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With Valentine’s Day around the corner, residents are being asked to perform the ultimate act of love by giving a home to one of the hundreds of pets that have poured into Solano County shelters and are waiting to be adopted.

To help make that task even easier, the Solano County Animal Shelter is taking half off all of its pet adoption fees from Feb. 7 to 14, said manager Ron Whitefield, who has spent the last 8 1/2 years working at the shelter.

While the normal adoption fee for dogs is $95 and around $40 to add a new friendly feline to your family, community members will have the opportunity to find the perfect pet for them at a fraction of the cost, Whitefield said. Adoption fees also include spaying or neutering the animal, as well as all vaccinations and microchipping.

“That’s a lot for the money, it really is,” Whitefield said.

The “Won’t You Be My Valentine” adoption event is just one of many events the shelter has put on to try to increase adoption numbers, including a December deal that paired senior cats and dogs to senior citizens for free.

“We try to do as much as possible to try to get as many cats and dogs back into the community,” he said.

Because of limited space, staff members are working to find good homes for the approximately 150 dogs and 150 cats being housed at the shelter.

More here: Valentine’s Day deal offered at Solano County Animal Shelter – The Reporter.

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A new animal shelter opening today in Mission Hills marks a unique partnership between the city and a nonprofit animal charity. | Photo gallery

Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society will operate its no-kill shelter and pet adoption center at 15321 S. Brand Boulevard. The site formerly housed the city-run Northeast Animal Care Center.

The new facility will offer pet adoptions, spay and neuter services, and licenses. The roughly 100 dogs and cats housed at the center come from the city’s six Animals Services shelters.

“We’ll have cats and dogs of all sizes, shapes, colors and breeds,” said Jennifer Krause, marketing specialist at Best Friends.

The City Council voted last year to turn over operations to Best Friends, arguing the city could save an estimated $3.3 million a year in salaries and related costs by letting a private group run the shelter.

The facility, which was closed to the public, formerly housed problem animals and pets whose owners were in jail. The $19.5 million mission-style facility was completed in 2008, paid for with part of a $154 million bond issued to build and upgrade animal facilities. But it never operated at full capacity because of city funding shortfalls.

The city continues to pay debt on that bond, according to city administrative officer Miguel Santana, who praised the deal with Best Friends.

“This allows the city to provide better services to the community by sharing expenses with a nonprofit,” Santana said, adding that animals’ lives will be saved through the partnership.

Best Friends has promised to invest more than $1 million in the Northeast Shelter and told City Council members last year it will be able to provide 3,000 adoptions in its first year. It also predicts it will spay or neuter 6,000 animals.

Santana said the city is looking to replicate the Mission Hills model with a shelter in South L.A.

The Best Friends Pet Adoption Center will open at 10 a.m. today. Operating hours are: Wednesday-Friday, 12-8 p.m., and Saturday and Monday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

More here: City-built animal shelter opening in Mission Hills under management of nonprofit animal group – ContraCostaTimes.com.

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From DAWG, Santa Barbara, CA:

Albert is a beautiful neutered five-year-old male. He has the most expressive eyes and ears of any young man you’ve ever seen! Albert gets along with other dogs and loves people. Like a typical pit, he attaches quickly and is very loyal. He will make an excellent companion.

To inquire about adopting a dog, visit DAWG in Santa Barbara. DAWG (Dog Adoption and Welfare Group) is a no-kill not for profit dog rescue/adoption organization located at 5480 Overpass Road, Goleta. For more information, call (805) 681-0561. You can view more adoptable dogs at www.sbdawg.org.

More here: The Santa Barbara Independent Adoptable Pet of the Week.

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On Sunday, February 12, come find a new love — one with fur on four paws.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Sunday before Valentine’s Day, East Valley Animal Shelter, 14409 Vanowen Street, near the corner of Van Nuys Boulevard in Van Nuys, your furry valentine will be waiting to meet you.

Working with LA Animal Services, the Pet Care Foundation will host a huge pet adoption fair with music, face painting, lots of goodies, card making and most importantly hundreds of dogs and cats for you to choose from as your new family member.

This year Valentines can be found at all LA City Animal Shelters. For locations, visit www.laanimalservices.com, where you can also view all adoptable pets currently in the shelters.

The Pet Care Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of homeless pets in the Los Angeles area. For more information contact: bcrowe@kenquest.com, www.pets90210.org, or call (310) 887-7070.

Originally posted here: My Furry Valentine Adopt a Shelter Sweetheart – Topanga Messenger.

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From Humane Society Silicon Valley, Los Gatos, CA:

After living alone on the train tracks and spending many cold and hungry nights, this fighting canine was rescued by a hero and is now ready for adoption.

Mrs. Meerkat had a rough life before she came to the Humane Society Silicon Valley pet adoption shelter.

She lived alone on the train tracks and was hungry and cold until she was rescued by a hero.

Since then, Mrs. Meerkat has thrived and is ready to find her forever home.

