Volunteers Bring Pound Pets to Valley Shopping Malls

They are sometimes bedraggled, abused and mistreated animals herded into crowded cages.

When a human walks by the dog cages, some beg for attention, wagging their tails and whimpering. Others huddle dejectedly in a corner of their cage, as if resigned to die.

At one time almost 70% of the pets at local animal shelters had to be euthanized, a polite word for being gassed to death.

After the Northridge earthquake, hundreds of lost and frightened animals found wandering on the streets were jammed five and six to a cage.

In response to the miserable circumstances, the Los Angeles Department of Animal Regulation doubled its effort to encourage pet owners to neuter their animals, which it hoped would cut down on the unwanted pet population.

But it also instituted a policy whereby volunteers could take pets out of the pound, pretty them up a bit and show them to the community.

It hoped that this kind of outreach program would encourage people to adopt animals kept in shelters.

The program has worked. More than 300 pets have been adopted because of this year-old pet outreach program.

Valleyites will have an opportunity to see the program operate when the West Valley Shelter sponsors a Mobile Pet Adoption in the Center Court of the Topanga Shopping Mall in Canoga Park between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and on May 21.

All the animals that will be brought to the mall will be available and eager to be adopted, and there are a lot more where they came from.

Many people are happier looking at pets in a less institutional setting, like a mall, where they can pet the animals and get a sense of their demeanor and personality, according to Judy Levine, one of the volunteers who organized and operates the Mobile Pet Adoptions program.

“We tend to concentrate on the dogs because there are so many of them at the shelter--about 150 right now,” she says.

“These are wonderful animals who deserve to have a home with a loving family. It breaks my heart to see so many of them being put to death,” she adds.

“One of the wonderful things about the pet outreach program is that the public gets an idea of the variety of animals the shelter can offer. Why would anyone want to go to a breeder or puppy farm when we have pedigreed animals, lovable mixed breeds, puppies, older dogs, dogs that will jog with you or just be a companion for you?”

Most of the dogs taken into the community by the pet outreach program are adopted almost immediately. Sometimes, it is their last chance for life.

“Many times we know that if someone doesn’t start the adoption process the day we take them out, the animal will be put to death,” Levine says.

The slaughter of dogs and cats is not a part of the job the local “animal catchers” find enjoyable. The situation is caused by too many people abandoning their animals and not enough room at the inn.

“The problem is that we can’t take all 150 impounded dogs out every time we do a Mobile Pet program,” says Levine. “We don’t have the people or equipment to transport and manage all the animals.”

She finds it hopeful that many people are willing to look at the dogs at the shelter once they get an idea of the range and choices of pets available. She’s encouraged that many people are looking for older dogs.

“Puppies are wonderful, but they take a lot of time and effort and are just not for everyone. Many times an older dog who has been trained and who may be more complacent is the perfect companion animal for a person or family,” Levine says.

Levine, who like most of the volunteers, exhibits a dedication that falls over the line into near fanaticism, says you only have to spend time at one of the shelters to understand the volunteers’ feelings.

“For example, there was a cocker spaniel we called Hamlet found wandering the streets of the Valley. When we got him, he was still wearing his puppy collar that was so small for him it had to be removed surgically from his neck.

“We eventually found him a good home, but you really do have to feel how unthinking and inhumane people can be toward animals that only want to love them.

“There are so many stories with each of these animals that you can’t help be somewhat emotional about them,” Levine says. “We hope to find homes for every one of them.”

Are the Stars Out Tonight? This Is Where to Look

Summer’s coming, and so are the house guests from Helena who will want to use your home as a combo B&B;, fast-food emporium, tourist information center and Laundromat.

And what is the first thing the out-of-towners will want to know? “Where do the stars live?” The answer to that question follows. Post it on your fridge and refer to it as needed:

Point to Studio City and say: “Kirstie Alley, Scott Baio, Elayne Boosler, William Shatner and George Wendt live over that-a-way.”

Turn slightly toward Sherman Oaks and intone: “Smokey Robinson, Tim Reid, Sara Gilbert, Annette Funicello, Harlan Ellison and Dick van Patten live over there.”

Point to Mulholland Drive and confide confidently that Warren Beatty, Annette Benning, Richard Dreyfuss, Jack Nicholson, Sharon Stone and Eddie Van Halen live up there.

Now face west, if the nosy visitors aren’t satisfied yet, point toward Tarzana and say Sally Field lives over there somewhere. Bruce Boxleitner and Melissa Gilbert live in Hidden Hills and Kurt Cameron lives in Calabasas, over there some more.

Of course, they are going to want to drive by Jack’s and Warren’s places.

Tell them it’s not cool to cruise star properties, which are all behind 16-foot fences with roaming bands of crazed Rottweilers patrolling the grounds anyway.

It you can’t get off the hook that way, take them up to that little shopping center near the top of Beverly Glen, near Mulholland. Jack and Warren hang out there.

If they still aren’t satisfied, drive them Malibuward and stop at the first shopping center you come to. Deposit your charges and tell them to look sharp and they might see Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, Paula Abdul, Dustin Hoffman, Larry Hagman, Charles Bronson, Charlie Sheen, Jack Lemmon and Sean Penn drive by, all of whom live in the neighborhood.

Overheard:

“My mother was the original Bullock’s hippie of the ‘60s. She always wore Bernardo sandals and probably had her protest signs designed by Peter Max.”

Young man in Calabasas to friend.