PetSmart Charities pledges $13.8 million for spay/neuter clinics

Just a reminder:

PetSmart Charities has pledged to donate up to $13.8 million to help create seven new spay and neuter clinics in Los Angeles, which city officials say will help reduce the number of dogs and cats that end up in the city’s animal shelters.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, pictured on the day he signed the city's spay/neuter ordinance into law, made the announcement this morning while cuddling a fidgety black-and-brown Chihuahua in his arms in front of a bank of television news cameras (“I just wanted to clarify: This is not a Beverly Hills Chihuahua. This is an East L.A. Chihuahua,’’ the mayor said before planting a kiss on the pooch’s head.)

More than 50,000 dogs and cats wound up in city animal shelters last year, and 15,000 of those were euthanized. As of Oct. 1, the city requires that all cats and dogs in the city over the age of 4 months be spayed or neutered, with some limited exemptions.

Along with the PetSmart donation, the Found Animal Foundation donated $1 million to the city for the spay and neuter program. Villaraigosa said the donations help put L.A. on the path to becoming a “no kill’’ city at it’s animal shelters.

-- Phil Willon

Photo credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

One-fourth of wild mammal species may face extinction

At least 25% of the world's mammal species in the wild are threatened with extinction. This news comes from an international survey released Monday that blames the loss of wildlife habitat as well as hunting and poaching for the steep declines. Times staff writer Ken Weiss reports:

The baiji, or Chinese river dolphin, is teetering on the edge of extinction and may have already joined the list of species that have vanished from Earth. Others are not far behind, such as the vaquita, a small porpoise that has been drowning in fishing nets in the northern part of the Gulf of California; the North Atlantic right whale; and various monkeys and other primates hunted by poachers in Africa.

Scientists have determined that about 25% of the world's 5,487 species of mammals face extinction. The proportion of marine mammals in trouble appears to be higher, with an estimated one-third under serious threat of being wiped out. Many are killed when they are struck by ships or become entangled in fishing gear and drown.

About half the world's remaining species of apes, monkeys and other primates face threats from hunting or deforestation to make way for farming, said Russell A. Mittermeier, president of Conservation International.

For a photo gallery of endangered animals, including the black-footed ferret, above, click here.

Photo: Greg Wood / AFP/Getty Images

'Beverly Hills Chihuahua' ends up as top dog at the box office

Despite the controversy that "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" stirred up among animal shelter officials and Latinos, the Disney film did better than expected, grossing $29 million and knocking the thriller "Eagle Eye" into second place, the Times' Peter Pae reports:

The live-action animal comedy, featuring the voices of Drew Barrymore and George Lopez, was expected to gross $20 million to $25 million. It was the best October debut of any Disney picture.

"We're ecstatic," said Chuck Viane, president of domestic distribution for Disney. "We don't think we could have done any better with a market that had seven movies opening."

It was one of the more crowded weekends for film premieres and led to a surge in moviegoers. The weekend gross for the top 12 movies totaled $95.4 million, up 42% from the same weekend a year ago, according to the box-office tracking firm Media by Numbers.

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" opened in 3,215 theaters, with a strong per-theater average of slightly more than $9,000.

In case you missed it this weekend, The Times also reviewed the film and reported on some prominent Latinos touting the film, including influential local radio host Eddie Sotelo, a.k.a. Piolin. Perahps if we'd seen more chihuahuas in Julianne Moore's "Blindness," it may have helped that film at the box office?

--Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo: Daniel Daza / Disney Enterprises Inc

The Heidi Chronicles, Chapter 12: Heidi goes to a screening of 'Beverly Hills Chihuahua'

This is Heidi. Earlier this year, she was "discovered" in the park by a pet talent agency; since then, she has embarked on a one-dog quest to break into the business. This is her Hollywood story as chronicled by Times staff writer Diane Haithman. And this is her “head shot”: That longing look was the result of seeing a biscuit just out of reach.

In Chapter 11, trainer Sue DiSesso told us it usually takes a year to studio-train a dog — meaning that, although this is clearly not a deal-breaker for many Hollywood stars, an animal actor actually has to act. But then, I knew it would only take Heidi six months, because she is the smartest dog in the world, which is the absolute truth because you read it on the Internet.

We’ll get back to Heidi’s training, which began in June, in later chapters; this week, we are jumping forward to the present because, studio-trained or no, Heidi has become an entertainment industry insider: She was invited to attend a private screening of “Beverly Hills Chihuahua” at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. (The movie opened Friday.)

Well, "invited" may be too strong a word. I heard about the screening and thought it might be fun to invite myself and the dog, so she’d be used to the red-carpet treatment by the time she wins an Academy Award for Best Supporting Canine.

The press representatives were delighted by Heidi’s career aspirations, and offered to set up a meeting with Heidi and Rusco the chihuahua, who plays “Papi,” and Mike Alexander, the head trainer/animal coordinator for the movie, at a later date — but no dogs allowed in the screening room. No dogs? Do Goofy and Pluto know about this?

If Heidi were a chihuahua, I could stuff her in my purse, but it’s hard to sneak a German Shepherd in anywhere.

A (Dutch) TV channel for animals...and their owners

If you think Americans are the most indulgent pet owners in the world, here's a Reuters story that might change your mind.

AMSTERDAM -- Dutch animal lovers on Tuesday launched a national campaign to establish a public TV channel for animals and their owners. Under the name of Piep!, the group intends to collect 50,000 signatures of support, the number needed to gain access to the public TV network in the Netherlands.

