Speak up for homeless animals

Linda Marinkovich, dedicated dog owner and Coastal San Pedro  Neighborhood Council member, says San Pedro animal lovers will have an opportunity to speak out in support of the community's new animal shelter due to open next month.

At 6:30 p.m. Monday (May 19), the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council will take up a number of motions to allocate financial donations to community causes.

Among them is a proposal to give $2,500 to help sponsor the opening of the new Los Angeles Animal Services Harbor Animal Shelter at Gaffey Street and Miraflores.

Marinkovich urges San Pedro residents to attend and participate during the public comment time. The meeting will be at the Cabrillo marina Community Building at the plaza, Berth 28.

"We need the board to see that there are animal supporters out there," Linda said.

The city's current 50-year-old shelter, on Battery Street, has long been overcrowded and ready for replacement. Thanks to a bond measure passed by city voters several years ago, that's finally going to happen.

The new state-of-the-art facility, under construction for the past couple years, will offer not only a lot more space, but landscaping and amenities such as an onsite grooming facility, medical clinic, and a community room where pet education classes can be held. 

The move happens on June 2, when the shelter will be closed. It will re-open in its new digs on June 3. A grand opening ceremony is set for June 21. 

Others, including Girl Scout Troop 71, which we wrote about in an earlier post, have been stepping up to the plate to assist. A women's group in San Pedro called the Leave Your Hat On Society recently took up a collection at one of their gatherings and donated $955 to the new shelter.

"We all love pets and we wanted to support this wonderful shelter," said member Darka Klaric, owner of Drop-in Cards & Gifts at 385 W. Sixth St., in downtown San Pedro. "Pets are family, so when we got together everybody gave a little dontation for the animal shelter."

Those "little" donations added up to a substantial sum that was much appreciated.

With the city experiencing serious budget constraints this year, volunteer help and donations can go a long way toward helping the new shelter.