Could your pet be Long Beach's Favorite?
Gumbo Lee Jones is the inspiration for an upcoming citywide competition.
“This is my son, Gumbo.” Ashley Jones, executive director of Partners of Parks, thus introduced her new family member at the March 10 Long Beach City Council. Gumbo attended the meeting as ambassador for Jones’ presentation of Long Beach’s Favorite Pet, a competition and celebration of the city’s pets and the people who love them. Partners of Parks, a nonprofit serving the Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, will host the event as a fundraiser for Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS).
“Partners of Parks is a nonprofit unique in the sense that we serve a city department,” Jones said. “We’ve had a lot of events and fundraisers that focus on Parks and Recreation, but not as much on Animal Care Services.”
Jones opened the slide show presentation with the story of Gumbo, who was alternating his activity between wagging his tail at the council members, lying down at Jones’ feet, and trying to make forays into the audience.
Gumbo was LBACS’ longest-stay resident. He lived in a kennel for nearly two years, with breaks for outings, walks and playing with the volunteers. A pretty fellow with expressive caramel-brown eyes, Gumbo was a favorite of LBACS volunteers. But despite their every effort, Gumbo remained stuck in the kennel until his situation caught Jones’ eye. It was love at first sight for both of them.
Scratch This! told Gumbo and Jones’ story a couple weeks ago.
Jones wanted to share the joy that she and Gumbo bring into each other’s lives. She came across the perfect opportunity when she saw the America’s Favorite Pet competition, hosted by actors Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg. She entered Gumbo, and he made the top 1% but ultimately didn’t win the contest. But he did inspire Jones to pass it forward to the pets in Long Beach, be they dog, cat, bunny, goat, chicken, gerbil, parrot, tortoise, tarantula or whatever you may legally live with here.
Long Beach’s Favorite Pet competition will take place during National Pet Month in May. Long Beach residents can enter their best buddy in one of three categories: dog, cat and other — if you have a pair of goats or a hissing cockroach, enter them. Several pet-friendly Long Beach businesses are also onboard with the event and will provide cash awards and in-kind prizes for pets and their parents.
A particular incentive and in-depth LBACS focus will take place during each of the four weeks in May, including long-stay pet adoptions, pet licensing, spay/neuter and microchipping.
“There are a lot of health and welfare services that need to be provided to our community and their pets: keeping them spayed and neutered, microchipped, registered [via licensing],” Jones said. “We also want to generate interest and excitement about the pets in our local shelter — getting more pets adopted.”
All applicants for Long Beach’s Favorite Pet must be Long Beach residents. Applications for the contest will be accessible on the Partners of Parks website by March 23, the starting date to apply. Scratch This! will publish a link in the Tail-Waggin’ and Nose-Boopin’ Events section. Applicants will answer a few questions about themselves and their pet on the application and upload photos along with it.
The semifinalists will be announced Monday, May 4, followed by voting from the public on Monday, May 18. The big winners will receive their awards on Friday, May 29, at the Pet Pawty and Awards Ceremony at El Dorado Park.
All funds from the event will benefit LBACS.
Jones said that she’d love to see involvement by the mayor and City Council in Long Beach’s Favorite Pet. She reminded them of former mayor Robert Garcia’s celebration of National Pet Month with the Kitty Hall adoption events.
“We would love to bring that back, and we would love to have you, Mayor Richardson, come to LBACS and create a Rexceptional Day of Pets, maybe conduct your meetings from there and feature some of the long-stay legends,” Jones said.
“I think that’s a Rexcellent idea,” the mayor quipped.
Richardson said that although he’s allergic to cat dander, he’s visited LBACS several times and would be happy to help and coordinate with City Council.
“I haven’t seen Partners of Parks engage in such a pet-focused activity, so congratulations to you, and thank you for stepping up for our pets in Long Beach,” he said.
Watch social media and your inbox for updates and participation information for Long Beach’s Favorite Pet competition and National Pet Month activities. For more details, visit Partners of Parks or email info@poplb.org. Check out Gumbo’s Instagram page @gumboleejones.
YOURS DROOLY
LBACS has lots of dogs and cats waiting to be someone’s favorite pet, and rabbits wait in the Bunny Barn. Every now and then, Animal Control will bring in a chicken, a cockatiel, a snake, a pocket pet or another lost or abandoned animal — earlier in the week, a guinea pig took residence, but she seems to have found a home. You can see who’s who at LBACS on this link.
Dogs at LBACS, however, have the most urgent need of adoption, especially senior dogs and big dogs. LBACS’ staff and volunteers do everything they can to make these dogs visible and adoptable. Sometimes, it works beautifully. Other times, a good dog whom the volunteers adore sits and stays for months and sometimes years.
It’s always a celebration when someone cares enough to come to the shelter and meet a senior or a long-stay dog. When the dog stars align and they go home together, it’s that pooch’s lucky day.