Piep! plans to schedule programs directed to its animal audience. In addition to programs that animals can enjoy, Piep! also wants to broadcast documentaries, youth programs and news shows covering the life and rights of animals.

Karen Soeters, a communications manager from Amsterdam who initiated the plan, estimates that there are about 3 million cats, 2 million dogs and 1 million rabbits that form part of Dutch households. Furthermore, since the last election, a party led by animal-rights activists -- the so-called Partij voor de Dieren -- has two seats in the Dutch parliament.

"Listening to animals can be very inspiring for human beings. They do not cause credit crisis, do not overeat and take care of their environment," Soeters said.

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Now your pets can display your political preferences

In the midst of an historical presidential campaign, we probably shouldn't be surprised to read that pets can now be part of the events. But, truth be told, we were slightly startled by an article on campaign buttons for animals. And we had to share.

"Sharon Young has designed and sold political buttons and T-shirts for about 15 years. But maybe she's been barking up the wrong tree.

"Her newest creation –- campaign buttons for canines –- is leading the pack.

"Patriotic Pets buttons come with slogans such as 'Bark Obama for President' and '100% McCain9.' ...

"For Young and other purveyors of political merchandise, sales have been super strong this campaign season. Young says her monthly sales have been double what they were in 2004. Since last fall, she has sold more than 100,000 campaign buttons, including more than 2,000 of the $5.95 dog tags."

Man saves dog in shark attack. Really.

You want to read about a devoted pet owner? The Associated Press has a story of extremes:

ISLAMORADA, Fla. — A dog is recovering after a Florida Keys carpenter dove in to save his pet from a shark.

Greg LeNoir said he took his 14-pound rat terrier Jake for his daily swim at a marina Friday.

The five-foot shark suddenly surfaced and grabbed nearly the entire dog in its mouth.

LeNoir said he yelled, then balled up his fists and dove headfirst into the water. He hit the shark in the back and the creature finally let go of the dog.

Man and dog made it safely back to shore. The dog suffered bite wounds but was not critically injured.

Photo: Cammy Clark/Associated Press

Pet retailer to fund 8 low-cost spay/neuter clinics in L.A. County

The charity arm of PetSmart this week announced a pledge to raise $13.8 million to fund eight low-cost spay and neuter clinics in Los Angeles County.

Two nonprofits, FixNation and Clinico, will operate the facilities, said PetSmart Charities spokeswoman Kim Noetzel. Three of the facilities are already operating in Pico Rivera, Downey and Los Angeles.

"We believe that ensuring high-quality, low-cost, high-volume spay neuter services in the areas where they are needed the most is one of the keys to ending pet homelessness," Noetzel said. "That means fewer animals enter the shelter system, where they could be euthanized."

The timing is significant; Wednesday is the first day Angelenos can be cited for not having their pets spayed or neutered under a law that took effect in April (yes, the grace period ends Oct. 1).

L.A. Animal Services General Manager Ed Boks welcomed the initiative, saying it would help the city control the number of animals entering the shelters and thus rein in euthanasia. He said the pledge will also help push along an effort to expand spay-neuter clinics both at city shelters and at outside facilities. Currently, only the shelter in South Los Angeles offers spaying and neutering.

Noetzel, of PetSmart Charities, said the Los Angeles area was chosen for the project because it has one of the highest levels of animal euthanasia in the nation. She estimated that over the next five years, the program could result in 500,000 cats and dogs being neutered, preventing the birth of perhaps millions of kittens and puppies.

--Tony Barboza

Photo: Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times

Abandoned movie dogs -- Chihuahuas and Dalmatians -- and the voiceless foreclosure victims

Oh great. Here we go again.

A cutesy movie about Chihuahas -- that's a scene from "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" above -- and I can tell you before it even opens what will happen.

People will decide they must have a Chihuahua. The puppy mills will go into overdrive to churn out litters of Chihuahuas (and the puppy mills breed a poor dog to produce litter after litter, month after month, until she’s exhausted nearly to death).

People will pay good money for Chihuahuas, and then a lot of them will find that Chihuahuas aren’t the dog for them.

They don’t do the cute things they did in the movies. Like any purebred, they’re prone to their own ailments. And they’ll get dumped, again, at the animal shelter.

It happened with "101 Dalmatians," when people caved in to their kids and bought Dalmatians, and then found out they weren’t animated stuffed animals but living creatures with needs and problems of their own. And Dalmatians got dumped at animal shelters.

It happened with "Babe" –- so cute, so smart, so not suited to many owners. Dump 'em at the animal shelter.

Every time a cute-dog or cute-cat movie comes out, 5% of the box office take –- gross, not net; I have lived here long enough to know about Hollywood accounting –- should go to animal shelters to take care of these bought-and-abandoned "fad dogs."

Already, there are more Chihuahuas languishing for homes in Los Angeles city shelters than any breed of dog but pit bulls. If you want a Chihuahua, go there and adopt one –- it's a lot cheaper than buying one, and it'll send a "thanks but no thanks" message to the puppy-mill operators.

Third on the abandoned list: German shepherds. Which brings me to abandonment, period.

I went by the North Central shelter the other day and saw unspeakable numbers of dogs listed as "owner surrender." People whose houses have been foreclosed on have often just left their pets behind like the front door keys. Do they think their pets can go door to door and find a new place to live?

They are your family; families stick together in times of stress and trouble. And if you think your kids have trouble adjusting to a forced foreclosure move, how much worse to leave a beloved Fluffy or Spot behind –- imagine that your kids would naturally wonder, "Am I next?" It’s only slightly kinder to abandon pets at the animal shelter.

