We all felt it. This year’s St. Patrick’s Day is the day all of Los Angeles woke up at the same time, including pets! Most of us were still in bed and simply opened our eyes with a blank stare, processing what was happening while holding our breaths. That’s not exactly the same reaction our pets had!
One of my closest friends has a Siamese cat, “Boots”, who she described as flying through the air and through her open window! (Thank goodness the screen broke his fall!) Unfortunately, Boots and many other panicked pets were lost during the quake, which caused a slight influx of stray animals at our local shelters.
Not only did our house pets get rumbled from their beds, many strays were shaken from their comfort areas, too. Because of this, many shelters, particularly the East Valley Animal Shelter in Van Nuys, received a higher amount of animals following the quake.
What better time to foster and adopt than now? I visited the East Valley Animal Shelter shortly after the quake, and I fell in love! I noticed there were many pets that clearly must have owners, looking sad and lonely, and missing mom or dad. The new environment is stressful enough, but add to that the recent quake and the unrecognizable faces they encounter while lost from home – it’s heartbreaking! If I could have taken all the pets home, I would have!
The animals are in excellent care at the shelter, but I have a soft spot for those kiddos, and just wish more of us could get out there and take them out to play or find them homes. Here’s where I come in!
Is your heart melting yet? The East Valley Animal Shelter has a quick and simple process for adoption. In addition to that, they provide each animal with all the care they need prior to joining its new family. Spay and neuter surgeries, microchip identification, vaccinations and medical care/information are all included! They have play areas where a staff member or volunteer takes dogs to roam throughout the day. The facility is clean and kept up. However, even with as many cells that the shelter has to accommodate the animals, there are always so many that the facility is overloaded. If you’re not ready to adopt, doing your part by fostering could help greatly! Just visit the shelter one time, and I promise you, you’ll fall in love! By the way, look at these adorable puppies!
I was so moved by my visit to this shelter, I want to feature adoptable pets in each article. These puppies are both male, their sister in a different cell. They are 8 week old multicolored Chihuahua/Dachshund cuties! Each animal is different, but my first dog was this same breed, and she had the BEST personality in the world – just saying! I hope I’ve motivated some of you to at least visit! And don’t worry, Boots made it back home safely.
Visit today! www.laanimalservices.com/shelters/