New Year’s resolutions from the pets
There’s as much of a chance of them sticking to them as we do ours.
All that’s left for the holiday season are new year’s resolutions, so that’s what we’ll talk about here regarding pets. Nothing as banal as the ones we make: “I promise to rabbit-proof the living room” or “I’ll walk the dog twice a day” — we do that anyway, right?
Instead, here’s what a few pets in the animal community have resolved for 2026. Mine have already weighed in, especially Duncan, who weighs in at 20 pounds.
Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS) volunteer Patti got the following from a couple of LBACS adoptables:
Helen Sanders CatPAWS volunteer Marla’s two cats offered resolutions as only cats can:
Debbie Fawcett, CatPAWS’ PR person, got this from her cat, Cricket: “I resolve not to toss all the litter out of my box in an abundance of joy over the relief of relieving myself.”
Not surprisingly, a few resolutions involved food.
The other cat in the photo, Harry, on left, said, “I’ll try to be nicer to sister Charlie and not attack her for no apparent reason.” (Author note: see Muffin’s parenthetical comment above.)
Good idea, Rivet, if you want to get adopted, but I can understand wanting to stay at that feline happy place forever.
Oh, one more:
In that sense, I do have one resolution for humans after all: if a pet is in your immediate future, resolve to adopt one from a shelter or a rescue.
Did your pet make any resolutions? Will they keep them? List them in the comments! Hope you’re having a wonderful holiday and that the new year will be as warm and furry as — well, you know.
YOURS DROOLY
Best gift idea ever! Accompany a family member or a friend who wants a pet for the holidays to your local shelter or rescue. Bring along the coupon above, and let your loved one pick a new friend! Then, you pay the adoption fee! More info here.
How about making a resolution to adopt a pet from a shelter or a rescue? Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS) has cats, dogs and rabbits who’ve been let down one way or another by people. Taking one or two of them home will be a forever gift for them and for your entire household.
Speed the process to adopt or foster any LBACS pet by emailing PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov or by calling (562) 570-4925. Our 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).
Video courtesy of LBACS
Santa came to visit the cats as well as the dogs during his trip to LBACS. Most of the kitties in the video went to Pasadena Humane — 44 in all! – so they’ll have what’s known during the holiday season as A Wonderful Life. But the many who stayed behind didn’t get the forever homes they asked Santa for, so they need our help. Here are a couple of great ones that cat volunteer Janet selected from the hopefuls who wait.
“Meet Reese (ID#A750144), a beautiful 2-year-old tortie female! She came to our shelter with two babies, whom we named Chocolate and Peanut Butter. Once they were big enough, they were adopted, so she's feeling a little lonely now. She's very nice, enjoys company, and appreciates head and chin scritches.”
“They say every cat has a story, and Diesela (ID#A752258) has a sad one. This 2-year-old brown tabby is lucky to get out of a hoarding situation that included 70 cats in one house!. She’s in her own kennel now. She was very shy and scared at first, but now this sweetie can walk right onto a volunteer's lap for some good lovin' and pets! So come on over and adopt Diesela to show her what a happy home feels and looks like!” Trust us — she’ll never have had it so good!
Here’s my personal choice: Twyla (ID# A749556), a 10-year-old senior with the added heartbreak of having been relinquished to LBACS from what may have been a safe, loving home. She now spends her days in a kennel with as much love from the volunteers as they can give, after being long used to a lap and knocking things around on the floor. Twyla’s a friendly brown tabby who’d be a calm addition to any home with a lap, a floor and knockable items. When LBACS hosted a Paint and Sip Night at Ambitious Ales, I picked her out to paint because of her story and because of that marking between her beautiful green eyes that flows down to her muzzle. It reminds me of sands running out in an hourglass. This new year, give a senior cat a cup of kindness — these don’t have to be Twyla’s twilight years.
TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS
December 2025 schedule for CAMP’s Mobile Vaccine Clinics at Long Beach Animal Care Services
Stop by for affordable vaccines, microchips, deworming, nail trims and flea/tick prevention. No appointments are needed for the clinics; they serve furry patients on a first come, first served basis. You don’t have to be from Long Beach or any of the cities serviced by the shelter, but you must do the following:
- Arrive early.
- Bring vaccine records if you have them.
- Put the cats into carriers.
- Leash your large or medium dog. Small dogs may be carried.
Please note: mobile vaccine clinics are for pet vaccines only — spay/neuter services are not available at the mobile clinics.
Access this link for more information about details, dates and locations for CAMP clinics in the Los Angeles area.
Clinics take place at Long Beach Animal Care Services, 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach. Use the entrance to El Dorado Park; no parking fees for shelter visitors.
Feline Good Social Club’s end-of-the-year fundraiser
This year, Feline Good Social Club (FGSC) has encountered 55 door drops, that is, cats and kittens left on their doorstep, and helping the abandoned pets has been a challenge. FGSC’s rescue partner, the nonprofit Long Beach Felines, has also suffered financial setbacks while striving to rescue and care for these abandoned cats, many of whom are frequently sick or injured. Support this wonderful place and help the cats and kittens. Every donation, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated and makes a difference. See details here.
Drag Bingo fundraiser for The Little Lion Foundation
Caring for homeless, newborn or sick kittens can be a drag, but you can make it so in the best way possible by attending The Little Lion Foundation’s Drag Bingo event and raise funds for caring for these kitties! The purr-fectly entertaining evening features local icon hosts Mia Anastasia Farrow and Robbie Osa, who’ll keep the energy as high as an orange cat with zoomies! You’ll enjoy singing, sipping on cocktails, munching goodies, shopping the vendors and, of course, shouting “Bingo!” All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to support Little Lion’s local cat rescue programs.
Drag Bingo will take place Friday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.–10 p.m. at the Altar Society Brewing Co. in Downtown Long Beach, 228 Pine Ave. Tickets from $33.85, available here. Early bird discount through Dec. 31; bar and food available but not included.
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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