I saw an 8-year-old blonde cocker spaniel, a young Samoyed, a 10-year-old golden retriever, and then I couldn’t bear to look any more. Times are hard, sure. They’re even harder for the animals who love you and depend on you. They deserve better from you.

-- Patt Morrison

Patt Morrison's column appears Thursdays in The Times.

Photo: Daniel Daza / Disney Enterprises Inc.

Treat toddlers like dogs, expert says

A British animal behavior expert says raising a toddler shouldn't be much different from training a dog.

Pat Moore, a behavior expert with the Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, told the Telegraph newspaper that misbehaving toddlers should treated with the same techniques used to correct disobedient dogs.

"Neither puppies or toddlers can be expected to immediately know how to behave in certain situations and need clear, consistent guidance. The key is to use more simplified verbal communication and distinctive body language. The tone of voice is key along with your facial expressions," she told the Telegraph. "If you are giving a command, you don't need to yell and shout, but you should make sure your voice is firm and your meaning clear."

Moore advocates a philosophy of positive reinforcement, saying that rewarding good behavior is always better than punishing unruliness -- and that applies to youngsters as well as dogs.

But when it comes to what should be used as rewards, the comparison breaks down. For dogs, she recommends the occasional chew toy or treat. For toddlers: candy or a trip to the playground.

--Tony Barboza

Photo credit: Geraldine Wilkins / Los Angeles Times

The Heidi Chronicles, part 11: Finally, a trainer

This is Heidi. Earlier this year, she was "discovered" in the park by a pet talent agency; since then, she has embarked on a one-dog quest to break into the business. This is her Hollywood story as chronicled by Times staff writer Diane Haithman. And this is her “head shot”: That longing look was the result of seeing a biscuit just out of reach.

Who would have thought that an animal actor would have to get a stamp of approval from the USDA, like a slab of supermarket steak?

In Chapter 10, Heidi and I met with Sue DiSesso, hearing from the seasoned Hollywood animal trainer that Heidi would have to learn to speak — that is, bark — on cue before she could even think about a career in TV and film.

And as the conversation continued, Sue threw us two more unexpected career requirements: The first was that, if Heidi manages to become a working actor, a union will have to be involved. Oh, no, I thought — there was a dog actors’ union?

Called WAG, perhaps, or ARFTRA? Would Heidi end up wagging her tail on some Hollywood picket line when her contract expired? No, Sue said, it is the trainer, not the dog, who has to be in the animal trainers union, part of Local 399.

But it is the working dog, not the trainer, who must be registered with United States Department of Agriculture. The government regulates working animals, sending inspectors to check health records and to make sure the animal is given proper care. “The book of rules and regulations is an inch or more thick,” Sue said. At present, birds, rats and horses are exempt, but Sue said they will soon be USDA regulated too.

Yes, it's still OK to drive with the dog in your lap

Think it's OK to drive with your puppy in your lap? Some folks in Sacramento were hoping to outlaw such behavior. But it looks like it won't happen this time. Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy reports:

Facing a backlog of legislation that he refused to sign until a state budget was passed,  [Gov. Arnold] Schwarzenegger took his veto pen to 95 bills, including a measure that would have prohibited dogs from riding on the laps of motorists.

Many of the vetoed bills, including the lap-riding measure, received the same message from Schwarzenegger: "Given the delay, I am only signing bills that are the highest priority for California. This bill does not meet that standard and I cannot sign it at this time."

Protecting your pets from toxic plants

For nature and animal lovers, pets and plants are natural components of the home.

But animal welfare groups are quick to caution pet owners to be careful about which plants to place in a pet's reach. More than 700 plants have been identified as potentially dangerous to animals, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

If ingested, some plants, including popular ones like lantana (pictured in the chicken at left) and oleander, produce a toxic substance that can cause anything from a mild case of nausea to muscle tremors to death.

Here are a few popular plants to watch out for, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center:

Lilies - Members of the Lilium spp. are considered to be highly toxic to cats. While the poisonous component has not yet been identified, it is clear that with even ingestions of very small amounts of the plant, severe kidney damage could result.

Marijuana - Ingestion of Cannabis sativa by companion animals can result in depression of the central nervous system and incoordination, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased heart rate, and even seizures and coma.

Sago Palm - All parts of Cycas Revoluta are poisonous, but the seeds or “nuts” contain the largest amount of toxin. The ingestion of just one or two seeds can result in very serious effects, which include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, seizures and liver failure.

Tulip/Narcissus bulbs - The bulb portions of Tulipa/Narcissus spp. contain toxins that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation, drooling, loss of appetite, depression of the central nervous system, convulsions and cardiac abnormalities.

Oleander (pictured at right) - All parts of Nerium oleander are considered to be toxic, as they contain cardiac glycosides that have the potential to cause serious effects including gastrointestinal tract irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia and even death.

--Francisco Vara-Orta

Photos: Oleander, from Los Angeles Times archives

Lantana, from Ryland, Peters & Small

Canines strut their stuff for National Dog Week

It's National Dog Week ...and some Angelenos, apparently, know how to celebrate:

Here, a canine named Levi arrives at the Grove to help kick off the national “Eat with Your Paws for a Good Cause” charity program to benefit Much Love Animal Rescue.

DeAnna Pappas, who was a star on "The Bachelorette," above left, and Jesse Csincsak, above right, appear with rescue dog Freedom and sample finger foods at the National Dog Week event.

More dogs (and their people) turned out for the charity event at the Grove.