In honor of Gumbo and his mom, Ashley Jones, we present three wonderful dogs who need to be seen in the realest sense. To foster or adopt any of them, email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov. You can also call 562-570-4925. Better yet, come down and meet them to see how great they are. LBACS hours are Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 7700 E. Spring St. at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors). This month, LBACS is featuring a St. Paddy’s Day special: $17 adoption fee for any dog and $7 fee for any cat who’s been at the shelter 30 days or longer.
Speaking of St. Patrick’s Day, if you can’t find a four-leaf clover, how about a lucky Penny (ID# A746451)? Here she is in volunteer Cheryl’s car, all ready for a Fido Field Trip to Pitbull Appreciation Day, where she got to join a pack walk, enjoy the park, and even paint a picture. (LBACS dogs each have a special talent — Penny’s a regular Vincent van Dogh). The field trips and other outings have helped Penny come out of the shell she was in when she first came to the shelter.
She’s in foster now, and her foster said that once she’s comfy, she loves to snuggle and put her front paws on her for hugs. She still gets a little jittery — she once gave a low growl when she saw a feather on the grass during a walk until she went over and investigated it! Penny will be good with someone who has patience with her and doesn’t push themselves on her. She’ll be a lucky Penny indeed!
Kaia. Video courtesy of LBACS
Kaia (ID#A756343) is a sweet, gray pittie with limited vision and hearing. But she sure doesn’t lack in heart, soul and sense of humor! The volunteers took the dogs for St. Paddy’s Day photos with the head leprechaun, and Kaia had such a great time that she rewarded her walker, volunteer Alison, with “a million kisses!” Kaia is estimated to be 8 years old, is super-easy to walk, and loves treats.
Isn’t Howie (ID#A755788) unique! He’s a white pittie, and the volunteers describe him as “just a gem.” Howie’s a senior at 13, but he’s what you’d call spry and ready for a good time. He’s an absolute love to walk — he likes to select the pace. He’s easy to leash and truly enjoys being out with his people buddies. Of course, he loves treats as well, and had a great time with the LBACS leprechaun!
TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS
Show Me Your Kitties Cabaret
Get ready for a night of feline-filled fun and fabulousness! Show Me Your Kitties Cabaret is a classic cabaret with a twist: the entire show is cat-themed! The Little Lion Foundation is producing a lineup of dazzling performers, all coming together to raise money for the Long Beach-based nonprofit dedicated to saving the lives of kittens. Join us at the Altar Society for an evening of glitter, glamour, and good deeds as we shimmy, shake, and strut our tails off to support spay/neuter services, kitten rescue, and the Little Lion Foundation's life-saving programs. Not included in ticket prices are competitions for gift baskets, cocktails to swig and a limited menu from the Altar Society. Oh yes — it’ll be Friday the 13th, so wear your basic black-cat attire! All proceeds from ticket sales go to the Little Lions’ little lions!
Show Us Your Kitties Cabaret Doors takes place Friday, March 13, 6:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m. at the Altar Society, 230 Pine Ave., Long Beach. Get there early to get good seats. Buy your tickets here.
Pet Loss and Illness Support Group
The worst day in the life you share with a pet is the day you have to say goodbye forever. Grief is personal on the one hand, and on the other hand, you have a lot of company who get what you’re going through. Helen Sanders CatPAWS rescue gets it, too, and offers a space for anyone who also gets it, who’ll never say to you, “But it was just a cat.” Or a dog, or a rabbit, or a horse, or a goldfish. The members of this group will listen, connect, and support you, and you’ll do the same for them.
The Pet Loss and Illness Support Group takes place Saturday, March 21, at 11 a.m. in the library room at Bay Shore Community Congregational Church, 5100 E. The Toledo, Long Beach. No cost for the meeting, but let the leads know that you’re coming here.
Let’s go bowling with Helen Sanders CatPAWS!
When your cat sits up straight, their little head pointing upward, do you think of bowling pins? When they knock the cup that holds your pens to the floor, do you suddenly yell “Strike!”? If you do, you’ll love this event! Helen Sanders CatPAWS 13th Annual Bowling Fundraiser will give you a great way to focus and vent your energy and support this nonprofit rescue at the same time. Shoes and a snack are included!
Hate bowling? Come anyway and cheer your team on! Bid on silent auction items, and win a prize for your bowling skill or lack of same. Funds will support CatPAWS’ spay/neuter programs for community cats and owned cats and will pay the medical bills for the rescued cats, which will turn them into the adorable adoptables you can see on their Adoptions page and in person at the Seal Beach PetSmart. Purchase tickets here.
CatPAWS’ 13th Annual Bowling Fundraiser takes place Saturday, March 21, 3 p.m.–6 p.m. at Westminster Lanes, 6471 Westminster Blvd., Westminster. Ticket prices $45 for bowlers, $25 for non-bowlers. Snack is included in both tickets.
Need a low-cost veterinarian, information about trapping community cats, places to volunteer, pet food, veterinary assistance, rescues and shelters to adopt from — anything pet related? Follow this link for resources. Please add your own ideas in the Comments section.
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