If you’re looking for a low-key, loyal companion with a new lease on life then Mrs. Meerkat is the one for you.

Watch Mrs. Meerkat’s video on Humane Society Silicon Valley’s website

More here: Pet of the week—Mrs. Meerkat – Los Gatos, CA Patch.

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A cat called Monroe and a Chihuahua named Kringle (right) now have new digs. They are among the first 50 arrivals at Best Friends Pet Adoption and Spay/Neuter Services in the Mission Hills area of Los Angeles. The doors to the shelter are set to open to the public on Saturday, January 28.

Monroe and Kringle, who were transferred to the center from Los Angeles city shelters, came as a result of Best Friends’ agreement with the city to run the center. It was built in 2008 but never opened to the public because of a shortage of funds.

But that was then and this is now. Today, the building is outfitted as a state-of-the-art adoption center that will also provide affordable spay/neuter services for area residents. And Best Friends volunteers and staff have been busy readying the shelter for its new animal residents, who will be brought to the facility from the city’s six other shelters.

Preparing for opening day

“Our local volunteers and staff have come together for an amazing, perfect storm of awesome,” says Kaylee Hawkins, volunteer coordinator with L.A. programs. “In 12 hours, the kennels were deep cleaned, flowers were planted, 40-plus animals arrived, and supplies were put away.” All told, about 30 people showed up to help prepare the center for opening day, Kaylee points out.

More here: New digs, new day.

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Thump. Thwack. Wiggle. Quiver.

The canine tail is a versatile appendage that does much more than wag the dog. Most often, we think of the tail in terms of body language, but in addition to communicating intent through movement, it also wafts a dog’s scent through an area, announcing its presence to other dogs; operates as a rudder in water, helping the dog to make quick, easy turns; aids in balance when the dog is crossing a narrow walkway or jumping, climbing or running; and even helps to keep the dog warm. Think of a furry Siberian Husky, wrapped in the warmth of its tail on a cold or wet day.

Depending on its length, the tail is made up of 5 to 23 vertebrae that form the end of the spinal column. It’s powered by the caudalis and sacrococcygeus muscles.

If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a wagging tail, you might think that it’s a tough part of the canine anatomy, not easily damaged, but the truth is that it’s more prone to injury than you might think.

Tail Troubles

For one thing, the large number of blood vessels that feed it make it prone to bleeding. For another, the tail’s exposed position puts it in the way of heavy feet, slammed doors and thorny brush. Dogs with thin, delicate skin can wind up with a bloody pulp of a tail from bashing it against a wall, fence or door—a condition sometimes referred to as “happy tail.”

More here: Wagging, Wiggling Pet Tails – Lake Forest, CA Patch.

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From Forgotten Angels Cat Rescue, Palmdale, CA:

My name is Karma and my family recently lost their home so my boys and I are looking for new homes of our own. I am still a very young girl and I do like to play with my toys but I am ALL ABOUT PEOPLE. The more that I can hang out with you watching tv, reading a good book or just enjoying you stroking my furr, I am the happiest girl around. I do well with other kitties once I get to know them and I dont really mind the old dog in my foster home either. I like pretty much everybody and anybody that is going to want to pet me and give me some attention. If you are looking for a sweet girl to add to your family, please give me the warm bed and love Ive been waiting for. (Birthday: 8/2008) If you would like to meet this LAP KITTY, please call Cathy at 661-273-9822 or email her at hosford@hotmail.com

See her here: Petfinder Adoptable Cat | Domestic Short Hair | Palmdale, CA | Karma.

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Waiving the pet adoption fee for one day was so successful the city would like to do it for an entire month.

The Indio City Council meets at 5 p.m. today inside City Council chambers, 150 Civic Center Mall and will vote on waiving the $20 fee for one month beginning Feb. 1.On Dec. 17 the city held an open house at the Animal Care Center of Indio and waived fees for that day resulting in 11 pet adoptions.In comparison, over the last three months the city adopted out 34 pets, which averages to about 11 a month.

Originally posted here: Council may again waive pet adoption fee | The Desert Sun | MyDesert.com.

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The sound of barks ranging in pitch could be heard outside the Unleashed by Petco store in the Plaza Pacifica shopping center Saturday morning. An adorable, outgoing six-year-old bulldog/boxer named Pirate was standing guard with tail wagging and a smile equipped with a large, pink tongue ready to lick the next passerby.

Pet Place International, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing dogs, cats and horses, paid a monthly visit to the store to encourage adoption of shelter dogs who just escaped euthanization.

The mixed breed dogs could be seen (and heard) throughout the parking lot happily making their presence known with a lick and bark to friendly strangers passing through.

The group works with city shelters to make the adoptions affordable, Pet Place volunteer Joan Grandizio explained.

“The dogs come with shots, are microchipped and if they are not spayed or neutered, they received that treatment as well,” she said.

More here: Pet Place Dog Adoption Pays a Visit to San Clemente – San Clemente, CA Patch.