I had an appointment with an Ophthalmologist this morning so I only had about two hours to spend on the streets. I drove around for nearly thirty minutes of that, looking for people with pets. I drove through Fairmount Park, to the Path of Life Community Shelter on Massachusetts, Hunter Park and then Redi Park. I finally found some furry friends and their families over on Center Street. Not everyone was awake so I did not get to visit with all of the pets there. I did have an opportunity to visit with and distribute supplies for six dogs so my time there was still well spent. When I left that location, I drove through Fairmount Park for a second time but still could not find anyone with pets so I headed home. I spent a few minutes with my own dogs and then headed to my appointment. I even got my first flu vaccination on my way to see the eye doctor. When I left that appointment, my eyes were still adjusting to being dilated so I could not hurry home. My daughter was coming over for a bit so when it was safe to drive, I stopped to get lunch for us. I also managed to find some time to bake more of my chocolate cookies with cream cheese flavored chips and caramel balls. It was her first time trying them. She thought they were good so I decided she should have some fresh ones to take home with her... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, Max and Neo medium dog collar, Max and Neo medium dog leash, chicken jerky treats, steak jerky treats, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba Churu pops for dogs, Inaba Twins for dogs, 20 pound bag of dog food from the Star Milling Company, squeaky tennis ball, bully sticks and kabob chew sticks were shared.
When I went to the Jurupa Valley Motel 6 to check on a dog that received 'the works' yesterday, I ran into a family living in a van with their pets. I had to wait for the companion of the recently spayed dog to come back to the motel so I decided to visit with the pets in the van. That includes one kitty and seven small dogs, at this time. We have provided 'the works' for all of them so if I see them, I always stop to ask if they need supplies. They needed a few things and I had an opportunity to spoil the dogs for a bit. I usually give treats to the kitty too but he wanted no part of that today! The companion of 'Luna' returned, shortly after I was done with the 'furry family' so I was able to check on her. She is recuperating nicely. I did not want to disturb the family whose pet passed away yesterday but I hope to speak to them soon. They still have another night in the motel so I will wait until they are back at the family shelter. When I left the motel, I got fuel, checked the PO Box and went home for about forty-five minutes, before heading back out to a personal appointment. I had planned on making one more stop to pick up a carrier borrowed for a cat that was spayed yesterday, but I did not really have enough time and will do my best to get there on Sunday... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, puppy training pads, pet Halloween costume, chicken jerky treats, steak jerky treats, wet cat food, Inaba Churu ropes for cats, Inaba chicken fillets, Inaba Churu pops for dogs, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, Inaba Twins for dogs, wet dog food, bully sticks and kabob chew sticks were shared.
Today was a great day as well as one of the saddest days I have experienced while 'Taking It To The Streets with Lori and Shira'. The good news is that we were able to provide 'the works' for two female cats and one female dog as well as continue vaccinations for a puppy we spayed a few weeks ago. The sad news is that we lost a sweet chihuahua that went in to be spayed. As I stated earlier, during the past 10 and ½ years we have spayed/neutered over 1800 kittens, cats, puppies and dogs. This is the firs time one died on the table. She went into cardia arrest and they could not revive her. A 3 and ½ year old Chihuahua that probably weighed four or five pounds. Her family is from Arizona and has been staying in the homeless shelter for the past month. There are parents and two children grieving her loss. I have not experienced this before today but even if I had, there are no words that can ease this loss for them. I did tell them to go ahead and stay in the motel room I reserved for 'Camilla' to begin her recuperation. I am sure the family can use the comfort and privacy. I also told them that if and when they are ready for a new pet, we will cover the cost. No matter what I do, it will never seem like enough... "One by one we get them dine, because the only way to combat pet overpopulation and euthanasia in our shelters is to spay and neuter."….Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, ARCO fuel cards, McDonald's gift cards, cup of noodles, single mac and cheese packs, Max and Neo blanket, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, Inaba chicken fillet, small bag of puppy food, bully slices and plush squeaky toy were shared.
I was supposed to meet someone on Market Street near the track this morning but nobody showed up. To make matters worse, I couldn't just get back on Market Street and drive to Fairmount or the Salvation Army, because the police had the street blocked off. I wound up taking back roads so I could get back to Mission Avenue and go to the park that way when I noticed there were more tents, people and pets in the field off of Crestmore. I pulled in and started walking around to see who needed what. One of the gentlemen has a young dog that had a litter a few weeks ago and we discussed spaying the mom once the puppies are weaned. I also spoke to him about spaying/neutering the litter no matter who he gives the puppies to. He was fine with that but no telling if the new owners will be. All I can do is offer. AC Officer John Hergenreder showed up while I was there. He spoke to the companion of the dog that is always on a short tether and often times covered in flies without fresh water. I am not sure anything will change but I am grateful he made contact with them. While I was at that location, I was called for pet supplies. I told that person where I was. She has a vehicle and came to meet me there. By the time we were done, I had enough time left to check our PO Box and get back home to take care of my own dogs... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, large bag of recyclables, 2 Max and Neo fleece blankets, small fleece blanket, chicken jerky treats, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba chicken fillets, Inaba Churu pops for cats, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, Inaba Churu pops for dogs,2-20 pound bags of dog food from the Star Milling Company, 2 small bags of dog food, Inaba Twins for dogs, wet dog food, plush squeaky toy, kabob chew sticks, bully slices and bully sticks were shared.