Photos: Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times

In the saga of Sasha the stray, more trouble

Today, Times staff writer Jerry Hirsch continues his chronicle of Sasha, a husky he encountered on a street in downtown Los Angeles. Hirsch brought Sasha home, only to discover she liked to wander... and that healthcare for animals who like to roam is expensive. Look for periodic updates on Sasha in the weeks to come on L.A. Unleashed.

Sasha the stray is finally starting to settle into our house. She escaped from crates and through fences but after fits and starts we’ve been able to round her up and keep her safe. She’s now pretty much recovered from fleas, parasites and a mashed paw.

She has a gorgeous snow white coat and piercing blue eyes.

But is Sasha is healthy enough and calm enough for Jennifer to leave the animal alone in the house while she takes our 14-year-old daughter and yellow Labrador retriever shopping to Fashion Island in Newport Beach?

Big mistake. Really big mistake! I am just getting off my bicycle, having ridden 101 miles to San Diego. I’m bushed and waiting around for the train to bring me back to Irvine, where a friend has a car waiting.

The phone rings. Jennifer explains how Sasha trashed the house.

Countdown to the spay/neuter law

                        

If you've been on the L.A. Animal Services website in the last couple of months, you know they maintain a digital countdown of the days, hours, minutes and seconds until the city's spay/neuter law goes into effect Oct 1.

Now, you have a week to comply with the ordinance requiring most pet cats and dogs to be sterilized -- like Hanna, above. The 1-year old spayed Sharpei is up for adoption at the city's North Central shelter. (Her ID # is A0971625, and if you want her, act quickly. She went on Red Alert Tuesday, meaning if she's not adopted in a week, she could be euthanized.)

There are a number of options for sterilizing your animal at a lower cost.  The city's shelters and many of their private rescue partners offer vouchers -- to everyone -- worth $30 toward the cost of a sterilization procedure performed by participating veterinarians. If you qualify by having a lower income or disability or by being a senior citizen, you can get a certificate for a free procedure to be done at certain veterinary hospitals, or you can have it done at a mobile clinic.

Ed Boks, general manager of L.A. Animal Services, also notes that the South L.A. shelter has a spay-neuter clinic and that the Harbor and West L.A. shelters have clinics that will be up and running in two months. (And, as part of a push to get more pets spayed and neutered, a group of organizations is sponsoring the third "Spay Day LA" event Oct. 24-26. During those days, certain veterinary facilities will offer free spay services. We'll post details in the coming weeks.)

The ordinance exempts plenty of dogs and cats: those who have special skills, are being trained for special activities, have medical excuses or are show dogs or aspiring to the show circuit. Otherwise, dogs and cats four months and older should be sterilized. Owners found not to be in compliance have 60 days to alter their pets or pay a $100 fine.  A third offense results in a $500 fine.

When the L.A. City Council approved this measure last February, the hope was that pet sterilization would stem the tide of unwanted and stray animals into shelters. According to the Humane Society of the U.S., 3 to 4 million animals are euthanized in shelters nationwide each year.

Since then, City Controller Laura Chick released a report in August stating that L.A. Animal Services was ill-prepared to implement or enforce the new law.  Animal control officers, Chick wrote in her report, "stated they currently have difficulty enforcing other ordinances dealing with privately owned pets, such as the leash law, and no one is sure how spay and neuter canvassing or enforcement should occur. The Department plans to rely primarily on voluntary compliance...."

Animal Services general manager Ed Boks issued his response saying that his department would enforce the measure "to the fullest extent possible. Owners should not conclude that they can avoid compliance without consequence..." Boks said it was not possible to go door-to-door or patrol streets to enforce the law since he has only 64 animal control officers covering the entire city.

Animal welfare advocates believe there are plenty of reasons to comply voluntarily. As Chick herself wrote in her report to the mayor: "Spaying and neutering our pet population will significantly reduce unwanted puppies and kittens that are too often euthanized. The Department of Animal Services reported that over 15,000 dogs and cats were killed last year in our City shelters."

Enforcement of mandatory spaying and neutering starts next Wednesday.

-- Carla Hall

Photo: courtesy of L.A. Animal Services

The Heidi Chronicles, part 10: A dog needs to get her bark on

This is Heidi. Earlier this year, she was "discovered" in the park by a pet talent agency; since then, she has embarked on a one-dog quest to break into the business. This is her Hollywood story as chronicled by Times staff writer Diane Haithman. And this is her “head shot”: That longing look was achieved by placing a biscuit just out of reach.

“She’s going to have to get a speak on her,” said Sue DiSesso, observing Heidi with a critical eye. That’s professional animal trainer-speak for: “The girl’s got to learn to bark on cue.”

After meeting with Hollywood animal trainer Sean Webber on the set of "NCIS" -– and learning that, as a German shepherd, Heidi’s acting career would most likely be limited to playing “heavy” roles (see Chapter 9) -- Heidi and I finally got our face time with the very busy Sue, chief trainer for Animal Actors 4 Hire since the death of her husband, trainer Moe DiSesso, in 2007.

Because of her house pet status, Sean had referred to Heidi as a “private party animal.” Sue shortened that to “private dog,” which sounded to me like character from a 1960s sitcom, set on a military base: “Meet Private Dog!”

Heidi and I had invited Sue to meet us at the very dog-friendly Aroma Cafe on Tujunga Boulevard in Studio City (this pug on the outside bench is perhaps waiting for a caramel latte). Partly we picked the place because of the outdoor seating, partly because Sue had early-morning business at nearby Radford Studios, which, of course, impressed the dog.

