Press for the Shelter Animals - Adopt Now!

Stray Cat Alliance pushed for press coverage on the desperate need to adopt animals out of our city and county shelters. The economic disaster has caused many to let their animals go - either leave them outside their homes to fend for themselves or worse, take them to the shelter for almost certain death.

SCA was successful in garnering publicity on this crisis. We want to thank the media for their swift and intelligent choice to promote adoption and reveal the number of animals killed needlessly in the shelters. SCA's Board member, Missy Woodward, was quoted on the front of the DailyNews article by Dana Bartholomew.

Now with the California state budget even slashed more drastically, the hold time in shelters has been reduced from 6-7 days to 72 hours. This means that shelters may choose to keep animals longer than the 72 hours, but they will not be reimbursed for that time as before.

Please tell others the time is now to adopt. If you ever thought of adopting an animal, please go now. Deaths are mounting daily and the animals need you...especially in kitten and puppy season. Spay/Neuter is the ONLY solution. Promote this wherever you can. There are several low cost options available. Contact the LA Animal Services and local rescue groups for more information.

Pit Bull Blues - a new music video

John Shipe has created a fabulous song, 'Pit Bull Blues', detailing the myths of pit bulls and their personality. Jeff Fleiss of Doggy TV did a great job directing. This video is amazing and needs to be shared with others.

The lyrics say it all:

Pit Bull Blues by John Shipe

People see me walking down the street they all run and hide.

I used to take it personally not take it in strides.

I got nothing against no one I wouldn’t hurt a fly.

People seem to think i’m mean and heres why, and heres why…

I’m a pitbull, big bown red nose pitbull, a tooth baring muscle bound pitbull, I look like I can tear the steel off a locamotive freight train.

People park three spaces away when I’m waiting in the car.

All the kids in the neighborhood they never walk through my yard.

And there's a rumor floatin' around the county that I ate three cats,

But I swear from the bottom of my K9 heart I didn’t do that.

Nooo I didnt do that.

But I’m a pitbull, big brown red nose pitbull, a tooth bare\ing muscle bound pitbull, I look like I can dig a hole through a concrete wall.

yaaa.

I got these pitbull blues all I want to do is sniff your shoes.

I aint no killer hound though I'm the friendliest dog in town.

The shear sound of my bark can break through arctic ice.

Deep down I’m a pussy cat, I’m just trying to be nice.

In case you didn’t notice I’m wagging my tail at the speed of light.

But no matter what I do I'm accused of looking for a fight.

yaaa

cause I'm…

A pitbull, a big brown red nose pitbull, a tooth baring muscle bound pitbull, I look like I can crush a cannonball with my jaws.

Return to the PAWsitive

Many months, almost year, since last post. Sadly my TV show, Critter Crusades, was put on hiatus due to loss of public access studios being available, so on to new and interesting ventures...like Pawsitive Talk Radio starting soon - details to come.

Soooo much going on in the Pawsitive world - animals being rescued, major issues being fought for - like a 65 year old woman in Beverly Hills facing jail time...for feeding CATS???? Many humane groups kept the Beverly Hills City Council up until almost 2 a.m. on Tuesday night...er... morning. Check out the AnimalNews.info video where I reported on this - #63 most discussed topic in Pets and Animals on YouTube.

I have a VERY old, arthritic feral in a trap outside ready to return him to his colony. He has no teeth and is trying to be mean...but sadly can barely even move in the cage. I am harassed and my license is taken whenever I feed a small group of kitties who are mostly all TNR'd (Trap, Neuter and Return). Oh well, so sue me...uh...arrest me!

More posts to follow - but needed to catch up this week!

Blankets of Love - Eileen Smulson

CritterCrusades latest guest, Eileen Smulson, is a true champion for animals. She decided to make a difference just at her local shelter by gathering blankets and towels from friends and give them to the animals so they are more comfortable in their cages or runs. Amazingly, this idea blossomed by generous donations that would not end. Soon she was giving out blankets, towels and even toys to LA's six shelters. As the animals soil them and often tear them up from frustration, there is a constant need for thee items. As it has been documented, animals with towels and bedding appear more adoptable...mainly because they are more comforted than lying on a cold cement floor or wire cage with newspaper. No problem for this animal crusader, Eileen kept putting out the word to stores, organizations, individuals and even going to schools educating children. And the donations came flowing in...literally in truckloads. She soon had to branch out to county shelters and non-profits. She says it's like Santa bringing in bags and bags of gifts. The shelter workers are so amazed and cannot believe the endless supply she keeps bringing. It's truly a gift of love that keeps on giving. The animals benefit and so do the children that learn about the plight of overpopulation at our shelters. Field trips also assist in the education process and the kids love to see that their blanket drives make a difference to the animals. Eileen is branching out to receiving food and toys for animals as well. Her dream? To supply the needed money to help non-profits save more lives through veterinarian care, the part of rescue that drains all resources. Thank you Eileen for taking your experience in non-profit fundraising and applying it to the world of animal rescue. Your altruism is an inspiration to all. To get in touch with Eileen and help bring more blankets of love to the animals, writer her at eicreate@aol.com.

