Awarded the 2011 Reader’s Choice

Award, Andrew Marsden and his excep-

tional staff of trainers and technicians

provide many programs to support the

animals. Want to teach your dog to “sit,”

“stay” and “come”? Enroll your pup into

Puppy Kindergarten. Want to teach your

old dog new tricks? Sign up for Tricks

class. Do you have a reactive pooch?

Check out Reactive Rovers, one of the

first classes in the Los Angeles region

designed for reactive dogs. Shelter dogs

can attend Shelter School to learn basic

obedience commands and socialization

skills. If a dog performs all of the com-

mands, then it receives a Blue Ribbon

and a discounted adoption fee. How

wonderful to adopt a shelter dog with

basic manners!

They haven’t forgotten the cats.

Various planned activities keep cats

from getting bored during their time at

the shelter. If you hear classical music

playing in the cat modular, that is thanks

to the program. In addition, nail

may | june 2012

Beyond Sit and Stay: The Behavior Department at PHS

Keeping animals in their home is the goal of the Behavior Department at PHS.

compassion and care for all animals

pasadena humane society & spca

(continued on back page)

Imagine a place where abandoned

and homeless animals have the best

possible chance to find a new home.

Imagine a place that works tirelessly

to keep pets in their homes and

reunites lost pets with their families.

Imagine a veterinary hospital that

performs more than 30 surgeries

daily in a commitment to end pet

overpopulation.

Pag e 2

This is the future we want for the animals at the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCa. Stay tuned.

Imagine an animal behavior center

that focuses on programs that enrich

the lives of shelter animals, keeping

them engaged and adoptable, while

providing training and fun and games

opportunities and solutions to pet

behavior issues for the public.

Imagine an animal care campus that

provides convenient access to the latest

in animal care products, humane

education, and adoptable animals.

Imagine one central humane resource

for the animals of your community.

The future of animal welfare relies on a combination of progressive programs that meet the needs of animals and a supportive community.

When you donate to the Pasadena Humane Society, you help animals in

Arcadia, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra

Madre, and South Pasadena. The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is not

part of any national animal organization. All of the funds you contribute

to PHS stay locally. Donate to the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA and

help the animals in your community.

Community heroes

Pag e 3

Saving lives on the small screen

GTV6, the City of Glendale’s public

access channel, has been a part of the

community since 1997. The channel

broadcasts city council meetings, as

well as a variety of other city- sponsored

events in an effort to inform and

connect the community. It won numer-

ous awards and accolades including

seven Los Angeles Emmy Awards for

original programming. Most important,

however, the channel has made a special

impact on the animals here at PHS.

Twice a month, the production crew sets

up a small studio in the PHS boardroom

and showcases seven pets in search of a

home on the television show “The

Dog House.” Director Rob Townsend,

cameraman Hanry Safarian, editor

Sabrina Thomas and husband-wife hosts

Rob and Dottie Sharkey have helped

the animals find homes for more than a

decade now.

“ ‘The Dog House’ is one of our most

popular programs,” said Sabrina

Thomas, the show’s editor. “One time

Steve brought a falcon on the show.

Another time there was an iguana and

a tarantula,’ Thomas added.

The show usually consists of one rab-

bit, three cats and three dogs, but

sometimes a turtle or bird will make an

appearance. Two education segments –

ranging from common wildlife topics

to training tips–are interspersed within

the show as well. In 2011, 161 animals were

featured on the show and countless

more in past years.

In late 2011, the network agreed to air

episodes on YouTube, giving the animals

more visibility across the sea of social

networks. GTV6 is our community hero

because of the time and dedication

it and its staff have put in to helping

animals find a second chance for a

forever home.

pg

. 2

paw & order

Pag e 4

At PHS, the responsibilities of the

Field Service department include rescue

of stray and lost animals, reuniting

animals with their owners, rescuing

injured animals, as well as enforcing all

animal-related municipal ordinances,

state laws, and investigating cases of

cruelty, abuse and neglect.

Available 24/7, the department includes

dispatchers, licensing canvassers, our

wildlife officer, 9 animal control officers,

and 3 Level I Humane Officers, who

have advanced, specialized training-

giving them powers similar to a police

officer or deputy sheriff.

