Rescue Animal Assistance Network, Los Angeles

A work-in-progress organization synopsis: Providing an information network highlighting rescue animal adoption and animal service professionals in the Los Angeles area."

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Meet Lady Bug!  

  Lady Bug is a 2 year old female 50 lb. Staffordshire with lots of energy and love. She walks wonderfully on a leash, knows ALL her basic commands, and loves to cuddle.  She loves car rides and being part of the family.  She is sometimes a little picky about her doggie friends so proper introductions need to be made first. She is current on all her vaccines, spayed, and microchipped.

Please contact Irene at 310-766-5665 or [email protected].

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Meet Chester!

  Chester is a sweet, silly, and playful guy who loves the company of people, dogs, and cats.  He is a bit on the clumsy side due to an old injury, but this adaptable guy doesn't let that slow him down and we think it just adds to his boyish charm.  Happy and fun in his foster home, Chester is more than ready for a forever family to call his own.

If you are interested in adopting Chester, please email [email protected].

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UPDATE: Cruiser has finally found a home!

  Awesome news!  Cruiser, a Pitbull that was dumped by his owner in Culver City weeks back, has finally found a home.  Check out the story from the Culver City Patch and please visit SPCALA's donation page (Cruiser's donation page link can be found at the end of the article).  The Culver City police, Advanced Critical Care and SPCALA worked incredibly hard to help find him a home.  Great work all involved.

   www.culvercity.patch.com/groups/around-town/p/update-cruiser-the-abused-pitball-has-finally-found-a-home

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Meet Lucas!

  This sweet handsome boy was recently pulled from East Valley shelter and is looking for his forever home.  Click on the link to find out more information.

  www.wagsandwalks.org/available/page27/index.html

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Petfinder Adoptable Dogs | Pit Bull Terrier | Santa Monica, CA | Hansl and Gretl

Hansl & Gretl's Petfinder page!  Please share and spread the word.  Let's find these pups a home. And a big thank you to Karma Rescue for the courtesy post and all your help!  

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Meet Hansl & Gretl!

   These two beautiful blue Pit Bulls were seen being lifted out of a pickup truck in Little Tujunga Canyon and subsequently left behind by the driver.  Natalie Freidberg took the dogs in and has been looking for a foster or permanent home ever since.  Both Hansl and Gretl are already neutered and spayed and approximately 1 ½ years old. They are VERY bonded to each other, absolutely excellent walking dogs and have sweet, calm dispositions.  They have also spent considerable time with children and have done great with them.  The sky is the limit for this pair.  Please spread the word!  The dogs need to find either a foster or permanent home very soon.  Contact Natalie @ 323 386 1610 or [email protected] to set up a visit.

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Meet Honey!  

Honey is looking for her forever home.  Please read and share her story. She's a very sweet girl who'd be perfect for the right home.  Maybe it's you or someone you know.  Let's get Honey's information out there and see if we can find a good match!  Honey is currently being fostered at Canine Companion LA (818.667.DOGS).  If you'd like to meet Honey, she'd definitely like to meet you! Contact Eric ([email protected] or 702.343.9441) or Jessica ([email protected] or 310.433.2890).

Honey is a 3-4 year old spayed female mixed breed dog recently rescued from East Valley Animal Shelter.  We're not quite sure what Honey's exact mix is: probably some Lab, probably some Pit, maybe some Vizsla?  She won't tell us exactly what her background is, but whatever the sources the end result is cute!  She's about 50 pounds, and medium energy: she loves to go for a walk and likes to play, but is also more than happy to find a nice comfy spot near you to relax in. 

Honey's sweet nature made her a staff and volunteer favorite at East Valley, but she is dog selective and wasn't able to come off her best in the chaos of the shelter environment.  People rallied for Honey to get her out of there, and she's now living with a foster and other dogs, learning and getting more self-confident every day.

Honey came to the shelter as a stray, but she must have had somebody looking after her before - she loves people, is housebroken, and even knows how to shake!  She also has her trademark smile, which is pretty irresistible.  She is good around kids, but would not do well in a home with cats.  Honey would be great as the only dog in a home, but could also fit into a situation with other dogs that have a calm, easy-going energy and an experienced owner.

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The Humane Society is one of the most comprehensive organizations in the nation with regards to animal protection and animal rescue advocacy.  While researching the site, we found an amazing section on pet financial aid-related organizations.  Please share this link as the information could be helpful to anyone in need of such services.  The organizations listed are categorized by state and help ranges from assistance for pet food and pet care purchases along with discounted veterinary services including spay/neuter and temporary foster care.  The Human Society's entire site has a wealth of resources so I'm sure we will be highlighting additional areas as we continue to research.