Because it is a holiday, I was not sure how many people would be outside the Path of Life Community Shelter with their pets. Sometimes the kennels are not open for as long and it is impossible to visit. However, there were people with pets waiting for me and I even met someone who had recently checked into the family shelter. His dog was in the kennels and needed 'the works' so we set that up. As I was leaving, I saw someone walking up the street carrying what I thought was a dog. As she got closer, I could see it was a very big cat. I was able to distribute supplies to those with pets, before going home to unload my vehicle and head over to our storage units. Christine Langdon was meeting me with the 570 pounds of pet food from the Star Milling Company as well as a bag of jerky she was donating. (Thank You Christine and Thank You Star Milling). I was also supposed to meet two other people. One of them could not make it but Ilene Stein showed up with food donations from the Riverside Temple Beth El High Holiday food drive. (Thank You Ilene and Thank You to the Congregants of Riverside Temple Beth El)... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, pet bed, 3 Max and Neo fleece blankets, Max and Neo dog collar, Max and Neo leash, small leash, collapsible pet bowl, small stainless steel pet dish, chicken jerky treats, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba chicken fillets, Inaba Churu pops for cats, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, 2 small bags of dog food, small bag of puppy food, wet puppy food, Inaba Twins for dogs, wet dog food, wet cat food, cat toys, cat harness & leash set, squeaky tennis ball, plush squeaky toy, kabob chew sticks, bully slices and bully sticks were shared.
Before I could make any stops today, I had to go to storage and drop off 3 cases of the Max and Neo blankets. While I was there, I picked up pet food, treats and a couple cases of water. From there, I went to my first stop which is at one of the river bottom outlets near Streeter Avenue. I was expecting three or four dogs but only two showed up with their companions. We visited, I distributed supplies and then headed toward Pine Center and Ryan Bonominio Park. I called the companion of 'Kawasaki' on my way but got his voicemail so I left a message saying I wanted to visit and then drove to Fairmount Park. I saw a few homeless with dogs but I did not recognize any of them and decided to travel to different areas of the park. I passed a woman I know and asked her to meet me in the back by the legion so I could visit and try to find out where some of the people moved to. She actually had a couple meet me as well. Their section 8 housing voucher expired and they are in their vehicle with their dog. He is already neutered and chipped. I offered to update his vaccinations and I gave them whatever supplies they could use. I was just about to leave when a dog named 'Ruckus' walked over with his companion. I had not seen them in a couple of weeks and was glad they showed up. I'm still not sure where many of the people went with their pets but I was thankful to find a few of them. I had planned on making one more stop to see if I could find out where a group of women went with all of their dogs but by this time I had to get home. I hope to get back that way on Tuesday. I had just about gotten home when the companion of 'Kawasaki' texted to tell me he had some sad news. I called him and that is when I found out her quality of life had deteriorated so much that she needed to be euthanized. That was hard news to take but I am grateful she is not suffering... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, body wipes, Benadryl caplets, 3 Max and Neo fleece blankets, Max and Neo dog collar, LED collar light, pet jacket, collapsible pet bowls, large stainless steel dish, Doggie waste bags with leash clip, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba chicken fillets, Inaba Churu pops for dogs, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, 4-20-pound bags of dog food from the Star Milling Company, 2 small bags of dog food, Inaba Twins for dogs, wet dog food, small leash, Tiller Tugss leash, Tiller Tugss squeaky tug toy, squeaky tennis ball, treat ball, kabob chew sticks and bully sticks were shared.
After I finished my cookie baking this morning, I went out and made two stops. Each of the stops was in different areas of Jurupa Valley. The first was for a family that is caring for three dogs and three cats, right now. The second was a family that is caring for their six small dogs, one kitty and a puppy that is supposed to be going to a 'forever home' in the near future. After making those stops, I went to our PO Box where there was a donation of much needed kitty harnesses as well as the 80 50x60 blankets I ordered from Max and Neo Dog Gear. With everyone being forced out of the river bottom and surrounding areas, I am not sure what my daily travels will be looking like in the near future. However, there will always be a need for blankets so I know they will get put to good use... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, collar and leash set, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba Churu pops for dogs, Inaba chicken fillets, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, 20-pound bag of dog food from the Star Milling Company, Inaba Twins for dogs, wet dog food, cat dancer toy, wet kitten food, wet cat food, kabob chew sticks and bully sticks were shared.
