look like a mixed 
breed. Others thought it looked more like it might 
just be sick with mange or another skin disease, 
causing patches in it’s coat. Either way, I was quite 
intrigued and decided to keep my eyes peeled for 
more sightings.

 When I mentioned my visual & photographic 
encounters with the elusive lone coyote to a friend 
who knows quite a bit about coyote behavior, 
he said he had seen a strange looking coyote 
pass through his yard recently that fit that very 
description. He thought it behaved as if it was lost 
and moved slower than most coyotes he’s seen 
wandering in our community, and that it seemed 
much more bold, wandering alone in the middle 
of the day.

 Although I am not necessarily afraid of this lone 
coyote, (I actually feel sorry for 
it) I have a healthy respect for it‘s 
presence in our town. In other words, 
I let it have it’s space! The main thing 
that concerns me is that this coyote 
might be more desperate than the 
ones we are used to seeing. Perhaps 
it has been evicted from the pack for 
whatever reason, and must fend for 
itself, in which case it might be more 
apt to attack for self-protection or 
self-preservation.

 Regardless of why this lone 
coyote behaves the way it does, 
the fact remains that it could be more of a threat 
than your average local coyote. For this reason, 
I thought it would be a wise idea to remind the 
local folks about the importance of protecting 
their pets and small children from what could be a 
tragic encounter with what might be a desperately 
hungry coyote.

 Here are a few safety tips that I consider to 
be common sense practice when it comes to 
cohabitating with coyotes:

 Keep your pets indoors whenever possible. 
When you do take them out, keep them on a leash 
or inside a coyote proof fence. A coyote proof fence 
should be at least 5 . feet tall, and made of wood, 
brick or wire. To prevent coyotes from digging 
under the fence, you can attach a wire apron 
buried 4-6 inches under the ground extending out 
from the fence at least 20 inches. Rabbit & chicken 
hutches should be elevated with solid bottoms and 
partially solid sides versus open wire.

 Do not feed the coyotes! You may be doing this 
without realizing it. Make sure the lids on your 
trash cans are tightly closed and if possible locked. 
Feed your pets indoors to avoid baiting coyotes 
into your yard. If you feed your pets outdoors, 
bring any leftover food inside between feedings. If 
you have a garden, make sure it is enclosed in a 
coyote proof fence.

 Clean out overgrown brush and weeded areas 
on your property. Coyotes hunt for small rodents, 
and those are the areas where they are most likely 
to find them. By allowing brush and weeds to 
thrive in your yard, you are basically ringing the 
dinner bell for the coyote. 

 Make loud noises when you do see a coyote 
close to your home, to help discourage repeated 
visits. A whistle works well for this purpose. If 
you encounter a coyote during a walk with your 
dog, make every effort to avoid it by walking 
in the opposite direction. Never attempt to 
approach a coyote, especially with a dog on 
leash. You are begging for trouble if you do! 
Coyotes are fascinating, beautiful creatures 
who have lived in these foothills since long before 
paved streets and neighborhoods crept up from 
the valleys. Whatever you do, show respect to 
them by recognizing their place in the balance 
of nature and by giving them the space they 
deserve. Use common sense in protecting your 
pets and children, enjoy the beauty of our natural 
environment and above all, love and let live!


Meet ZOEY & CHLOE! These two adorable 
twin sisters, age 8 months, are just so cute and 
playful! They have beautiful coloring, being 
a mix of tabby and tortoiseshell. Zoey has 
the black nose and is a bit tinier than Chloe, 
who has the lighter colored nose. Chloe is 
very friendly and 
outgoing, while 
Zoey is more shy 
at first. They are 
very bonded and 
will be adopted 
together, which 
qualifies for our 
Twofur Discount.

 Adoption fee 
is $100 for both, 
which includes spay, microchip, exam & vaccines. 
A great savings! Our cats are negative FELV/FIV 
unless otherwise indicated. 

See more pictures, videos, adoption info & 
application on our website, www.lifelineforpets.
org. Sorry, we are not accepting cats at this time.

GOOD NEWS: Bugsy & Sylvester, Stryder, and 
Jasper have all been adopted!