"The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest and most effective animal protection organization.  We help animals by advocating for better laws to protect animals; conducting campaigns to reform industries; providing animal rescue and emergency response; investigating cases of animal cruelty; and caring for animals through our sanctuaries and wildlife rehabilitation centers, emergency shelters and clinics."

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Hello all, 

I have some incredibly exciting news to share!  I recently started a part time position with Canine Companion in Sherman Oaks.  Canine Companion's owner Linda Grunfeld has been working with dogs for years and has boarded and fostered countless animals.  She has experience with a wide range of behavioral issues and has extensive familiarity with special needs dogs as well.  In addition to boarding and fostering, Canine Companion also offers training walks, training hikes and complete dog day care. 

  I will be posting about Canine Companion's services plus all the dogs they bring in as fosters.  The more we share these dogs across all our pages, the better chance they have to find permanent homes.  Please "like" Canine Companion's FB page and check in for helpful tips about all things dog training and dog care. 

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Spent some time with one of my favorite dogs today!  Noah is still looking for his forever home through Karma Rescue.  Noah loves his walks, is great with obedience work and truly enjoys meeting new people.  If you are interested in meeting Noah, please contact Karma at [email protected].  

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URGENT: Cruiser, the abused Pitbull, needs a home by Friday

Cruiser was supposed to be sent to an organization in Arizona last week.  However, it looks like this arrangement has fallen through.  He is now at SPCALA and was scheduled to be put down last Friday.  His time has been extended at SPCALA until this upcoming Tuesday.  If there is anyone who can help find him a new shelter or foster please contact SPCALA at 310-676-1149 ASAP.  I am more than willing to donate if we can get him moved to another shelter or place until he finds his forever home.  Write me on FB or at [email protected].  Please share this message as well!

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The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) posted an awesome graphic entitled the "Ladder of Aggression (Kendal Shepherd)." 

From AVSAB: How a dog reacts to stress or a threat can be represented as a series of ascending steps on a ladder.  These gestures are responses to an escalation of perceived threat only and are NOT expressions of a 'submissive' or 'dominant' state.  The choice of strategy (whether to escalate to a bite or not) will depend on the circumstances (time, target, interactions, previous experience) and on the severity of any underlying physical disease.  Pain frequently converts a ‘flight’ response to ‘fight’.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior is a group of veterinarians and research scientists dedicated to improving the lives of animals and people through an understanding of animal behavior.

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A New Direction

Hello all, 

I wanted to make an announcement with regards to my business, blog and Facebook page.  As noted a few weeks back, Lindsay (my fiancée) and I have been discussing future goals in terms of working alongside the animal rescue community in Los Angeles.  How this ultimately unfolds is incredibly exciting but unknown for the time being.  While future goals develop, I believe my skills and services would be better suited in the volunteer world as opposed to formal dog training work.  I will still push towards completing dog training course work through multiple organizations if not for anything other than understanding dog psychology on a more comprehensive level.  However, for right now, I simply feel it is best to offer time and help to organizations that are working incredibly hard to find animals permanent homes.  The shelters need as much assistance as we can give them and I truly love spending time with these particular animals.  Furthermore, while I believe I have built a solid skill set with regards to desensitizing techniques, I have established relationships with some amazing trainers in Los Angeles.  These trainers are currently better suited to assist people in need of more comprehensive dog training services.  Referring people to the trainers while we explore our new venture and other ways to help the rescue community feels like a win-win situation. *I will still continue to develop, practice and blog about desensitizing protocol as I want to further volunteer/work with extremely fearful and anxious dogs.  If anyone needs assistance in this area with their dog, I would be more than happy to help on a volunteer or consultant basis.  Working with my own dog to help her overcome her fears has been the most rewarding experience I have had in my life and I will always feel an affinity for other animals in a fearful state.  Additionally, a great number of animals in shelters experience anxiety on some level so it makes sense to work as hard as I can to learn more about this behavioral concern. So what does that mean for my business, blog and FB page?  Well after some serious brainstorming, I am starting to imagine the business turning into a non-profit organization that acts as an information center for people to use prior, during and after they adopt a new animal.  To achieve this, I'll need to use the blog and FB page in the most comprehensive way possible.  One idea I would like to explore is visiting shelters and interviewing the owners plus staff to highlight the incredible work they perform and how they most need help.  And I would of course post about all their available animals ready to be adopted!   Additionally, I want to write more about all things animal care.  I have already reached out to veterinarians, boarding facilities, dog trainers and even seasoned volunteers to collaborate on articles that promote their services and knowledge.  I also will post more about our own dog and cats.  Some of the blogs I most enjoy reading are about first hand experiences people have with their animals. This type of blog writing can really help people discover more about real life moments that occur when bringing a rescue animal into your home.   So at this junction, it makes sense to change the name of the organization to something more applicable.  The name might very well change again, but for the time being, I think something such as "The Los Angeles Rescue Animal Information Network (LARAIN)" works well.  A work-in-progress organization synopsis: Providing an information network highlighting rescue animal adoption and animal service professionals in the Los Angeles area." In closing, while this new venture marks a fairly significant turn, I think it is the best possible thing we can do to help this already awesome community.  There are so many animals that need homes in our city.  We hope that by going deeper into this world we will make even more of a difference.   In the next few weeks, I will be editing both the blog and FB business page to reflect the new direction.  Thank you for taking the time to read this message.  I hope everyone is well and as always, stay tuned!