In December of 2010, acting on a tip

from a good samaritan, PHS took

possession of more than 250 cats

from a 600 square foot bungalow in

Pasadena. Our Field Services depart-

ment coordinated with other city agen-

cies to make this action possible. After

months of work, the evidence presented

to the District Attorney’s office led to a

positive outcome in this case. The per-

son responsible was guilty of having too

many animals, was placed on probation,

and must pay restitution to PHS. For a

certain period of time, she is prohibited

from having animals, as well. This case

would not have been resolved with-

out the tenacity shown by the officers

involved. Because of their actions, and

dedicated work of other staff, more than

92% of the cats now have good, caring

homes.

According to Lieutenant Nemesio

Arteaga, who supervises the depart-

ment, a successful officer must have

a “strong desire to help people and

animals. The satisfaction in the job is

personal—you know you have made a

difference.”

If you suspect an act of animal cruelty,

please contact us at 626.792.7151

ext. 102, or through our website

www.pasadenahumane.org.

Children’s cartoons overflow with images of the foolish

dog-catcher being easily outwitted by a scruffy group of dogs.

Dispelling that stereotype, the men and women responsible for

providing animal control services to our 7 service cities are a

far cry from those cartoonish “dog-catchers.” Over the next few

issues of Scoop, we will show you the skill, dedication and

professionalism shown by our officers.

In the Field

Q: Whenever I open the front door, my dog bolts. I’m afraid that one day he’ll run into the street. What can I do to stop this from happening?

A: In order to break your dog from this common habit, you’ll need to imple-

ment some training. Teaching a simple command like “wait at the door”

is easy to do and may even save your dog’s life. To begin, have your dog

on a leash so that you can control all movements. Have plenty of treats

or use your dog’s favorite toy as a reward. Ask your dog to sit, and then

slowly begin to open the door. As soon as your dog gets up, say “ah-ah” or

“no” and close the door, putting your dog back into a sit. Do this as many

times as necessary until your dog stays sitting while you open the door.

Once your dog stays put, give a release word such as “okay” and allow the

dog to move forward.

Q: How can I safely socialize my puppy and keep him healthy?

A: To keep your puppy healthy and socialized, take your puppy out on leash,

but avoid moist, grassy environments where other dogs potty. Walking

your dog on a concrete sidewalk allows for exercise and leash training, but

limits exposure to many diseases. Avoiding dog parks is critical to keeping

your puppy healthy. A puppy class will allow socialization with dogs and

people in a controlled and hygienic environment.

Q: My dog pulls constantly when we are out on walks. My friend suggested using a choke chain or a prong collar to stop the pulling but I’m not sure if that is a good idea. Any other suggestions?

A: A couple of different pieces of equipment help deter pulling and are less

physical for your dog. A front clipping harness helps stop pulling by giving

the dog a slight correction and turns the dog back towards you. For

really determined pullers, many trainers recommend a head collar. It works

by controlling the the dog’s head the same way a bridle does on a horse.

A head collar is not a muzzle and the dog can continue to eat, drink, pant

and bark.

For more tips and information, please contact the Pasadena

Humane Society & SPCA’s Behavior & Training Department

at 626.792.7151 ext. 155.

Tips and Myths About Pets

Pag e 5

?

behavior & training Q A

pg

. 2

happy tails

Pag e 6

Charlotte’s Web: How one dog found her pack

after two months of waiting patiently at the Pasadena Humane

Society, Charlotte charmed volunteer Laurene Lopez and found

her forever home. The pint-sized pup quickly adjusted to life in a

busy house with plenty of play time with her canine companions.

Unfortunately, life was not always so

easy for Charlotte. The three-year-old

Chihuahua was found all alone in a park

in Pasadena and brought to our shelter

by a good samaritan. A little shy at first,

little Charlotte quickly warmed up to

people and did great with other dogs.

Two months passed and Charlotte re-

mained in our shelter. Our Mobile

Outreach Unit brought her to events

hoping that someone might see her

outside of the shelter environment and

bond with her. It just so happened that

PHS volunteer Laurene Lopez was that

person.

When Laurene met Charlotte, her heart

went out to her. She couldn’t under-

stand why the sweet little pup had been

overlooked for so long. Over the next

few days, she couldn’t stop thinking

about Charlotte, so she decided to bring

her two other dogs, Theodore (also

adopted from PHS) and Lady, to

meet her.

Laurene remembers the moment that

she knew Charlotte was the newest

member of the Lopez pack, “Our so-

cialization meeting went well. Charlotte

respected the size of Lady and backed

down and let Theodore smell her.

