Animal lovers’ calendar: Weekend of June 12-13 and beyond

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Whether you want to adopt a new pet, help Southern California’s homeless animals or party with Betty White at the L.A. Zoo, there are many events sure to appeal to L.A.-area animal lovers in the coming days and weeks. If you think we’re forgetting something, let us know by leaving a comment on this post or sending the details to us in a tweet @LATunleashed using the hashtag #ALC.

Saturday, June 12, the L.A. Department of Animal Services hosts mobile pet-adoption events at the Lake Balboa Pet Care Fair, 6350 Woodley Ave. in Van Nuys, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; at downtown pet store Pussy & Pooch, 564 S. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; at Fred Hesse Jr. Memorial Park, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd. in Rancho Palos Verdes, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; at the Canoga Park PetSmart location, 21311 Victory Blvd., from noon to 4 p.m.; and at the West Hollywood Petco location, 508 N. Doheny Drive, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 12, spcaLA invites potential ‘foster parents’ to learn about its fostering program from 10 a.m. to noon at its South Bay Pet Adoption Center, 12910 Yukon Ave., Hawthorne. ‘Foster parents’ are needed to care for puppies and kittens that are too young to be adopted, as well as older dogs and cats with special needs. More information at spcaLA.com. (The L.A. Department of Animal Services offers a similar program for underage puppies and kittens; more information on that program is available at the department’s website.)

Saturday, June 12, spcaLA hosts PAWS to Read at the Hermosa Beach Library, 550 Pier Ave., from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Beginning and independent young readers up to age 12 are eligible to participate; the program is free, but advance registration is recommended. More information at spcaLA.com.

Sunday, June 13, the L.A. Department of Animal Services hosts a mobile pet-adoption event at the Santa Monica Kiehl’s location, 1516 Montana Ave., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Upcoming:

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.

Tuesday, June 15-Sunday, June 20, the L.A. Department of Animal Services offers discounted adoption rates for dogs and cats in honor of Father’s Day. During Father’s Day Discount Days, adopters can bring home a needy dog for a discounted rate of $78.50 or a cat for a discounted rate of $50.50. More information at the department’s Facebook fan page.

Saturday, June 19, the Found Animals Foundation sponsors its ‘Better with a Buddy’ adoption event at the six L.A. City animal shelters (South L.A., West L.A., East Valley, West Valley, North Central and Harbor), the six L.A. County animal shelters (Agoura, Baldwin Park, Carson, Castaic, Downey and Lancaster), the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority animal shelter in Downey and the Antelope Valley Pet Stop in Lancaster. During the event, adopters can bring home a new pet for a 50% discounted rate or two pets for the price of one. More information at FoundAnimals.org.

Saturday, June 19, spcaLA offers a low-cost vaccination and microchip clinic for dogs and cats at its P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village facility, 7700 E. Spring St. in Long Beach, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The clinic will offer rabies vaccinations for cats and dogs ($5); DHPP vaccinations for dogs ($15); bordetella vaccinations for dogs ($10); FVRCP and FeLV vaccinations for cats ($15 each); and microchipping for cats and dogs ($25). More information at spcaLA.com.

Saturday, June 19, get your dog’s portrait taken by acclaimed pet photographer Grace Chon of Shine Pet Photography at a discounted rate -- and for a good cause -- at Centinela Feed & Pet’s Westchester location, 7600 S. Sepulveda Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will raise funds for the veterinary care of a litter of puppies rescued from a backyard breeder by local group The Dawg Squad (which hosts a mobile adoption event concurrent with the photo sessions), all of whom required extensive treatment for parvovirus. For $25, you can take home a digital file of a 5x7’ photo of your dog, a 50% discount from Shine Pet Photos’ going rate. More information at ShinePetPhotos.com.

Saturday, June 19, the L.A. Zoo hosts its 40th annual Beastly Ball, a gala event that raises funds for the construction of new zoo exhibits, education programs and wildlife conservation efforts. This year, the Beastly Ball honors a very special friend of the zoo: Betty White. The event begins at 6 p.m. and features live music and dancing, catered dining from several prominent L.A. restaurants, opportunities for guests to interact with zoo animals and live and silent auctions. Tickets will set you back $1,000, or you can reserve a full table for $7,500. More information at LAZoo.org.

Sunday, June 20, the L.A. Department of Animal Services hosts a mobile pet-adoption event at Moorpark Park, 12061 Moorpark Ave. in Studio City, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, June 26, spcaLA hosts a low-cost vaccination and microchip clinic from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. behind West Hollywood City Hall, 8300 Santa Monica Blvd. The clinic will offer rabies vaccinations for cats and dogs ($5); DHPP vaccinations for dogs ($15); bordetella vaccinations for dogs ($10); FVRCP and leukemia vaccinations for cats ($15 each); and microchipping for cats and dogs ($25). More information at spcaLA.com.

Saturday, June 26, Rancho Cucamonga residents can have their pets microchipped for $25 at Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center, 11780 Arrow Route, from noon to 4 p.m.; at Scraps, 7204 Archibald Ave., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and at Rancho Regional Veterinary Hospital, 11981 Jack Benny Drive, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. More information at the Inland Empire Daily Bulletin.

Saturday, July 17, spcaLA presents ‘Kittenpalooza,’ its annual cat and kitten adopt-a-thon, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its South Bay Pet Adoption Center, 12910 Yukon Ave., Hawthorne. The event features a craft table for children, gift bags for adopters and booths from pet-related businesses including Natura Pet Products and L.A. Tails Magazine. More information at spcaLA.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.

The Originsskin 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

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Top photo: A potential adopter tries to decide between two kittens. Credit: Los Angeles Times