Cleo, a certified Canine Good Citizen, visit various schools in the Los Angeles area to discuss pet responsibility and proper pet care.

August, 2011

December, 2011

Share this video with everyone you know and post it as many times as possible. It is time that people realize that having a companion animal in their life is a privilege and start taking that responsibility seriously. The apology of irresponsible owners does not somehow alleviate the suffering of the pet.

Animal Advocates Alliance (AAA) and the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation (Heigl Foundation), two Los Angeles based non-profit organizations are excited to announce the launch of a pilot training program aimed at teaching introductory obedience training and proper pet care to families adopting pets from the Baldwin Park Los Angeles County shelter.  The program will also be available as an alternative option for families that cite perceived behavioral issues as the reason for relinquishing their pet to the Baldwin Park shelter. Initially, two classes will be offered every Saturday at Morgan Park located in the city of Baldwin Park, with the first class currently scheduled to take place in late February or early March. Each class will be one hour in duration and will be offered to qualifying participants free of charge. Upon completion of the class, participants will be provided with basic supplies which may include leashes, collars and pet food. Each class will be instructed by a licensed trainer and will cover topics such as integration of the pet into the family, positive reinforcement training, house breaking, and proper dog socialization.  Instructors will also provide education on topics such as importance of spaying and neutering, local laws applicable to pet ownership, availability of low cost veterinary care and the hard reality of relinquishment of a pet to a municipal shelter. The staff at the Baldwin Park shelter will assist in promoting the program and will register interested parties for classes.

Los Angeles-area city and county shelters continue to experience overcrowding with stray and abandoned pets, and continue to euthanize a large number of adoptable animals due primarily to lack of space. The “Learn to be a Best Friend” program is aimed to reducing the number of pets surrendered to shelters by owners as a result of correctable issues that can be addressed with education and basic training.

When you come across people who have pets that have not been spayed or neutered and they use cost and/or lack of access to a reasonably priced clinic as an excuse please keep the following information in mind and guide them accordingly.

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In an effort to reach a large viewership group, Animal Advocates Alliance has teamed up with the Univision Spanish language television network (channel 34) to create weekly pet segments airing each Friday during the 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. (PT) live news hours. Each pet segment features adoptable pets from local area animal shelters and covers important topics such as spay/neuter, animal cruelty, pet nutrition, training, proper pet care, licensing and other important topics. Our very own volunteer Jana Savage is a regular on the program. In addition to the positive impact of educating the public through mass media, participating shelters have reported a very high adoption rate with pets that have been featured on the program. Video segments made possible by Noticias de Los Angeles

During this segment we covered the important topic of the unwarranted negative image the media places on pit bulls and how irresponsible owners should be the ones to blame.

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Irresponsible owners and the media have contributed to grossly inaccurate information about Pit Bulls. Read the following article to educate yourself about the breed and motivate others to learn about Pit Bulls before dismissing them based on misinformation and media hype. Read full text of article here: Read the rest of this entry »

People are often surprised to hear experts recommend that dogs live inside with the family instead of out in the yard. Times have changed and we are not spending as much time outdoors with our dogs and as a result outdoor dogs are simply not getting the “people time” and exercise that they require to be well adjusted and balanced dogs. Read full text of article here: Read the rest of this entry »

A well-balanced high quality diet is vital for any animal to maintain good health. You wouldn’t feed your child corn chips for every meal and expect them to thrive. The same is true for our pets. If your pet suffers from ear infections, skin problems, hair loss, itchy paws, voluminous stools, bad breath, or runny eyes, then the chances are that their diet is contributing to their ailments. Become as educated as possible and decide for yourself if the food you’re feeding is optimal for your pet’s health and well-being. Read full text of article here: Read the rest of this entry »

We join the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in reminding everyone that leaving an animal in a hot car is not just inhumane and dangerous but a CRIME! see penal code section 597.7 which reads in part: “No person shall leave or confine an animal in any unattended motor vehicle under conditions that endanger the health or well-being of an animal due to heat, cold, lack of adequate ventilation, or lack of food or water, or other circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause suffering, disability, or death to the animal.” Please remind others and report this crime immediately! Many thanks to Deputy District Attorney Deborah Knaan, who supervises the prosecution of all animal cruelty and neglect cases for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, for leading this extremely important campaign.

According to the ASPCA, “nationally 5 out of 10 shelter dogs and 7 out of 10 shelter cats are euthanized because there is no one to adopt them from the shelter.” Please educate yourself and those within reach of the reality of animal relinquishment.