I adopted her on the spot.”

“Charlotte has blended in nicely with

the pack. With her feisty attitude, she

continues to try to earn top dog status,

but is outvoted by my wise older

shepherd, Lady, who keeps everyone

honest. Theodore has become her

lovebird. They are inseparable.”

Having three dogs in the family can take

a little work, but Laurene is rewarded

by all of the entertainment it brings her.

Not to mention, three times the love

and doggy kisses!

“I adopt shelter dogs because I know

I am making a difference everyday in

that animal’s life. I have the means to

give them what they need to have the

quality of life they deserve,” Laurene

told us recently.

You too can make a difference in the

life of an animal. Visit the Pasadena

Humane Society today to meet your

next pet! Visit www.pasadenahumane.

org to see all animals currently available

for adoption.

event round-up

Pag e 7

Tune your engines! The 2012 San Marino

Motor Classic: Design in Motion is gear-

ing up for its second annual outing on

Sunday, June 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

located at the beautiful Lacy Park, 1485

Virginia Road, San Marino, Calif. 91108.

The concours-level automotive exhibi-

tion is a community event established

to increase public awareness of the

history of the motor vehicle by show-

casing historical automobiles. Enthusi-

asts can expect to see a wide variety of

Brass Era cars, Depression Era classics

and Post-War luxury and sports cars.

“We’re especially excited for this year,”

said Aaron Weiss, Co-Chair of the

event. “People really enjoyed last year’s

inaugural event so we’re building upon

that to showcase even more cars this

year and to let people see firsthand

prominent parts of automobile history.”

Proceeds raised from the event will

again benefit the Pasadena Humane

Society & SPCA and the Rotary Club

of San Marino. The 2011 inaugural event

raised more than $125,000 for both

charities in addition to attracting more

than 220 collector cars and 3,000

spectators. John La Barbera’s 1955

Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing won

the “Best In Show” title. KABC 7’s Dave

Kunz returns as Master of Ceremonies

this year. Advanced spectator tickets

can be purchased for $25 online or for

$30 the day of the event. Visit www.

sanmarinomotorclassic.com for tickets

and more information.

Save the date— It’s Wiggle Waggle Walk time!Join thousands of animal lovers and their four-legged companions on Sunday,

September 30th for a community dog walk and fundraiser to help all our furry

friends. The Wiggle Waggle Walk is the Pasadena Humane Society’s biggest

fundraising event because of committed and caring people just like you! With

your help, with hope to raise $300,000 to provide care for the thousands of

animals that come to our shelter annually.

Register for the Wiggle Waggle Walk today and win exciting prizes as you

fundraise for the animals—everyone’s a winner!

For more information, visit www.wigglewagglewalk.org, or call (626) 792-7151

ext. 167

Join us for the San Marino Motor Classic

Non-profitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PaIDPasadena, Ca

Permit No. 1142361 South Raymond Avenue

Pasadena, CA 91105

The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is a

private, non-profit, open door, animal welfare

agency serving the communities of Arcadia, Glen-

dale, La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, San Marino,

Sierra Madre and South Pasadena.

Facility HoursTues, Wed, Thurs, Fri 9 am—6 pmSat 9 am—5 pmSun 11 am—5 pm

adoption HoursTues, Wed, Thurs, Fri 9 am—5 pmSat 9 am—4 pmSun 11 am—4 pm

www.pasadenahumane.org

24 hour Emergency Service please call 626.792.7151Glendale residents please call toll-free 818.240.9100

The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is a private, non-profit, open door, animal welfare agency serving the communities of Arcadia, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre and South Pasadena

Beyond Sit and Stay (continued from front page)

trimming clinics are held monthly

to teach cat owners proper care and

maintenance of their cat’s nails.

In April, the department debuted

training classes at the Los

Angeles County Arboretum and

Botanic Garden in Arcadia. These

classes offer the same quality services

in a new and exciting environment

dogs and their owners can enjoy.

Whether it is assessing animals when

they first arrive, to teaching them

basic obedience commands, or

providing residents with skills and

activities to bond with their pets, the

Behavior Department is there for

you and your pet.

To fetch more information, call the

Behavior & Training Hotline at (626)

792-7151 ext. 155, or visit our website,

wwww.pasadenahumane.org.