Dogs are welcome ... at some upscale hotels

Perhaps you'd like to take your beloved dog with you pretty much wherever you go ... and you might assume that most hotels wouldn't welcome Fido. Think again.

Rosemary McClure reports in the Sunday Travel section that a number of posh hotels are pampering pups. Is this a wonderful treat for pet owners? Or a sign of the end of Western civilization?

While you're trying to make up your mind, consider that one of the local hotels that accepts dogs is the Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey. Not bad for a furry friend.

Photo: Rosemary McClure / For The Times

Man arrested for stuffing dead animals in lockers

Police have arrested a 20-year-old man on suspicion of stealing dead animals from a veterinary hospital morgue and stuffing them into empty lockers at a Bay Area high school, the Associated Press reports:

Police say Brian Goett admitted that he took the bodies of two cats and a 25-pound dog from an unlocked freezer behind the VetCare Hospital in Dublin. He said he then put the dead animals in lockers at Dublin High School before classes started Aug. 25.

Goett told police he thought it was a practical joke.

Goett was arrested at his Pleasanton home Friday afternoon on suspicion of grand theft, tampering with school property and improper disposal of animals.

The Bay Area CBS affiliate has a video report.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Chihuahua movie protest

While celebrities walked the red carpet Thursday night at the premiere of the comedy "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," about 20 protesters stood by with signs urging people not to go nuts after they see the movie and impulsively buy a Chihuahua.

"We know the movie is cute," says Kim Sill, who runs the campaign against puppy mills for Last Chance for Animals, the group that organized the protest. "We don't want to say we're against the movie. We're against people going to a pet store after they see the movie.  We want them to go to a shelter, because there are a lot of Chihuahuas there." 

Salty, a 4-year-old female Chihuahua, pictured here, is one of those Chihuahuas. She is up for adoption at LA Animal Services' North Central shelter. (ID #A0974811.)

Animal welfare advocates have been concerned for weeks about the impact of the Disney movie -- which opens Oct. 3 -- on Chihuahuas.  In the past, popular movies featuring a dog often cause a run on that breed. "101 Dalmatians" led to an uptick in Dalmatian ownership.  And, according to Sill, the Taco Bell commercials featuring a Chihuahua helped create a Chihuahua craze. But when people realize the dog may not be right for them or their family --Damaltians are difficult and Chihuahuas are not always great with children --"they get dumped," says Sills.

And when a movie is about to open, puppy mills, she contends, gear up to produce more of that breed to supply pet stores. (Many animal welfare organizations, including the Humane Society of the U.S., contend that most pet stores get their dogs from puppy mills.) "It used to be you would walk into pet stores and see maltipoos and Yorkies. All of a sudden in the last two months, we've seen Chihuahuas infiltrate the pet shops," Sill says.

Los Angeles is already awash in Chihuahuas.  There are more Chihuahuas among registered dogs in Los Angeles County than any other breed, as we reported in July.  And Sill says the shelters already have a high number of Chihuahuas.  Some of the ones at the Carson shelter, run by the Los Angeles County shelter system , are featured in the video that Last Chance for Animals made to drive home its point about not buying Chihuahuas.

Sill says her group wanted Disney to air a public service announcement in theaters before shows telling patrons to think hard before choosing a pet. "We would have happily produced it for them and given it to them," says Sill.

It turns out that several of the Chihuahuas in the film were rescue dogs found in shelters in Los Angeles and Mexico, according to Disney's promotional materials.  The lead dog, known in the movie as Papi --the face of the movie on all the posters around town -- was rescued from the Moreno Valley Animal Shelter and lives with his trainer.

The theme of responsible adoption echoes through the movie -- some of the dogs get adopted as part of the story -- and all the promotional material, says the spokesperson. The movie's website (at the bottom) and the movie itself (at the end before the credits roll) have written messages noting that getting a pet is a serious and lifelong commitment that should be researched first. "We felt this was an important message to visibly relay at the end of the movie," said the spokesperson.

The Disney spokesperson added that the cast of the movie and the trainer of Rusco, the dog who plays Papi, have been talking publicly about animal adoption.

Ed Boks, general manager of LA Animal Services, saw the movie Thursday night.  "I was a bit disappointed," he wrote in an e-mail. "The movie has a strong 'adopt' and 'rescue' message, but no 'spay/neuter' message. In fact, one female dog opined that she longed for a boyfriend who has NOT been 'fixed.'...Disney just does not seem to share our concern over the influence this movie could have on people who will now think of Chihuahuas as cash cows." 

Enforcement of L.A.'s mandatory spay/neuter law begins Oct. 1. And if you do want to adopt a Chihuahua, here's another one at LA's North Central shelter.  She is Kendra, a 2-year-old female, ID#A0955495.

--Carla Hall

Photos: LA Animal Services

Will Disney's "Chihuahua" marketing end up in the doghouse?

For months now, emblazoned on billboards and buses around Los Angeles, ads for the upcoming Disney movie  "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" have begged for your attention.

Already this week, we told you about one concern some dog lovers have over the film: Whenever a Chihuahua has been featured in entertainment in the past (or really any adoptable animal -- "101 Dalmatians," anyone?), it’s been followed by a spike in adoption, which then later translates into more dogs put up for adoption by people who didn’t realize what they were getting into.

But the film, which isn't even out for another month, is also generating another kind of controversy.

