It's Clear the Shelters month!

August is national Clear the Shelters month. Even though we’re more than halfway through the month, you still have plenty of time to adopt your new best friend or foster one.

Since 2015, Clear the Shelters reported that more than 1.3 million pets have gone home through their efforts, and they’ve raised more than $5.6 million for participating shelters and rescues.  According to the tracker on the campaign’s website, over 45,000 cats and dogs across the country found homes at participating shelters so far this year.

The website also offers articles about tips for adopters and stories about animals who may have lived heartbreaking lives before finding their heroes and homes.

Our shelter at Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS) is a longtime participant in Clear the Shelters. During August, LBACS offers two adoption promos: The Choice Is Yours, which allows the adopter to choose their own adoption fee for dogs over 6 months old; and the Sweet 16 Special, which offers a $16 adoption fee for cats 3 months and older. The Sweet 16 Special extends to Labor Day, Sept. 7 and is sponsored by LBACS partner Helen Sanders CatPAWS, which pays the balance of the $61 fee.

At last count, LBACS has 90 dogs, mainly big ones, staying in their kennels or with fosters; and 59 cats and kittens live there, too, but that number’s increasing as kitten season purrs on. LBACS superintendent Alma Vera-Lima hopes that the campaign will help clear our shelter, too.

“We would love to find homes for every animal possible,” Vera-Lima said. “Summertime is our busy season, so we’re hoping to make as much space as possible for incoming animals and vulnerable animals who need our help. We would love to find all our kennels cleared, but we’d be absolutely happy to take people on as fosters or sponsors just to provide additional space for the incoming animals.”

If you’re not ready to adopt forever, you can still help a big dog get a kennel break and remember what a home is like. You can also save the lives of orphaned newborn kittens through bottle feeding and other neonatal care. If any of that sounds like something you want to do, complete the foster application here.

“We ask big-dog fosters to foster a minimum of 30 days to provide some space at the shelter,” Vera-Lima said.

What, 30 days? Is that a sneaky way to see if you’ll develop a bond with the dog and decide to make it permanent?

“That would be amazing! There’s no pressure, though,” Vera-Lima said.

Pets in foster are available to adopt, and fosters have first refusal. If the foster prefers to help their charges get adopted instead, they can do so by bringing them to shelter-sponsored adoption events, spending time with them in a kennel run, sharing photos and videos on social media, or parading them around town on leash and wearing an “Adopt Me!” vest. That, too, will help the adoption tracker’s numbers spin upward.

Alma-Lima, two volunteers from Helen Sanders CatPAWS, and a bunch of adoptable kittens appeared on KNBC4 and Telemundo52 today, Aug. 21, to present their part in clearing the shelters. If you missed it, check the links to the stations’ websites.

To take an active part in clearing our shelter, visit LBACS, 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors). Shelter hours are Weds.–Fri., 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and Sat.–Sun., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. LBACS is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

If you live nowhere near our shelter, one near you is surely participating. Use the interactive map on the Clear the Shelter website. If you want to check out the heart-grabbers before you visit, WeRescue, the tech partner of Clear The Shelters, will let you browse adoptable bowsers and meowsers and buns in your area by breed, gender, size and other details. You’ll be able to apply to adopt and ask the specific shelter your questions.

Tune in to NBC4 daily throughout the campaign for special coverage and reports, beginning with Today in LA from 4-7 a.m., followed by the newscasts at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m., and 11 p.m. In addition, the station will feature content on the NBCLA app and on its streaming TV local news channel NBC Los Angeles News. Clear The Shelters fundraising is led by Greater Good Charities, a global nonprofit and longtime campaign partner. Donations to the general fund can be made through Sept. 15, and donations to individual shelters can be made from Aug. 1–31 at ClearTheSheltersFund.org.

YOURS DROOLY

Wherever you live, if you want to adopt a pet, visit your municipal shelter first. If you want to give a dog a rest for a while or save some newborn-kitten lives, see if your shelter has a foster program. LBACS does — you can apply to foster here. Easy-squeasy.

LBACS has cats, dogs, a few pocket pets and a coupla bunnies who need to go home and would love to go with you. Here are three sample sweeties who, if they could talk and would condescend to read a script, would say, “Let’s clear the shelters, one pet at a time. Maybe two.”

