“Long Beach residents and businesses have always responded generously to our request for donations,” said Mayor Foster.  “This year’s food drive goal is to collect 100,000 pounds of food, which would provide three meals a day to approximately 2,547 families for a week.”

Food Finders will collect from locations and then distribute the donated food to more than 100 organizations in Long Beach.

“Many families won’t be able to have festive dinners or toys for the kids this year without our help,” said Arlene Mercer, Food Finders executive director.  “Once again, we are asking for canned and packaged food as well as pet food.  This year, we are also asking for monetary donations to help Food Finders purchase turkeys and hams to be given to Long Beach families.”

The Friends of Long Beach Animals will be collecting and distributing the donated pet food to owners who are finding it a challenge to provide for themselves and their pets.

“It is a tragic reality that some pet owners are forced to consider the relinquishment of their pets due to the lack of household funds needed to properly feed and care for their animals,” said John Gonzales, president of the Friends of Long Beach Animals.  “We ask that everyone include a pet food item with their donation.  Helping our neighbors and their pets during difficult times will make Long Beach a better place.”

The newest partner in the food drive is the nonprofit We Love Long Beach.

“The Long Beach Community Food Drive is the perfect chance for all of us to work together and make a difference in the lives of families and individuals throughout our city,” said Scott Jones, co-founder/director of We Love Long Beach.  “We’re once again grateful for the partnership between Food Finders, the Mayor and Friends of Long Beach Animals.  One hundred thousand pounds!  Let’s do this!”

For a complete list of suggested items and drop-off locations, visit www.longbeach.gov/mayor.  Additional collection sites will be added in the coming weeks.

About Food Finders
Food Finders, Inc. is a multi-regional food bank that serves as a conduit between the donors, service agencies and people in need.  The non-profit provides food to feed the impoverished and hungry people, and referral services in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.  For more information, visit www.foodfinders.org.

About Friends of Long Beach Animals
Friends of Long Beach Animals is a non-profit organization committed to saving animals’ lives through spay/neuter programs.  They are dedicated to responsible pet ownership, education and humane treatment of all animals. www.friendsoflongbeachanimals.org

About We Love Long Beach
We Love Long Beach is a non-profit 501(c)(3) whose mission is to know and serve the people, the neighborhoods and the city of Long Beach. Through service learning education, neighborhood events, service projects and strategic partnerships, WLLB is fostering active citizenship in the lives of people throughout the city. www.welovelongbeach.org

The rescue has been called nothing short of heroic by animal lovers around the country, despite criticisms from some LA county residents that the effort was a “waste of taxpayer dollars”.      One comment on the ABC7.com story stated, “God Bless those fire fighters for showing such compassion in this act of kindness.”.

“This is the time of year that many veterinary hospitals report more emergency calls than any other time. Often this is associated with your pets getting into food that they simply shouldn’t have,” Dr. Ron DeHaven, chief executive officer of the AVMA, said in a recent video.

Dr. DeHaven advises that the very things that make the holidays festive for us can be fatal to our pets. Turkey, tinsel, greasy foods, mistletoe, Christmas trees, chocolates and baked goods are all things that can result in an emergency veterinary visit.

“Consider the dog that gets into that turkey carcass,” DeHaven said in the video. “Because of the high fat content this can cause a really serious condition called pancreatitis.”

“Many of the worst poisonings during the holiday season occur when we’re not at home,” he continued. “Be sure after Thanksgiving dinner that you put that turkey carcass out in the trash, well out of reach of your pets. Also consider wrapped candies or foods that may be in holiday packages. Your pet has a sensitive nose, so they could get into those things, and if that happens while you’re not home, you wouldn’t be there to help them.”

This complete holiday message can be downloaded on the AVMA media library at this link, and it’s also available to the general public on AVMA-TV, at www.avmatv.org. The AVMA also offers a brochure on Household Hazards available at www.avma.org, and has also posted a video with more information on Household Hazards and Poisons on AVMA-TV.

Individual and Team registrations are now available online! Please click here to register online or you can print and fax a registration form found at the SBACC website. The Seal Beach Animal Shelter is also selling tickets for their Super Opportunity Drawing for which you do not need to be present to win.

To find out more information about the event or to register visit the event website here.

The dog park is intended to meet the increasing need of downtown residents to have places where they can play with their four-legged friends.  It will also serve to activate a historic open space in our downtown civic center.  The park will feature spaces for large and small dogs along with benches for owners.  Over the next few weeks, you will see plenty of construction activity as stylish fences, signage and benches are put in place.

Residents will play an important role in monitoring and suggesting improvements to the space once the dog park has opened, so Suja is forming the “Lincoln Dog Park Advisory Committee”.  This volunteer committee will assist her office and the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department with ideas for maintenance, repair and enhancement of the park along with outreach to other dog owners in downtown.   Any resident interested in volunteering for the Lincoln Dog Park Advisory Committee should call Suja’s Chief of Staff, Broc Coward, at (562) 570-6684 or email at broc.coward@longbeach.gov.

It’s a good time to educate yourself about how to protect your family and household pets from coyote attacks. There are things you can do around your household to discourage coyotes from hunting for food in your neighborhood. Keeping trashcans sealed and bringing your pet’s food and water dishes in at night are a start. For more tips on protecting your family from coyotes visit the LA County website.

