Valentine’s Day can be fun for pets, not just humans

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What’s an animal lover to do on Valentine’s Day? Don’t fret, pet people: You have options that don’t involve leaving your pet home alone while you go out to a fancy dinner.

The San Gabriel Valley Animal League is hosting a Valentine’s Day event called Smooch-a-Pooch at the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia. (Pooches -- over 4 months of age and on a leash -- are welcome, naturally.) Tickets are $35 for a person and pet, $50 for a couple and pet, and proceeds will be used to purchase medical supplies and equipment for the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society. The event includes food and cocktails, dancing, a raffle, door prizes and both live and silent auctions. All guests will receive a ‘thank you bag.’ Smooch-a-Pooch begins at 4 p.m. and runs until 8 p.m. Tickets are available online via PayPal or can be purchased in person at the San Gabriel Valley Humane Society.

DowntownLA has compiled a list of pet-friendly options, including spa treatments for pets at downtown pet stores Pussy & Pooch and Bark Avenue.

And if you’re looking for a last-minute gift for an animal-loving Valentine? The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn. (GLAZA) offers Valentine’s Day e-cards for a donation of $1-$25.

A word of caution from the ASPCA: Make sure any bouquets are free from poisonous plants, including lilies (which can cause severe kidney damage in cats) and chrysanthemums (which can cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs and cats). And of course, keep chocolate out of dogs’ reach!

-- Lindsay Barnett