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Protecting Your Dog Against Foxtails

Tip 11: In late spring and early summer, be sure to check your dogs for foxtails after each outing.  In California and other states, foxtail plant heads are drying out and ready to attach onto/into just about anything including our dog's noses, ears, eyes and mouths.  Here is a great article from Nancy Kay, DVM about the real dangers of the plant and foxtail inspection points.  And as the article states, "If you suspect your dog has a foxtail-related issue, contact your veterinarian right away to find out what steps can be taken (at home or in the veterinary hospital) to rid your dog of this unwanted plant material."

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Tip 10: If your dog feels extra anxiety at the veterinarian's office, make practice trips there to help desensitize your animal to the environment and the experience.

If your dog feels extra anxiety at the veterinarian's office, make practice trips there to help desensitize your animal to the environment and the experience.  Most animals feel some anxiety during a vet appointment.  While this makes sense, we can help our dogs relax by simply exposing them to the situation in a way that will have a progressive calming effect.  Call your veterinarian and ask if you can stop in from time to time for a few minutes.  Most clinics will be more than happy to allow the occasional visit especially for animals that are having difficulty with the process.  Your dog will get a chance to practice entering and leaving the facility in a calm manner (reward a “sit” with a high value treat before entering & exiting).  Additionally, they will become more familiar with the smells and sounds of the office and more comfortable with the staff and doctors.  And remember with any desensitizing protocol there is no timeline for progress.  The first few visits might simply include walking into the lobby of the facility and then calmly walking out.  We do not want to enhance fear by pushing too far/fast into the stimulus that is triggering the response we are looking to remove.  Your dog will let you know what is working for them and what is too much at that time.  The vet office should be a place where your dog is able to relax enough to let the staff do their job to the best of their ability.  Hopefully with time they will even start to enjoy their visits!

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Tip 9: Learn Pet First Aid & CPR. I recently completed an Adult CPR/AED class through the American Red Cross. While I was there, my instructor discussed the incredible benefits of taking a Pet First Aid & CPR class. I am taking my course in June but came across this awesome picture the Red Cross produced that outlines CPR and Heimlich maneuver protocol on dogs and cats. Print this image and place a copy on your refrigerator and put a copy in your car. Having this information available to you during an emergency situation can make all the difference. After I complete my course, I'll create a blog entry highlighting additional key points.

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Tip 8: Breathe.

Breathe.  We know how important it is to maintain a calm demeanor and project confidence when we are with our dogs.  I can remember the sheer significance of this during the first few month's with Annie (and frankly still to this day).  But a new idea I keep coming back to is the importance of simple breathing when we are handling our dogs.  It might sound strange, but being conscious of our breathing helps keep us naturally relaxed and centered.  We can never anticipate what might happen on a walk.  Challenges present themselves without warning in all forms and fashions.  For instance, the other day Annie and I turned the corner and almost ran right into a couple pushing a person in a wheelchair (something Annie had never encountered).  There really was no place for us to go without making a sharp movement which I did not want to do.  I took a glance at the people and saw they noticed us but had no real concern.  So I moved Annie towards the street corner and the couple moved the person in the wheelchair right next to her.  She was literally within 6 inches of the wheelchair!  It was pretty exciting as I knew it was a great chance for us to do a few moments of clicker work before the light changed.  I took a deep breath and looked down to find Annie watching me.  We were ready!  To start, I expected her to be interested in what was next to her.  As her head would turn away from me/her focus would drift, I used the command "here." I then clicked and gave her a piece of kibble.  I'm teaching Annie "here" as a way to redirect her attention back to me.  The clicker is an awesome tool that helps mark the exact behavior you are looking to elicit.  Anyhow, once the light changed we crossed the street.  It was a nice moment for us considering it was a new challenge we have not run across before.  The moment was made possible first and foremost by me relaxing and consequently Annie relaxing.  So remember to stay conscious of your breathing as a way to stay calm and focused.