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

THE JOY OF YOGA


REFRESH YOUR PRACTICE

Are you in need 
of a shift in 
your practice 
or do you feel it 
has plateaued? 
Each one of 
us can experience this lack of excitement in 
practice. Even as a teacher--rather especially 
as a teacher-- I must keep my practice current 
and fresh. I have experienced many plateaus 
or times when I’ve done my practice just out 
of habit. Good thing consistency has seen me 
through those times.

 Whenever I’ve felt in a rut, this meant it was 
time to shift what I was doing. Literally. I didn’t 
change everything at once, but a few tweaks can 
make all the difference! To keep it interesting, I 
create a shift in my asana practice.

 Here’s what I recommend: Try a home 
practice every day and at least three group 
classes per week. If your home practice is less, 
practice three times per week and hit a group 
class 4-5 times during the week.

 A healthy physical asana practice (advanced, 
beginning, or gentle) can bring inner light 
forward, leading to inspiration. While improving 
digestion, circulation, and respiration, it also 
balances the subtle energetic body.

 Next, I always take a class or workshop with 
a new teacher. Undoubtedly, there is some 
new nugget of inspiration or a technique that 
provides greater effectiveness in my practice.

 Last, there’s some attention needed to my 
own Svadhyaya, or self-study. There are many 
areas of study as we delve into yogic philosophy 
and self-healing. Pick an area of interest and 
dive in! I’ve created lasting change in this area 
from changing my environment, lengthening 
my time in meditation, and changing how and 
what I eat. These are all parts of a healthy yoga 
practice.

 Cheers to evolving your own yoga practice in 
the best possible way!

Namaste,

Keely Totten

E-RYT 500, Yoga & Meditation Teacher, Reiki 
Master Practitioner

Teacher at YOGA MADRE


THE MISSING PAGE

Real Life Tips from LIfe's Instruction Manual

IT’S NOT ABOUT THE EFFORT

I live in an older home and 
caring for such a home can 
be challenging. Beloved 
architectural details require 
more work than their Plain Jane cousins. 

 Chair rails and wainscoting are dust catchers. 
Crown moldings, hardwood floors, and 
floorboards are hosts to dust bunnies. 

 Well, my lovely porcelain tile showers recently 
me reminded of a lesson. 

 I had been scrubbing the tile grout with a 
toothbrush because I thought it was the best way 
to clean small spots in between tiles. I tried hard, 
I added caustic chemicals, while I rubbed brushed 
and scrubbed. I had mediocre results.

 This week the heavens opened to me and 
revealed another way.

 I bought a new scrub brush, and it’s amazing! 
Just a couple of strokes of this brush removes the 
grime I had been struggling to eliminate.

 Sometimes, we need to make the easy way 
welcome and allow a solution in an unexpected 
form. 

 Just as the fly that wants to escape the house, 
needs to stop banging against the closed window, 
and to fly to the open door. We sometimes need to 
make ourselves open to different possibilities.

 Do you sometimes feel stuck? 

 Are you simply bored with your routine? Is there 
something that you are longing to experience? 
Doing life the same way day after day may no 
longer be working for you. 

 What could you do to make your daily 
experience more fulfilling? Is trying hard no 
longer working?

 We may need to use a different tool in our 
toolbox.

 To accomplish anything you need a clear vision 
because having a vision will motivate you. 

 Next, you’ll need clarity, and the best way to 
get clear is to write about your vision and create a 
vision statement. A vision statement is a personal 
document that you use to design your life. In it, 
you record all of the things that light you up and 
get you excited. You must include every area of 
your life relationships, creativity, employment, 
and health. Write down everything with great 
detail and keep going until you feel a sense of joy 
and passion. 

 The next step is to choose which area you want 
to explore first and then take a step. Perhaps start 
some research on your new adventure, but it is 
imperative that you take action and keep going.

 As an empowerment coach, I help my clients 
welcome more love, fun, creativity, and wealth 
into their lives with the amazing tools in my 
toolbox.

 I’m sharing a free workshop next Sunday, 
March 19th.

 Watch your email for the details.

 
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