Disney is hoping for a good turnout after the film's release Oct. 3, especially with the Latino audience. Although U.S. Census Bureau figures show that Beverly Hills is only 12% Latino, that percentage in Los Angeles County is much higher, and movie executives are hoping that the voices behind the dogs in the film -- George Lopez, Salma Hayek, Edward James Olmos, Cheech Marin and Andy Garcia -- will connect with Latinos.

Many in the entertainment industry try to cater to the Latino market, using language, celebrities and music central to the culture to attract attention. Examples include the much-hyped "Latin explosion" in  pop music in the late 1990s, with Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez, and the launching over the years of more bilingual publications or Spanish-language versions of magazines such as People or Cosmopolitan.

But marketing to today's U.S.-born Latinos is a sensitive issue, and the  "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" campaign may stir up some tension, The Times' Josh Friedman writes:

Walt Disney Pictures is making a lot of marketing noise with its upcoming "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," a live-action comedy about a pampered purebred that gets lost in Mexico....

Early tracking is solid but not stellar among general moviegoers -- Sony Pictures' teen hipster romantic comedy "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist," which opens on the same weekend, has lower awareness but higher interest levels. But kids and moms, the demographics that turn talking-animal flicks like "Alvin and the Chipmunks" into hits, are keen on it.

Latinos, who tend to be among the most avid moviegoing groups in the U.S., could give "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" a huge boost, especially in urban markets such as Los Angeles and Chicago. According to the Motion Picture Assn. of America, Latinos saw an average of 10.8 movies in 2007, compared with 7.9 for Caucasians and 7.8 for African Americans.

But some think Disney's marketing could also spark a backlash.

A rescue dog proves to be an escape artist

Today, Times staff writer Jerry Hirsch continues his chronicle of Sasha, a Husky he encountered on a street in downtown Los Angeles. Hirsch brought Sasha home, only to discover she liked to wander... and that healthcare for animals who like to roam is expensive. Look for periodic updates on Sasha in the weeks to come on L.A. Unleashed. Click here to read the first chapter of the Sasha saga.

We returned Sasha to our side yard. But beforehand I reinforced the wooden gate with paving stones and bricks. Nothing was going in or out.

Sasha didn’t seem to appreciate that. She went right back for that wooden gate, pulling a heavy paving stone onto to her back foot. After midnight a visit to the vet ER ($399 including stitches, meds, de-fleaing) she slept or howled for most of the night and early morning in the side yard.

Her next stop was finally to our regular vet ($91.25). Sasha was pronounced healthy with the warning that blood work would be back in a day. It turned out she had whipworms ($61.75 more for meds) but the rest of the blood work was fine. We also learned she was about 18 months old and in heat. Might she be pregnant? After her run along the local creek, could she be carrying coyote pups?

So it’s clear this dog has a drive to run, and that the wooden gate in the side yard just isn’t up to the maximum security prison grade we need. We set up the a large metal crate we once used for Roni in the middle of the garage. In went Sasha for the night. We shut the latches, locked the garage and went to bed, trying to ignore her wolflike keening. What could go wrong? She was in a locked crate in a locked garage.

About five in the morning we heard an amazing ruckus. It could only be one thing. Sasha got out of the crate and spent much of the rest of the night knocking things over trying to get out of the garage. After the same basic drill the next night, we came to the conclusion that we couldn’t keep her safe for the moment. Off she went to a local kennel ($139 for the weekend), into the portion of the facility that I call Doggy Guantanamo Bay.

Therapy dogs

New Leash on Life's Lend-a-Paw program, which rescues and trains homeless animals as therapy dogs, paid a visit Wednesday to New Horizons, a North Hills center for adults with developmental disabilities. Times staff photographer Michael Robinson Chavez captured some of the action. Here, Maddock, a shepherd-collie mix, is petted by, from left, Sean Seaman, Joseph Armijo and Melissa Moreno.

Maddock gives an adult at New Horizons a lick. Many of the adults at the center have poor vision and attention spans stemming from their disabilities and appreciate the monthly visit by the pooches, officials say.

Dog dials 911 when owner has seizure

The Associated Press has the following story on a wonder dog:

“Man’s best friend” doesn’t go far enough for Buddy — a German shepherd who remembered his training and saved his owner’s life by calling 911 when the man had a seizure. And it’s not the first time Buddy has been there for owner Joe Stalnaker, a police officer said Sunday.

On a recording of the 911 call Wednesday, Buddy is heard whimpering and barking after the dispatcher answers and repeatedly asks if the caller needs help. “Hello, this is 911. Hello ... Can you hear me? Is there somebody there you can give the phone to,” says the dispatcher, Chris Trott.

Police were sent to Stalnaker’s home, and after about three minutes Buddy is heard barking loudly when the officers arrived.

Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark said Stalnaker spent two days in a hospital and recovered from the seizure. “It’s pretty incredible,” Clark said. “Even the veteran dispatchers — they haven’t heard of anything like this.”

Clark said police are dispatched whenever 911 is called, but that Stalnaker’s address was flagged in Scottsdale’s system with a notification that a trained assistance dog could call 911 when the owner was incapacitated. Clark said Stalnaker adopted Buddy at the age of 8 weeks from Michigan-based Paws with a Cause, which trains assistance dogs, and trained him to get the phone if he began to have seizure symptoms.

Buddy, now 18 months old, is able to press programmed buttons until a 911 operator is on the line, Clark said. Clark said Buddy has made two other 911 calls when Stalnaker was having seizures.

He said Stalnaker’s seizures are the result of a head injury he suffered about 10 years ago during a military training exercise. Stalnaker was not listed in the phone book, and he did not immediately respond to a request through police for an interview.