On my way to the Path of Life Community Shelter, I stopped a couple of blocks away to visit with 'Midnight'. When I got to Massachusetts Avenue, I saw 'Little Sugar' and her companion right by where we usually meet. 'Suzy' was not far behind her and then 'Jacob and 'Maggie' came to greet me too. While I was with this group, I heard what sounded like a little dog barking. I was told it was coming from the van parked in front of me. The dog belongs to a family staying in the family shelter. One of the companions walked over to ask if they might want to meet with me. A gentleman got out of the van with his son and a female Chihuahua. I found out they have been in the shelter for about a month. 'Camilla' ,the dog, needed 'the works' so we set that up. As I was getting ready to leave, 'Kristen' and her companion walked over to my vehicle so I stayed a bit longer for them. I had to go soon after, in order to run home and let my dogs out, before getting to a dental appointment which unfortunately gave me some very expensive news... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, fleece blanket, small collar, medium leash, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba Churu pops for dogs, small bag of dog food, Inaba Twins for dogs, kabob chew sticks, bully sticks and a Tiller Tugs tug toy were shared.
I spent the first part of the morning at the Jurupa Valley Motel6. I checked on the five dogs that received 'the works' yesterday and I met a new puppy. The next part of the morning was spent at the Mary S Robert's clinic. Many of you may remember the litter of 'baby bottle' kitties. These were found by a convenience store. Someone watched for a couple of days but the mama never returned and they were pretty much starving. I put out a plea for KMR1 and nursing bottles so one of the homeless could feed them. They were most likely about two weeks old at that time and now they are nearly none weeks. We decided to start their vaccinations today but our plans turned upside down when they told us all of the kitties were sick. We knew two of them were but not all five. They said we could pay for exams and meds or take them to a full-service vet. I decided to get them checked out where we were. It turned out that they all have the Calicivirus. Some have it worse than others but they all needed treatment. Taking It To The Streets took on the financial responsibility, even though we don't normally cover medical. We have been assisting with this litter for many weeks now and I could not abandon them now. It is an expense that we are totally unprepared for and will try to raise funds for them. This could take weeks or it could take months. We just have to wait it out. I will try and keep everyone updated... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, ARCO fuel cards, McDonald's gift card, fleece blanket, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, large stainless steel pet dish, 17-pound bag of cat food from the Star Milling Company, 20-pound bag of dog food from the Star Milling Company, kabob chew sticks, bully sticks and a case of wet kitten food were shared.
Today is Yom Kippur which is a holiday where one usually fasts and spends quite a bit of time at the Synagogue or these days doing zoom services. It is a day for reflection and atonement and one where I normally would take the day off from my daily travels. However, that was not the case for me. I spent the morning trying to make another very small dent in pet overpopulation and euthanasia in our shelters. Although my day was not spent in prayer, it was spent giving service which is something my religion has taught me the importance of since I was a small child. I can't say what I will be doing next year during this holiday but I am ok with the choices I made this year….. I scheduled spays and neuters at two locations today. The first was at the Riverside County Department of Animal Services spay/neuter clinic. A family staying at the Path of Life Family Community Shelter needed 'the works' for their two dogs so they can stay in the kennels. The second was at the Mary S Robert's Pet Adoption Center spay/neuter clinic. We had one cat that needed spayed and three dogs that needed 'the works'. There was a total of six pets which included two female dogs, three male dogs and one female cat. "One by one we get them done, because the only way to combat pet overpopulation and euthanasia in our shelters is to spay and neuter'... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, ARCO fuel cards, McDonald's gift card, doggie waste bags and a case of wet kitten food were shared.
I started the morning at the downtown Salvation Army but there was nobody there with a pet. After that, I drove through different areas of Fairmount Park but did not find anyone there with pets either. I needed to speak to someone whose puppy is due for vaccinations so I went to that location next. I did not spend any time with the three dogs that belong to one of the people I saw. I have had issues with the care she takes of her animals and decided it was best to avoid conflict. I did spend time with four other dogs and distributed supplies for one of them. Two were not in need of anything so I gave them treats. One other got treats but when his companion came over to discuss how he would not let the dog get neutered, I knew I knew it was best to get going. I have offered numerous times to provide the neutering and he continues to decline. He said the dog is going to be a licensed service dog and that Animal Control has no problem with the dog not being neutered. Sometimes, I try to reason with people and other times I know it is better to save the conversation for a day I am not going to turn a chat into a rant. I have no issue talking to people about spaying and neutering, even when they disagree but there are situations where there is nothing left to say and some things are better left unsaid for a variety of reasons... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, Inaba tuna fillets, chicken jerky treats, bully sticks, bully slices and plush squeaky toy were shared.
