I saw Rover licking Santa Claus!

The "I'll Be Home fur Christmas" event in Tail waggin' and nose-boopin' events was corrected to show the correct date of the event.

All dogs, no matter the breed, breeds or behavior, are on Santa’s nice list. So, the big guy thought it would be a great idea to visit Long Beach Animal Care Services on Saturday, Dec. 14. Easy-peasy for Santy: all the resident doggies wanted the same thing: a forever home with patient, loving human or humans who’ll help them solve any issues they have and the desire to love and treasure them forever and ever. Oh, yeah — unlimited treats, toys and a few bully sticks to chew on.

The volunteers and staff members’ enthusiasm and love for the pups created a gleeful event for the pets who wanted to participate.

“We did it last year — Santa just walked through the door, and we grabbed a couple of dogs and took a photo,” volunteer Katrina said. “It was so much fun that this year, Chris [Hawkes, behavioral and enrichment specialist, transfer coordinator, and general factotum to anyone and everything dog at LBACS] said, ‘Let’s just make a day of it next year.’”

Santa’s second annual visit was a fun-filled and furry blend of organization and spontaneity. The volunteers settled on a workable time frame, checked it twice, and then taped participation requests around the volunteer areas

On the big day, so many dogs and their escorts showed up that the photoshoot ran over the allotted time.

“It was supposed to be 11 to 1, and we wound up staying until 2:30,” Katrina said. “Volunteers kept wanting to grab new dogs!

Wait a minute, I asked Katrina. Aren’t the cats on the nice list, too?

“We had a conversation about the cats,” Katrina said. “The thing about cats is that the volunteers have to wear gloves, and they have to change gloves between cats [so as not to spread any possible illness]. We can’t gown Santa, and he can’t wear the blue gloves, so we’re being compassionate concerning health!”

And of course, how many cats are going to cooperate fully and not shred Santy’s beard to bits?

Dogs, cats and bunnies, each snug in their den

With visions of one lovely afternoon when

Their own special humans will come to the shelter

And love them forever. Ain’t that a heart melter?

If you want to include Long Beach Animal Care Services in your holiday list, their wish list and cash donation links are available here. To be a part of LBACS’ indescribably dedicated, devoted volunteer team and maybe take part in the third annual Santa visit, apply here.

YOURS DROOLY

Shelter dogs need forever homes. They’ve been abandoned or mistreated or just plain not wanted. If you adopt or foster one and take them home forever, you will be their holiday gift.

Speaking of gifts, LBACS’ Pawliday Adoption special features $25 adoption fees until Dec. 29. If someone dear to you wants a pet for the holidays, download this gift certificate and go with them to LBACS or any shelter or rescue and let both human and animal find each other. Then, pay the fee and maybe take everyone shopping for toys, treats, leashes, litter — everything they need.

All these doggies have been goo’ bois and gurrls. In fact, all animals are on the nice list. Access this link to foster a pet — no pressure to make it permanent, but no one will complain if you do, least of all the pet. Of course, adopt any pet through this link, or better yet, go in person to meet them.

LBACS is located at 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park. No parking fee for shelter visitors.

“Oh, Santy, c’n I help pull your sleigh?” Lucas (ID#A713619) has been at LBACS for nearly a year. He came to the shelter as a stray on Jan. 21, allegedly found on the side of the 710 freeway off-ramp near Pacific Coast Highway. He had moderate alopecia on his back, dirty ears and a few broken teeth. Cosmetic dentistry wasn’t a thing for Lucas, but a healthy diet and routine ear cleaning sure took care of the rest of his health problems.

Lucas has become increasingly depressed in his kennel — a year is a long time for an active dog to waste away in a kennel. He had a brief vacation in the form of a much-needed #FosterFling with one his favorite volunteers, and he proved himself to be manageable and, as the volunteers say, a big teddy bear. Let's hope Lucas has a forever fireplace to wait by for Santa to drop in!

“Hey, Gabi! What’d you ask Santa for?” “Prolly what you asked him for, Gabi!” Gabe (left, ID#A728907) and Gabi (ID#A728906) were picked up by Animal Control officers in September after multiple reports of a pair of dogs tied up together in front of a public storage warehouse. They love people and other dogs, appear to be housebroken, and know some basic commands — Gabi loves to show you her handshake, sometimes with both paws! Gabi has clearly had a lot of puppies before she was abandoned with her buddy, or maybe her son, Gabe. Gabi is 3 years old, and Gabe is 10 months old. While they’d love Santa to put them by the same chimney with care, they’ll do fine curled up by separate hearths.

“All I want for Christmas is someone who won’t pull my odd ears and will keep me in a safe place forever!” French bulldogs wind up regularly in shelters and rescues because unlicensed, unregulated breeders and puppy mills crank them out like knockoff designer bags. Many of them have health issues and need expensive care. Mr. French, fortunately, made it to the shelter and onto Santa’s lap, and he’d love his next stop to be a forever home. (I don’t know what’s up with the ears, but they have nothing to do with his good-doggie status!)

TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS

Locals-Only Art Show, Home for the Holidays edition, at Cool Cat Collective

The Cool Cat Collective is part shop, part gallery and all-cat dedicated, including to the adoptable cats in their little play area. Cool Cat is using art to help local cats find homes for the holidays with its first open-submissions, all-ages art show that features artwork from a wide range of artists depicting adoptable cats from non-profit 501(c)3 animal rescues located in Los Angeles County or Orange County. All proceeds from sales will be donated to the rescue organizations where the featured cats are located. Adopt virtually here — you may find someone you’ve met.

CAMP low-cost mobile vaccine clinic at Zoom Room

Long Beach’s favorite playground and learning center for dogs welcomes the Community Animal Medicine Project (CAMP) to its parking lot so that your pets can get their vaccines and stay healthy. After, you and the dogs might want to check out the Zoom Room for its great services! The cats will more than likely want to get the heck home. No appointments — just show up. Details about the types of vaccines, cost and clinic schedule for other parts of the city are available here.

The CAMP mobile clinic will be at the Zoom Room Dec. 20, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. The Zoom Room is located at 100 E. Willow St., Long Beach.

I’ll Be Home fur Christmas adoption event

Join The Little Lion Foundation’s year-end adoption event, a festive effort to help their cats and kittens get really home for the holidays! Meet our lovable furry friends, chat with our friendly adoption counselors, and bring home the purr-fect addition to your family. Then, go shopping at Pet Food Express for everything that your new buddy needs!

I’ll Be Home fur Christmas takes place Saturday, Dec. 21, noon–4 p.m. at Pet Food Express, 4220 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach. Cat and kitten bios and adoption information are available here.

Need a low-cost veterinarian, information about trapping community cats, places to volunteer, rescues and shelters to adopt from — anything pet related? Follow this link for resources. Please add your own ideas in the Comments section.