Photo credit: Picasa 2.7 / Associated Press

Dogs aid in searching for Metrolink crash victims

If you were watching live coverage of the fatal Metrolink crash in Chatsworth this weekend, you may have seen rescue dogs amid the firefighters and investigators searching for victims.

Three of the Canine Disaster Search Teams on the scene were trained by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, a California non-profit, non-government organization that has partnered rescue dogs with firefighters to respond to disasters such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and other train derailments in the Los Angeles area.

The three teams included: Ron Weckbacher and his 11-year-old female black Lab named Abby from Thousand Oaks; Bill Monahan and Hunter, a red and white border collie, from the Los Angeles County Fire Department; and Dan Solis and Sandi, a 10-year-old male Border Collie, from the Kern County Fire Department, according to the group's spokeswoman, Kelly Krueger.

First on scene were Weckbacher and Abby,  who arrived at 8 p.m. Friday and searched all the cars connected to the Metrolink engine.

The first car was almost impossible to search because the Metrolink engine was shoved into it, ripping the car into shards of steel.  Abby searched in several areas where, had she lost her footing, she would have dropped eight feet below into the wreckage, Weckbacher said.

"It was very slippery and difficult at places," Weckbacher added. "Thankfully, Abby knows what she’s doing and was able to maneuver well through these tough spots, including walking across four-inch beams.”

And the journey to the site posed its challenges, too.

Weckbacher lives close to the crash site and was able to get there sooner, but handlers Dan Solis and Bill Monahan and their border collies were farther away and were flown in by helicopter, thanks to the Kern County Fire Department.

The helicopter picked up Bill and Hunter at a fire station close to their home, then flew to a field near Dan’s house to pick up Dan and Sandi.

From there, the teams were flown to Van Nuys Airport and escorted to the disaster site by L.A. City Fire Department.

When we arrived on scene it was tragic," Monahan said. "The loss of life was just devastating. Thankfully, the dogs did exactly what they've been trained to do, and impressed the other rescue workers with their ability to search the area so thoroughly and quickly."

In addition to the Metrolink disaster, more than 10 other canine disaster search teams trained by the same foundation have been deployed to Houston and Louisiana for Hurricane Ike recovery efforts.

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo credit: Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times

Adopt-a-Pet: The sad saga of Scruffy

Mirja Bishop volunteers at the West Los Angeles shelter, where she met Scruffy (ID# A0964196),  pictured above.  He was brought into the shelter as a stray in June and has been there since, winning hearts but alas, so far, no home. 

We'll let Mirja take Scruffy's story from here:

I first saw him on July 22. He didn’t even have a name! He huddled alone in the back of his cage, shivering in fear and staring into space. He was dirty and smelly, but he had a cute terrier beard hanging over his square jaw. You couldn’t help but smile at him -- but he didn’t smile back.

Most of the dogs at the shelter are eager and willing to take a treat, but the nameless one just stared and was not interested. He gazed straight ahead as if I wasn't even there. His eyes told a million stories; if only he could talk to us!

I thought if I sat quietly with him in his cage he might feel some comfort, but he quickly retreated to the closed area in the back of his cage. He peered out at me and didn’t move, and neither did I. He showed no interest in the treats I brought with me or the cooked ham that a kindly member of the shelter staff offered him. I sat quietly in his cage and talked softly to him. After a short time he ventured out of his enclosure -- not to visit with me but to stare at the people passing by. He looked at me as he slithered along the wall in front of my feet. I wondered what he was thinking.

Eventually he sat down within arm’s reach.

The Heidi Chronicles, Part 9: A dog struggles with her Teutonic heritage

This is Heidi. Earlier this year, she was "discovered" in the park by a pet talent agency; since then, she has embarked on a one-dog quest to break into the business. This is her Hollywood story as chronicled by Times Staff Writer Diane Haithman. And this is her “head shot”: That longing look was achieved by placing a biscuit just out of reach.

During Heidi’s interview with animal trainer Sean Webber on the set of TV’s “NCIS” (see Chapter 8), Sean offered some solid reasons why a “private party animal” — that is, a house pet — is unlikely to win a role over the professional competition.

I might have guessed that even the best-trained house dog might have trouble performing tricks with the distractions of a TV or movie set. But Sean was the first to suggest that Heidi’s biggest problem would be the same one that plagues many human actors: typecasting.

Not that I expected Heidi ever to portray a dachshund or a Great Dane. But according to Sean, she also would never be cast as what she actually is: the family dog.

To date, I had only heard of one unfair rule of thumb in dog-casting: Black dogs rarely get work because their coloring makes it difficult to light their faces and eyes. Exceptions are made, however, for breed-specific dark coloring — for example, if the script calls for a Doberman.

Adopt-a-Pet: West Valley shelter

And now for something a little different here at L.A. Unleashed. 

We all know how crowded our local shelters and rescue groups are with homeless pets.  So we thought we'd take a little (virtual) cruise around one of them -- in this case, the West Valley shelter in Chatsworth.  Here are just a few of the furry friends we found there.  They're all available for adoption, and we've listed the identification numbers for each. 

For starters, this (sadly, nameless) little lady (ID No. A0979036), above, is an unspayed Parson Russell terrier who's about 4 years old.  And if my eyes do not deceive me ... it sure does look like she has a pretty fantastic heart-shaped marking on her side, doesn't it?  We may well have a future celebri-dog on our hands here. 

