Our stormwater supporters continually wow us with their creativity. We want to give a special round of a-paws for our writers and poets by highlighting some of the poems we received for our recent “Dog Days” Acrostic contest (as part of August’s National Dog Day E-newsletter.)
Click the images below to enlarge, so you can read our paws-itively awesome poets’ work!
Spotlight On: Shelters
And for those of you out there who have yet to find your bestest boy or girl, October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! Get out there and fetch yourself a new bestie. As many of our paw-loving poets can tell you, a visit to the shelter might just change your life. Though you may enter those doors with a vague desire to meet a cute pup, you never know which darling doggie is going to be waiting to steal your heart with just one glance.
We recommend visiting one of the shelters of LA Animal Services. Here are some tips for how to make the most of your shelter visit:
- Come in with an open mind. So, you’ve always had an image of yourself strolling the streets with a sizable, sleek-coated Samoyed…but then you come to the shelter, and make eye contact with the tiniest, perkiest Chiweenie-mix in town. Chalk up to the shelter fates – that moment of love says more than all the daydreaming in the world.
- Take your time. On the opposite side of the coin, not everyone has that “omg you’re my bestie!” moment with a pup their first pass through a shelter. Go on a couple laps; take some time to really observe all the shelter denizens. You might be surprised which of the pups catches your eye after you spend some time in their space.
- Pup-ify your space with some prep work. Make sure that you have a dog bed (or just some comfy pillows), food and water dishes, dog food, and a few toys – and of course, plenty of dog waste bags! You can request a free dog waste bag canister from LASAN here so you’ll be ready to protect your storm drains from that first walk onward.
- Get set up with a vet. LA Animal Services partners with the Community Animal Medical Services to provide low-cost veterinary services throughout LA, including via a mobile clinic. They can help you ensure that your pup is vaccinated and spayed/neutered, and can also answer tricky questions like, “How much itching is too much itching?”
- Patience is key. The transition from the big, scary world, to a shelter, to a forever home can be a challenge for some dogs! Remember to take things moment by moment; studies have shown that dogs do pick up on our emotions (though any dog lover could tell you that!), so remaining calm and positive can work wonders. Speak in a soft voice, avoid making any scary noises, and do what you can to create a sense of sanctuary in your new, shared home. However, if your new fur-riend seems especially anxious, you can set up an appointment with your vet to rule out any concerns.
And remember, this month and all months: Adopt, Don’t Shop! There are so many fur-riends out there who may not have a home, but who do have lots of love in their hearts. And they’re waiting to share it with you!