Best Friends in Deed

The annual Best Friends animal adoption event on June 4, 2006 in Manchester Park brought together wonderful animals and devoted rescuers for a wonderful cause. LA Animal Services was able to bring hundreds of animals from the shelter and so many walked, were carried or hopped out of the park to new loving homes. Best Friends opened the event to many rescue groups as well so every group in the City of LA was allowed to show their precious pooches and pussycats to potential pet guardians. What a success it was in the cat area for me as a first time LAAS volunteer. I had so much fun showing off the kitties and finding the right matches. Some are shown here. Best news, every cat left to either a home or a rescue group - yeah for the kitties!

My interview with Ed Boks, General Manager of LA Animal Services, and Heidi Hubner, Director of Volunteer Services is informative and explains how YOU can make a difference and help at a Mobile Pet Adoptions to get animals out of the shelters and into the loving arms of families across the Southland. Over 90+ volunteers helped out...even Starbucks' employees left their java and made it a day for the animals. Check out some great photos of the day's festivities. I made friends and learned many things about cats...which I didn't know even being the mom of a crazy brood of three knuckleheads. You never learn everything about animals and this is a great opportunity to learn and comfort these sentient beings that are just coming out of a stressful situation, such as living on the streets and being put in a shelter. You are needed to help them shine and show well so potential adopters will see their best side. And as we all know, shelter animals make the BEST pets...I know, I have had many.

Make a difference - VOLUNTEER at LA Animal Services or any number of rescue groups across the nation.

Learn more about Critter Crusades and our shows to highlight the world of animal rescue!

Spay and Neuter!

Homeopathic Kitties

Well, the kitties had quite the excursion going to see Dr. John - John O as I call him - the genious doctor of homeopathy and naturopathy. They started the day on the picnic benches in cages under the lemon trees filled with birds. Then, to their surprise...and mine...they were then taken to his new "examining room". Actually it was his converted garage/laboratory. All white, nice tables, examining table with of course a window overlooking a beautiful bougenvilla (sp?) bush. It was truly quite a change from the sterile and scary vets' office scenarios. The cats all roamed around sniffing everything in sight and then would sit with John as he would gently touch, gaze, inspect and even hug them one by one.

What if all of us could have such caring treatment ...to health....not illness? What a change we would have. Lots of laughter, instruction on the healing process and diagnosis of 'personality' versus disease. It is such a fascinating process and I highly recommend this to the basic shots and blood tests. So much diagnostic work can be done now and the chances of preventing disease are very high when an animals state of being is balanced. We should ALL be doing this for ourselves.

John helped my dear Astro live to 15 and I am so grateful. He always called him "the Captain" as he would run around his yard and the construction site as it was for over 1.5 years. H did a complete remake of a little shanty into a huge two storied home and then lab/exam facility. All this in his retirement years. After working on 75,000 race horses and then thousands of animals he is getting weary...but happy newly married and enjoying the good life he deserves for sharing his knowledge and love to all our animals. I am so blessed to have him on my 'medical' team. I dare say the kitties won't mind another visit!

Check out new shows on my site Critter Crusades

A New Year for the Animals

Happy New Year! Will it be for the animals of Los Angeles in the shelter systems? There is such hope with a new General Manager in place who expresses ideas that could be taken from the mouth of a rescue organization. But can it be achieved in the bureaucratic system of LA with union workers and apathy amongst council and city officials? Now is the time to see if LA can become the example for all cities to follow for a No Kill system of animal shelters.

Everyone has to be involved, everyone has to be patient, everyone has to keep helping the animals as though it will not happen as everything takes time. New policies and procedures need to be implemented, laws followed, new proposals developed the money to make it all happen.

We need to stay positive and hopeful for a new beginning to make sure that LA lives up to its name ... the City of Angels...for the animals.

Blessings,

Missy and the cats