On Wednesday, we are providing 'the works' for a couple of dogs I had not met so I asked their companions if they would meet me today. They stay in the family shelter but the dogs sleep in the kennels outside the community shelter on Massachusetts. They go to the kennels daily but our paths had not crossed yet. I wanted to meet the dogs and discuss transportation to the spay/neuter clinic at the Riverside County Department of Animal Services. My friend and long-time volunteer Lupe Alcala was kind enough to say yes to driving to their appointment on Wednesday and I needed to make the arrangements for that. If we had more people who could help with transporting, it would be much easier to get pets spayed and neutered…I met the dogs, finalized the upcoming scheduled appointments, visited with a few other pets and distributed supplies. I drove around, in hopes of visiting more pets but I was not successful. My vehicle was beyond dirty so I drove to the car wash, ran a personal errand, stopped at our PO Box to pick up a couple of donations and headed home... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, body wipes, small stainless steel pet bowl, medium stainless steel pet bowl, large stainless steel pet bowl, Furminator pet brush, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, Inaba chicken fillets, Inaba Churu pops for dogs, Inaba Twins for dogs, 20 pound bag of dog food from the Star Milling Company, small bag of dog food, chicken jerky treats, bully sticks, kabob chew sticks, small plush squeaky toy, small squeaky tennis balls, regular squealy tennis balls and doggie waste bags with leash clip were shared.
I made arrangements to meet someone at 9:30 this morning. That is a late first stop for me but sometimes it is hard for people to get up so I try to accommodate them. I explained to the person meeting me that she had to be on time, because I had other places to go. I sat there for ten minutes waiting but she did not show. Her phone went straight to voicemail so I guess my calls and texts were not being received. She needed quite a few supplies so I felt bad about leaving but I am glad I did, because she did not even text me back until noon. I try to be home every day by noon and I don't go back out until the following day. Everyone who had received help from me knows this and the person I was waiting for today has known me for many years so there was no excuse. I understand people oversleep but if they do then they can't expect me to change my schedule to accommodate them.,,The morning was far from wasted though. I drove out to Center Street where I visited with and distributed supplies for six pets and then I went to meet someone not too far from there. While I was waiting for her, I saw a security guard in the parking lot. I asked him a question about where I could park and wait and he came over to where I was soon after. Turns out, we met about eight or more years ago on the west side of town. He had a pizza place by the 'Cash For Cans' facility near Van Buren Avenue. Many homeless once lived on that street in their tents and this gentleman was always kind to them. He started talking to me about a few of the people we both knew. Some have since passed away but we had an interesting conversation. Once the person I was waiting for showed up, I gave her the supplies she needed and made arrangements to provide 'the works' for three puppies in the river bottom. By the time we were done, it was time for me to get back home... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, body wipes, pet wipes, Equisect fly repellent, Swat fly repellent ointment, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, Inaba Churu ropes for cats, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba chicken fillets, Inaba Churu pops for cats, Inaba Churu pops for dogs, Inaba Twins for dogs, wet puppy food, wet kitten food, wet cat food, bag of puppy food, wet dog food, 17 pound bag of cat food from the Star Milling Company, 20 pound bag of dog food from the Star Milling Company, 3 small bags of dog food, chicken jerky treats, bully sticks and cat dancer toy were shared.
I spent my time divided between three locations, this morning. The first and second stops were off of Crestmore on opposite sides of Mission Avenue. I visited with and distributed supplies for five pets at the first stop and three at the second. There were other pets at both locations but their companions were still sleeping and I decided to let them stay that way. If anyone needs anything, they can always contact me and I will go back another day. My last stop was in the parking lot of the Jurupa Valley Motel6. A family that had been housed for quite some time, wound up losing their apartment after Covid cut working hours to the point where rent could no longer be made. I met them as they were checking out of the motel to go back to where they now stay which is a tent in someone's back yard. I had not seen them or their pets in a very long time. I am sorry they are homeless again but I was grateful for the visit... Waters from Niagara Bottling Company, body wipes, Benadryl caplets, pet bed, small dog leash, Inaba Churu bites for dogs, Inaba Churu ropes for dogs, Inaba tuna fillets, Inaba Twins for dogs, wet puppy food, bag of puppy food, wet dog food, 2-20 pound bags of dog food from the Star Milling Company, small bag of dog food, chicken jerky treats, bully sticks, squeaky dog toy, Tiller Tug tug squeaky tug toy, squeaky tennis balls, plush squeaky toy and small squeaky tennis balls and were shared.