To adopt any of these people, search their name on LBACS’ home page and fill out the adoption form. Better yet, come to LBACS and meet them in purrson. LBACS is located at 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach, at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors). Shelter hours are Weds.–Fri., 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and Sat.–Sun., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. LBACS is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

David Lettercat (ID#A735739) is still waiting for his forever home. While other cats have found their forever homes, this sweet 6-year-old is still hoping his person will walk through the door. He loves cuddles, attention and relaxing with his favorite humans. Dave has a couple of medical issues and will need a special diet for his tum-tum, but if you can deal with that, he’s ready for a home where he can finally feel safe, loved and cared for. When he gets comfy, he might even treat you to a couple of Stupid Pet Tricks!

With his bright, green eyes and slick, glossy, black fur coat, you’d never know that Prince (ID#A764712) is 16! He came in with his two “siblings” after his human died, and he misses the companionship. His sister, Princess, got adopted, but he and his orange brudder, 3-year-old Cheddarsox (ID#A717231), whom you saw in the article, were left behind, shy and waiting. Can you do a Sweet 16 for Prince and take him to your castle for his golden years? And can you make it a 32 and take Cheddarsox, too?

Rex (ID#A760024) loves his shark toy! He also loves all humans and makes great eye contact. Rex is active and playful, and he loves his walks, but he needs leash training to keep his wild energy in. I mean — squirrel! squirrel! whether a squirrel shows up or doesn’t. If you’re someone who can help Rex with his leash pulling and would enjoy being his active playmate, you’ll have caught the big fish, too!

TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS

Benny’s Birthday Bash and Love Your Pet Party

One more birthday! Benny the Cat is turning 9 years old in August! That’s reason for celebration because the shelter vets didn’t expect him to make it past 3. Benny survived horrific abuse as a kitten with the combined help of LBACS, Helen Sanders CatPAWS and the profound love of his adoptive mom, Bev, who fell hopefully in love at first sight. Celebrate Benny and every pet we’ve shared a good life with at a pawsome party featuring music, games, raffles that include a pair of JetBlue tickets, adoptable kittens and dogs (whee!), face painting, vendors, arts and crafts, and a big, cat-face birthday cake! Tickets are just $20 each and include entertainment, activities and lunch! Kids 12 and under are free. Celebrate Benny and the lives he’s impacted, the adversity he overcame, and his special bond with so many fellow pet lovers and humans all over the world who are living their best lives after surviving abuse.

Benny the Cat’s Birthday Party takes place Saturday, Aug. 22, 11 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at Seal Beach Marina Community Center, 151 Marina Dr., Seal Beach. Tickets are $20 (kids 12 and under are free as Benny’s special guests) and are available here.

Paws, Pours & Piano Wars

Celebrate 11 years of rescue with K9 Kismet! Enjoy an evening spent making a difference for rescue dogs, featuring delicious food, cocktails, raffles and performances by the incredible Killer Dueling Pianos. Every ticket purchased helps K9 Kismet continue to save homeless dogs and give them the second chance they deserve. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance, so get yours here!

Paws, Paws and Piano Wars takes place Saturday, Aug. 29, 6 p.m.–9 p.m., At the Top, 105 West Broadway, Long Beach. Tickets $75, donations welcome

Frost Fund’s Annual Fall Festival Fundraiser

Pull on your Western boots, button up your flannels, gallop across the county line, and celebrate autumn with Frost Fund at Chapman Crafted Beer! Enjoy an evening of yummy food, line dancing, local brews, raffle prizes, autumn-themed games and local vendors. Your doggy can dress up, too, and enter the costume contest, and children are more than welcome. Strollers are fine, too, but watch out for paws and wagging tails. Through social and news media, Frost Fund finds placement in local and out-of-state rescues, sanctuaries and forever homes for dogs and cats in dire need of rescue. Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS) pets have been beneficiaries of their volunteer efforts. Like many small nonprofits, Frost Fund is financed through donations and fundraisers like this one, so purchase tickets here. Early bird tickets are on sale until Aug. 23. If you’re currently a student, use code YOUTH at checkout for a discount, and bring your student ID at the event.

The Fall Festival Fundraiser takes place Oct. 24, 4 p.m.–8 p.m. at Chapman Crafted Beer, 123 N. Cypress St., Orange. Ticket prices vary.

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.