Enter your best buddy in the Long Beach’s Favorite Pet Competition!
The new contest is open to Long Beach resident animals and their people.
Who’s the best pet in the whole world?
Whether it’s a cat, a dog, a bunny, a snake or a hissing cockroach, you know that the best pet anywhere is the one who shares your home. Thanks to Partners of Parks, a local independent nonprofit that supports Long Beach’s parks, your buddy now has the opportunity to compete for the honorific of Long Beach’s Favorite Pet! Of course, since you’re the one with the opposable thumbs and the ability to fill out a simple form, you’ll have to do the entry work.
Partners of Parks executive director Ashley Jones and her adopted son, Gumbo Lee Jones, hit on the idea of creating the competition after she entered Gumbo into the nationwide America’s Favorite Pet competition. Gumbo had been the longest-stay dog at Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS) for probably ever — he spent nearly two years in a kennel and would be there still had not Jones come running for him. Gumbo didn’t make the finals in America’s Favorite Pet, but he did finish in the quarterfinals, which comprised the top 1% of entries. Scratch This! covered his story in February.
Jones soon hit on the idea of a competition for Long Beach’s favorite pet, using America’s Favorite Pet as a template.
“I thought I could run this competition better as a fundraiser for our local shelter,” Jones said.
Jones presented her idea at a recent Long Beach City Council meeting. It met with unanimous approval. It took only a couple of weeks to get it up and running as the inaugural Long Beach’s Favorite Pet Competition benefitting Long Beach Animal Care Services. Applications for the competition are open now, with cash prizes, medals and goodies for you and your pal to win.
You’ll enter your pet in one of three categories: “Cats,” “Dogs,” and “Other,” meaning any pet legal to keep in California. Entering is as easy as feeding a goldfish: Access the contest information page from the Partners of Parks website, or click this link. There, you’ll find links for paying the $10 entry fee, which is a donation to LBACS; filling out the information form; and flying your friend’s photo on Instagram. Be sure to fully complete the application so that it will be considered, and read the rules. Here’s an excerpt:
- You must be 18 or over to enter (guardians may enter on behalf of someone under 18) and live within Long Beach city limits.
- Only two entries per household are eligible. If you have a lot of pets, choose the two with the best personalities, even if it’s an aquarium full of fish.
- Pets must be legal to keep in California, for example, gerbils, ferrets and hedgehogs may not enter. Access this link for a full listing of animals illegal to keep in California.
- Partners of Parks employees and immediate family members are not eligible to compete.
- Because the contest winners will need to be present, only living pets are eligible.
- All applicants must acknowledge they have read contest rules and allow for photo release via the Google form.
Applications close Sunday, April 26 at 11:59 p.m. Partners of Parks will then publicly announce a team of judges that Jones says will be "animal adjacent," i.e., are associated somehow with pets. (Partners of Parks staff members will not serve as judges.) The judges will select the top 20% of entrants from each category based on photos and written responses. All decisions will be final. If a judge should recognize a pet or the pet’s human as a friend, an alternate judge will be selected to evaluate that pet. Fair enough!
Semi-finalists will be contacted and announced to the public on Monday, May 4. Then, the public will have at it! People will access an online voting page where they will vote with their wallets for the winner, with a maximum allowed donation of $500. Only donations made through the Partners of Parks portal will be accepted — no other forms of payment such as checks or cash are allowed. Don’t use a bot to vote, either, or the pet will be disqualified!
All the money will go to LBACS, where it will be spent on medical care, spay/neuter, food, cat litter, leashes, toys, and lots and lots of treats — everything that will improve the lives of shelter pets. They’re going to be someone’s favorite pet someday, too!
Finalists will be announced Monday, May 18. Public voting will continue until 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 27.
The real fun begins in late May or early June when Partners of Parks hosts a big bash for the winners, their humans and the entire pet community. The organization will announce the winners and present them with their awards at the Pet Pawrty and Awards Ceremony. First-, second- and third-place winners in each category will receive cash prizes, medals and an Ultimate Parent & Pet Prize Pack, which will include donations from Chewy, Petco, Reptile Zoo, Raising Cane's, Yoga Six, The Aquarium and Spaw for Paws, all of which sponsor the event. Long Beach-based pet products producer and purveyor Redbarn is the event’s Top Dog sponsor.
On Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5, Jones and Gumbo will be guests on “Mornings on the Beach” Long Beach’s KLBP-FM 99.1 8 a.m. show to talk about the competition. Keep up with the Long Beach’s Favorite Pet page for updates and additional information.
Whether your pet wins, places, shows, or just gets their photo out there, they’re still the best pet in the whole world. You know it, and so does your pet.
Tag your buddy on the competition’s Instagram page, @LongBeachsFavoritePet. Check the link for updates, and email any questions about Long Beach’s Favorite Pet to Info@poplb.org. Good luck!
YOURS DROOLY
Of course, if you don’t have a pet or want to get a companion for the one you have (you’re allowed two contest entries!), make Long Beach Animal Care Services your first stop. Gumbo would agree.
LBACS has dogs and cats, particularly dogs — a lot of them fill the kennels, particularly the big ones. You can get some great pups there. Again, just ask Gumbo.
LBACS also gets in pocket pets like gerbils and hamsters, mice and rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, birds and the occasional goat, pig or chicken. A listing of all the pets is available here. Better yet, you can go in yourself and ask if they have anyone besides cats and dogs. That way, you can meet them in person. Shelter 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). Otherwise, email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov. You can also call (562) 570-4925.
If you like big, friendly Siberian huskies and know how to handle this active breed, Brindabella (ID#A747388) can be your favorite pet! Brindabella is gorgeous with her reddish coat and mismatched eyes. She’ll race you to any seating area you want to occupy and take up most of it. If you get there first, she’ll lean on you, which is comforting! She’s just a year old and has spent most of that year cooped up for most of the day in a kennel. The volunteers love her and want her to live her best life. Ready to get husky?
Nanny-nanny-boo-boo! That’s what Phillip (ID#A757736) says to anyone who passes by his kennel without offering a head scritch or a cuddle. Phillip is 6 months old and your typical bratty kid — volunteer Janet says that he's an absolute angel, but when she opens the kennel door for some lap time, Phil tries to sneak past her lap to get to the floor. Maybe his name should be Sneaky Pete! Whoever takes this fun orange fellow home can change his name!
Ziazan (ID# A751382) at 11 months old is just emerging from kittenhood. The Easter Bunny came by for a visit a few days ago, but she was a little confused by the enormous rabbit and didn’t want to leave her kennel.
Ziazan is super sweet and playful. She’s available to go home with anyone who wants to add a brown tabby to the household. However, she’s receiving treatment for gut issues, so if you really want to help a sweet cat, Ziazan is the one for you. Just don’t let her near the Easter basket. In fact, don’t let any pet near the Easter basket.
TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS
Paws on the Promenade
Walk your doggie down the Downtown Promenade on the first Tuesday of every month! Meet fellow dog lovers, and enjoy a group walk through DTLB. Great way to socialize your best buddy, not to mention yourself! Paws on the Promenade is organized by Downtown Long Beach Alliance’s Opposite of Ordinary. Remember to leash your dog and bring poop bags!
Paws on the Promenade takes place Tuesday, April 7 and every first Tuesday of the month thereafter at the Long Beach Promenade. Meetup time is 6 p.m.; walk time is 6:30 p.m.
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, April 18, 5100 E. The Toledo, Long Beach. No cost for the meeting, but let the leads know that you’re coming here.
National Cat Lady Day Celebration
The term “cat lady” is no longer taken on as a slur or a taunt even if it’s meant as one, and good for us! Cat ladies — men, too, who love cats call themselves cat ladies or at least cat dads — are people to celebrate, and that’s exactly what the Feline Good Social Club will do this month! Put on your black pants with the shed fur all over the seat and legs, and join in the fun at Long Beach’s first cat lounge. There, you’ll be in cat-lady heaven as over 40 sweet and adoptable cats swarm all over you. You can have your photo taken at the photo booth and cement your status as an official cat lady. More info and ticket sales here! Please don’t bring your own cat—you can always adopt one from Feline Good Social Club!
The National Cat Lady Day Celebration takes place April 26, noon–5 p.m., at the Feline Good Social Club, 301 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach. Ticket prices $30.
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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