Scratch This: Does Long Beach Animal Care Services take in healthy stray cats?
It’s complicated, but it’s cats, so there you go.
Long Beach Animal Care Services started out as animal control for the city, meaning that they were the official intake bureau for stray, abandoned and surrendered pets for Long Beach and three other cities — four until about a year ago. For decades, stray cats and dogs that entered the shelter were frequently euthanized within a certain period if no one claimed them. This was especially the case for newborn kittens.
Since 1998 and the incorporation of “Animal Care Services” into the bureau’s name, the emphasis has been on saving lives through the shelter’s Compassion Saves model. LBACS now adopts pets, has a program for fostering them, holds events and specials, employs a veterinary staff, and is developing an increasing number of community objectives, such as TNR (trap/neuter, spay, vaccinations) for outdoor cats. A team of volunteers who know and care about animals round the process off.
But LBACS still includes animal control and intake and as such still takes in stray, ill and abandoned animals. But with cats, it’s complicated. A common perception in the community is that healthy cats, whether outdoor or owner surrendered, are now refused admission, and there’s been caterwauling aplenty about it on social media and in public.
I wondered about that, too, particularly since LBACS is overcrowded with dogs, but there seems to be space in the Cat Cottages. I asked Dr. Melanie Wagner, the shelter’s bureau manager, to explain.
“We basically have to take in animals that are unattended, according to the city’s municipal code,” Wagner said. “But cats who have caretakers, no. Clearly, a healthy cat has an owner.”
As I said, cats are complicated — if you live with any, you know this — and so are situations involving them. Wagner knows this. If a dog is running around outside with no human in sight, it’s a pretty sure bet that they’re lost or have been dumped, and LBACS will take them in.
“There’s a measure of public safety,” Wagner said. “A dog running free in the street poses a threat to community members that a free-roaming cat does not. Dogs also don’t know how to fend for themselves — they aren’t apex predators. If there are street dogs running around, they usually don’t have seven people feeding them. They require a different level of caretaking.”
Very often, friendly, healthy free-roaming cats know how to work the system. They may belong to someone who lets them out during the day and sometimes at night (and no, they shouldn’t, but they do). Sometimes, Wagner said, the cats have multiple “owners” who may not know about one another.
“At one house, it’s Whiskers, at another house, it’s Freddie, at another house, they call him Albert,” Wagner said.
An abandoned cat, compared to one with a caretaker, is thin and disheveled, with an unkempt coat, and is obviously getting neither food nor care, Wagner said. These cats are sometimes found in boxes, a crate or other type of enclosure and would be accepted. So would sick or injured cats.
But a cat that’s obviously cared for will likely have at least one owner, and Wagner feels that it’s unethical to take a cat that belongs to someone.
“[Animal control] used to pick up these cats, and doing this has disproportionately affected low-income areas,” Wagner said. “Most of us think that, in order to be considered cared for, a cat has to live in a home and sleep in a bed. But many of these free-roaming cats are very loved by their community, and the bottom line is this phrase I like to use: We don’t steal cats. It’s important that we support the community that loves their cats.”
Taking a cat away from a loving community also takes kennel space away from cats who really need shelters. That includes not only sick and injured cats but also the number of nursing mothers and foundling kittens born during kitten season. Wagner’s aim is to engage with residents and provide them with ways to verify whether a cat has truly been abandoned.
“If you think there’s an abandoned cat, find out from the neighbors if there’s a caretaker,” she said. “Post on Nextdoor. If the cat is found in a random park, it may be abandoned. It’s our job to get the full story — we have to ensure that the cat goes back to the right community or if there’s an owner looking for them. Friendly cats can travel a radius of five miles, especially if they’re not fixed and are looking for love.”
In that light, Wagner said, LBACS is prioritizing spay/neuter for communities in need.
“Rather than yanking the cats, we can educate the neighbors about spay and neuter or bring in a mobile clinic,” she said. “My future goal is to have a dynamic program offering these resources in a high-impact area. I’m looking at working with some nonprofit organizations with this in mind.”
Information about vouchers offered by LBACS is available here along with a list of clinics that accept the vouchers.
An owner can surrender a cat, but that’s complicated, too
LBACS does accept cats surrendered by their owners, but there can be a waiting list. The staff first asks the owner if they can help place the cat themselves.
“An owner can have more success because they know the cat,” Wagner said. “They can do a concierge service by talking to the potential adopter, saying what the cat loves, the favorite sleeping position, what treats they like. A shelter isn’t going to have that matchmaking service.”
Because LBACS is legally required to take in sick, underage, injured and abandoned animals, the staff will expedite the intake if the cat is sick and the owner can’t care for it.
Yes, cats are complicated, and so is anything involving them. But Wagner’s clear on one aspect.
