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Animal lovers’ calendar: Weekend of May 22-23 and beyond

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Whether you want to adopt a new four-legged family member or simply learn about animal rescue from the comfort of your couch, the coming days and weeks are full of events sure to appeal to Southern California animal lovers. We’ve got the details on a number of such events; if you think we’re forgetting one, let us know by leaving a comment or tweeting the details to us @LATunleashed.

Thursday, May 20 (that’s tonight, kids!), local PBS affiliate KCET airs a documentary short by USC School of Cinematic Arts graduate student Cristina Malavenda titled ‘No Kill’ as part of its Fine Cut Festival of Student Film, which begins at 10 p.m. The film depicts ‘the unending tidal wave of abandoned pets in the city of Los Angeles and how animal services staff and volunteers deal with the constant threat of euthanasia,’ according to KCET, by following four abandoned pets as they make their way through L.A.’s shelter system. More information at KCET.org.

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Saturday, May 22, the L.A. Department of Animal Services hosts a mobile pet-adoption event at Centinela Feed & Pet Supplies’ Rancho Palos Verdes location, 28901 Western Ave., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. See photos of adoptable pets at the department’s website.

Saturday, May 22, spcaLA hosts PAWS to Read at the Redondo Beach Public Library, 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Participation is free; sign-up begins at 9 a.m. at the Children’s Information Desk. More information at spcaLA.com.

Saturday, May 22, local rescue group Helping Persian Cats holds a combination literary event and cat-adoption festival at Santa Monica’s Petco location, 2910 Wilshire Blvd., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Author Jacque Heebner will discuss and sign her mystery novel ‘First Person Cat’ from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Refreshments and gift bags are offered and Persian cats in need of homes will be on hand to meet potential adopters. More information at HelpingPersians.com.

Sunday, May 23, Best Friends Animal Society holds its annual Spring Super Adoption Festival at Westchester Recreation Center, at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Manchester Avenue in Westchester, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hundreds of pets from area animal shelters and rescue groups will be on hand to meet potential adopters, and the event will give special attention to senior pets, which are often overlooked in favor of younger animals. (Take it from us, kids: Adopting a senior pet is great, particularly if said pet is already house-trained!) More information at BestFriendsEvents.net.

Upcoming:

Thursday, May 27, the L.A. Department of Animal Services hosts a mobile pet-adoption event at the Van Nuys Petco location, 5850 Sepulveda Blvd., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Saturday, May 29, spcaLA invites baseball fans to purchase discounted tickets to the 1 p.m. game between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Seattle Mariners at Angels Stadium. In advance of the game, spcaLA is also hosting an online auction of Angels memorabilia and other items, with all proceeds benefiting its work on behalf of needy animals in Southern California. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit spcaLA.com.

Saturday, June 5, FixNation hosts a low-cost vaccine, microchip and FeLV/FIV testing clinic for dogs and cats at its Sun Valley location, 7680 Clybourn Ave., from 9 a.m. to noon. Rabies vaccination is $12 for dogs and cats; FVRCP for cats is $8; DHLPP for dogs is $8; FeLV/FIV Snap testing for cats is $30; and microchipping is $25 for dogs and cats. The clinic is open to the public on a walk-in basis only; reservations aren’t accepted. FixNation will hold a low-cost vaccine and microchip clinic on the first Saturday of each month in 2010, with a few exceptions because of holidays. For more information or a full schedule, visit FixNation.org.

Monday, June 14, Riverside’s Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center (formerly known as the Riverside Humane Society) hosts Riverside County’s first-ever 100-hole golf marathon to raise funds for homeless pets. Confused about how a 100-hole marathon is possible? So were we (but then, we’ll be the first to admit that we’re confused about golf in general). The organizers explain that the event will be ‘a fast-paced 100 holes of golf played as a personal best-ball scramble. That’s 50 holes, two balls per hole ...100 holes.’ Whew! Sounds like a busy day, indeed. The event takes place at Riverside’s Victoria Country Club, 2521 Arroyo Drive, and begins with a breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Golf play begins at 8:30 and concludes at 5 p.m., with time out for a box lunch to be eaten on the golf course. The day ends with a buffet dinner, drawings and prizes in the clubhouse. Those who wish to help the Mary S. Roberts Pet Adoption Center’s furry residents without playing 100 holes can also sponsor a golfer. For more information or to register, visit PetsAdoption.com.

Ongoing:

The L.A. Department of Animal Services offers low-cost vaccination, microchipping and licensing clinics every first Thursday at its Harbor animal shelter; every second Thursday at its North Central animal shelter; every third Thursday at its South L.A. animal shelter; and every fourth Thursday at its East Valley animal shelter. All clinics begin at 4:30 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. More information and pricing in PDF format at the department’s website.

Every first Wednesday through October, Santa Monica’s Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar, 104 Santa Monica Blvd., hosts ‘Wine Woof Wednesday’ from 7 to 9 p.m. During the event, guests can bring their dogs along to Pourtal and receive free dog-walking service with any purchase over $25. More information at Pourtal.com.

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The Origins skin care store at The Shops in Mission Viejo has partnered with the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center to offer free mini-facials, gifts with purchase and a chance to win a $100 Origins shopping spree in exchange for items donated to the animal services center. Taking Origins up on this offer is simple: Just head into the retail store on the second level of The Shops in Mission Viejo and drop off an item on the animal services center’s wish list. Wish-list items include blankets, towels, newspapers, heating pads, unused collars, bottles for unweaned kittens and dog and cat toys. More information at MissionViejoLife.org.

Mark your calendar:

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will open its newly restored 1913 Building with a brand-new ‘Age of Mammals’ exhibition beginning July 11. The exhibition traces the history of evolution ‘from the extinction of the dinosaurs to the rise of humans -- within the context of epochal changes in the Earth’s geology and climate,’ John Harris, the Natural History Museum’s head of vertebrate studies and chief curator of the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits, told our sister blog Culture Monster. Visitors will get to see specimens like the Simi Valley mastodon, a saber-toothed cat and a brontothere (a species with possibly the most rock ‘n’ roll-sounding scientific name: ‘thunder beast’).

-- Lindsay Barnett

Video: A portion of the documentary short ‘No Kill.’ Credit: KCET

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