(Remember Heart-Kun, the long-haired chihuahua with a similar stamp, anyone?  Or that Disney sensation of yesteryear, Mickey Moo?)  If you'll permit me one Billy Joel reference, I may be wrong, but I may be right -- and you'll just never know if you don't head over to the shelter.

Battle of the Terrier Titans, Part I:

Above left is Pepper (ID No. A0980050), who's listed as an unspayed female standard schnauzer (we're thinking "mix," the very best type of dog in our opinion).  The shelter staff doesn't know how old she is, but isn't it the mark of a true lady to remain ageless?

Above right is another amazing terrier mix (ID No. A0979315).  He's unneutered and about 8 years old.  Who could resist that scruffy visage and winsome smile?

Boomer here (above) is listed as a dachshund mix, unneutered and about 2 years old.  He's ID No. A0964502.

More after the jump!

Man who jumped off bridge with police dog in court

A 28-year-old man pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of animal cruelty in a bizarre New Year's Eve incident in which he leaped off the San Diego-Coronado Bridge with an Oceanside police dog biting his arm. The dog died in the fall.

Cory Nathaniel Byron also pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony counts of drunk driving and evading arrest. The incident began with Byron being chased for 45 miles by Oceanside police along Interstate 5. When he stopped on the bridge, a police dog named Stryker was sent to subdue him.

Byron, who has two previous drunk driving convictions, suffered a collapsed lung and other injuries. He faces four years in prison when sentenced Oct. 29 in Vista Superior Court.

-- Tony Perry, in San Diego

Cat lives thanks to firefighter's mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

Firefighter Al Machado rescued a cat from a burning apartment Tuesday in New Bedford, Mass, telling the Standard-Times, that he began performing mouth-to-mouth as he carried it outside because, "it really needed air and it couldn't wait."

Video shot at the scene, posted above, shows Machado bent over, breathing into the cat's mouth.

The cat, a tiger angora, was revived and resting comfortably soon after.

Asked what it tasted like to give mouth-to-mouth to a cat, Machado laughed, grimaced and said: "Like fur."

No one was injured in the fire,  but firefighters struggled to save a group of trapped animals. The blaze was called in by the third-floor tenant, the only person in the building at the time, who escaped with his dog.

The first-floor tenant's pets all were saved: two dogs, three cats, a chinchilla, a ferret and some frogs.

On the second floor, two pit bulls were saved with the help of oxygen from paramedics and animal rescue officers, but two cats died in the apartment, which had heavy damage, especially in a bedroom area where fire officials said the blaze started.

The third cat was saved by Machado, who was praised by District Chief Michael Brodeur as a dog lover who doesn't hesitate when an animal needs help.

--Francisco Vara-Orta

An odyssey into the world of dog rescues

Today, Times staff writer Jerry Hirsch starts his chronicle of Sasha, a Husky he encountered on a street in downtown Los Angeles. Look for periodic updates on Sasha in the weeks to come on L.A. Unleashed.

Call me the reluctant rescuer.

A filthy and thirsty dog was wandering around Spring Street in Downtown L.A. about a week ago. It had no tag or collar, and it obviously needed help. It looked up at me with piercing blue eyes, so I did the emotional -- I put the animal in my back seat and brought it home. I didn’t even check to see if it was a boy or a girl.

So began an odyssey into the world of dog rescues that has left me questioning my judgment. I have spent more time and money on this animal than I would ever have on the human strays I pass daily along the same stretch of Spring Street near my office. Maybe I should have put the people first.

Here’s the story. My wife, Jennifer, was waiting for me with a leash and a collar by the time I got home to Rossmoor in Orange County. We put the animal -- now named Sasha -- in our locked, double-gated side yard to isolate her from our yellow Labrador Retriever Roni (as in macaroni). We figured we would get her checked out at the vet the next day and start looking for a home.

When we got up the next morning, Sasha was gone. She had pried her way through wooden fence planks on the gate and took off. Jennifer was crushed. Our Lab can open a gate latch with her paw, but never pulled things apart. Welcome to the world of Huskies!

Don't want a fat cat? Tips on preventing pet obesity

So your cat may not weigh a whopping 44 pounds or even 35 like this monster, who goes by Shamu. But how do you make sure your pet's extra pounds don't balloon into the realm of obesity? Amelia Glynn at Tails of the City offers these tips:

• Overeating is the primary cause of weight gain in pets. And for them, overeating is usually a simple matter of overfeeding — giving them huge portions and an overabundance of between-meals snacks and fatty table scraps. Talk to your vet about reducing your animal's caloric intake, the possibility of switching to a "diet" food formula, or choosing a higher quality brand of pet food — one with whole, healthy and nutritious ingredients (like meat!) and less fillers and preservatives.
• Keep their water bowl full. Hydration is important for good digestion and overall health.
• Offer healthy treats like carrot sticks, cantaloupe (many cats love it), unbuttered popcorn, apple slices, or even bits of banana. Try experimenting with a few crunchy alternatives. You both might be surprised.
• Schedule more pet play into your week. Keep in mind that cats need exercise too, even through they don't require walks like their canine counterparts. ... And for dogs, remember that having a back yard isn't enough. Your pooch won't "automatically" exercise when presented with a grassy patch any more than you will. If you already know your schedule is too packed to make it to the park, hire a dog walker or barter your gardening prowess for a few walks from a petless (but pet-loving) friend or neighbor who works from home.

Not sure if your dog or cat is overweight? You can determine where your companion stands by determining its body condition score, which rates pet physique from emaciated to obese.

-- Tony Barboza

Photo credit: Jeff Fusco / New York Daily News