Honda Press Release:

New dog-friendly transportation concepts designed for the Honda Element add canine-specific enhancements to one of the most dog-friendly vehicles available, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced at the New York International Auto Show.

Developed specifically for the Element, the Dog Friendly™ components demonstrate the potential for a dedicated pet restraint system designed to meet the needs of dog owners. A finalized version of the Dog Friendly Element is scheduled to debut this fall. Major components will likely include:

· a cushioned pet bed in the cargo area with an elevated platform;
· second row and cargo area pet restraint systems;
· an extendable cargo area load-in ramp;
· a 12V DC rear ventilation fan;
· second-row seat covers with a dog pattern design (matches the bed fabric);
· all-season rubber floor mats with a toy bone pattern;
· a spill-resistant water bowl; and
· Dog Friendly exterior emblems.
“In an interesting turn of events, cars are now chasing dogs,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda. “Factory integration of a cushioned pet bed, restraint systems and other components is intended to transform the Element into the ultimate dog car.”

The Dog Friendly equipment, engineered specifically for the Element, is designed to accommodate the transportation of dogs in the second-row passenger seats or in the cargo area. The restraint system concepts were designed and fabricated by Takata Corporation, one of the world’s leading automotive safety systems suppliers, exclusively for display on the Dog Friendly Honda Element concept vehicle. The restraint concepts are intended to complement the potential of the vehicle’s existing restraint systems by helping to protect the dog and helping to prevent injuries to other vehicle occupants due to an unrestrained dog impacting them in a collision. For convenience, a ramp is included to help dogs access the rear cargo area. The ramp stores underneath the bed platform and can be conveniently accessed when the rear tailgate is down.

“In-vehicle pet restraints should be part of every dog owner’s safe travel practices,” said Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “The expanded availability of manufacturer-based restraints and features can help elevate pet comfort and convenience for owners. Good ventilation and access to water on longer trips should also be primary concerns.”

The Element has long been recognized for its dog-friendly interior with an easy-to-clean urethane floor and expansive, flat cargo area (up to 74.6 cu-ft. with rear seats removed), wide-opening side cargo doors, low lift-in height, and accommodating dimensions for tall items. The consumer pet travel advice Web site, Dogcars.com, honored the 2007 Honda Element with its first-ever “Dog Car of the Year” award.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Inc., 39 percent of all households own at least one dog with an estimated total U.S. dog population of 74.8 million. All pet purchases and related products and services comprise an estimated total market value of more than $43 billion (2008 est.).

Substantially restyled for the 2009 model year and available with new features, the Honda Element builds on its spacious and versatile SUV character with a more chiseled exterior appearance and a refreshed interior design. Three unique Element styles are available that range from the rugged and simple Element LX, to the more refined Element EX, to the sporty Element SC.

Powered by a 2.4-liter i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine, the Element is available with either a 5-speed manual transmission (standard) or an available 5-speed automatic transmission. Available Real Time 4WD™ can enhance all-weather traction. The interior provides seating for up to four people along with a cargo area that adapts to large items with its flip-up rear seats that fold flat, fold up and to the side, or can be removed altogether (64-plus seating arrangements). The Element EX has a water resistant urethane-coated utility floor that wipes down for ease-of-cleaning and seat fabric that resists moisture.

For 2009, all Elements incorporate significant exterior styling changes that include new front grille and bumper designs, restyled front fenders (now metal, previously composite material), a new hood design, squared wheel arches, and new headlight and taillight configurations. Interior enhancements include revised dashboard color combinations with titanium-look side linings, new fabric patterns, and enhanced switchgear designs and instrument panel meter graphics. The Element EX exclusively adds a new convertible center console with a removable cooler/storage box.  

If you’re looking for a fun outing for you and your dog, Runyon Canyon Park is the perfect place.  Runyan Canyon is a great place for a hike for you and your dog to be one with nature while taking in a great view to boot.  It has 3 different trails to choose from ranging from 30 minutes to 1 ½ hours to complete depending on your fitness level and which trail you take.

At the top of the mountain you’ll be rewarded by a great view of all of Los Angeles and on a clear day you can see the ocean and even Long Beach!

In most areas of the park, your furry friend is free to run along side you off leash.  I was talking to someone a couple weeks ago who told me she was going to a dog birthday party there.  What a genius idea!  Runyon Canyon Park is also famous for the famous and lot of stars (and paparazzi) are known to frequent Runyon Canyon Park.  

After a nice hike you may have worked up an appetite so what to do?  You and your pooch can head on over to The Abbey for breakfast or lunch.  Many people don’t know this but this favorite gay restaurant and bar is very dog friendly.  Any by the way, if you happen to stop by for breakfastt, their wheat toast is absolutely delicious.

So if you find yourself faced with the dillema of wanting to enjoy the beautiful Southern California weather but don’t want to leave your dog at home…head on over to Runyon Canyon Park for scenic hike and then over to the Abbey for some delicious food.

For more information about Runyon Canyon Park visit their website.

For more information about the Abbey in West Hollywood visit abbeyfoodandbar.com