“We’re always going to have outdoor cats, but we can decrease the number,” she said. “The focus has to be on spay and neuter.”
YOURS DROOLY
In the dubious honor of kitten season, today’s Scratch This! was again all about cats. Normally, I would feature cats in the adoption section, but LBACS is still packed with pooches. Unlike with cats, LBACS is obligated to take in all doggies great and small, in sickness and in health, and so the kennels are full. Some have been in them close to a year, and a kennel is no place to keep someone who needs to be out walking, playing with a Frisbee, following an adored human around the house, guarding, working at something, and doing everything a dog does.
Meet a few who need out now. You can see others at this link, and if you see one you’d like to meet, email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov. You can also call 562-570-4925. Better yet, visit 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.
This here’s Wallace (ID#A732532). One of the volunteers insists he’s going to sell you insurance, with that necktie and all. But really, he just wants to sell you on the idea of taking him home and ensuring a forever life of walking on a leash (he’s very good at that), snuggling up to you on the couch and binge-watching your favorite show, and drowning you in sloppy kisses. Wallace is a year-old Staffie mix who’s showing signs of kennel stress, so if you want a loving companion or foster, please come meet him, especially if you have a homburg in your hatbox that’ll go with the tie.
How has Westman (ID# A722537) not been scooped up yet, asked a shelter volunteer? Look at him, with that silly ear! He’s as goofy as he looks and also sweet, cuddly and a lot of fun. He’s an energetic walker — he’ll need someone who’s strong enough to manage the pulling and also understanding enough to allow him to do his exploration and research. And he loves riding in the car, especially if you stop at In-N-Out for a doggie burger. He’s the whole package, and why someone hasn’t taken him home is anyone’s guess. Maybe he’s waiting for you!
Peanut
Peanut (ID#A728674) is no peanut, actually! He’s a big, sturdy 2-year-old pittie who weighs about 60 pounds. As you can see, he’s filled with joie de vivre and knows a few commands. Did you see how gently he accepts his treats? Peanut was found as a stray in a high school soccer field, and no one could find whom he belonged to. He’s opened up quite a bit since his shy beginnings and would now like to be a member of a forever home team! He’s been at the shelter for six months and deserves his break.
TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS
Little Lion Foundation Community Cat Project grand opening
Three weeks ago, Scratch This! featured The Little Lion’s new brick-and-mortar spay/neuter clinic for community cats. This weekend, you can get the grand tour and see all the adoptable kitties, too! Check them out and see how you can be a part of the push to spay and neuter cats who live outdoors.
The Community Cat Project grand opening takes place Saturday, March 29, 1 p.m.–3 p.m. at 1179 E Wardlow Rd., Long Beach. Check here for agenda updates.
Helen Sanders CatPAWS 12th annual bowling fundraiser
Knock down some pins for the purrers at CatPAWS! This family-fun event includes two hours of bowling, shoes included; appetizer or pizza, with soft drink; opportunity drawings with great prizes; and a chance to win two JetBlue round-trip tickets to any city where JetBlue flies (JetBlue, for a fee, will fly your pets with you — just sayin’). If you don’t want to bowl, you can sit on the fence in bowling pin posture like a veritable cat and cheer on your friends!
Proceeds will help feed, house, spay/neuter and vaccinate, and give any medical treatment needed to our adoptable cats. They will also help fund CatPAWS’ mobile spay/neuter clinic, which makes great progress in lowering the number of kittens born to the streets, who grow into unwanted, homeless cats.
The Helen Sanders CatPAWS bowling fundraiser takes place Saturday, March 29, 3 p.m.–6 p.m. at Westminster Lanes, 6471 Westminster Blvd., Westminster. Tickets available here, $45 general admission, $25 food only, spectator
Show Me Your Kitties: Cabaret variety show to sponsor Little Lion Foundation cats
Alley cats and kittens, come to the cabaret for a decadent evening of cat-themed performances: burlesque, ballet, belly dancing (no belly rubs, please!), fire dancing, musicians, contortionists (just like your cat!) and pole purrrr-formers! The performers love to interact with the crowd, so arrive early to get the best seat! We encourage our audience to dress up, whether it be your favorite cat-ears, leopard-print tee or glamorous gown!
Not included but available are craft cocktails and a limited menu of delicious dishes from The Carvery restaurant. Money raised from ticket sales will go directly to fund Little Lion’s brand-new on-site spay/neuter clinic for community cats. Enjoy a great show and help control cat overpopulation at the same time!
Show Me Your Kitties takes place Saturday, March 29 at the At the Top Club, 105 W. Broadway, Long Beach. Doors open 5:30 p.m.; show begins 6:30 p.m. Tickets from $35.60 at this link; early-bird special through March 1.
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.
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