Summer vacation is (almost) over: Get your calendar out and start planning for all those upcoming pet events in September
September is shaping up to be a busy month for pet-related events in the South Bay. Here's an early heads-up on a few of them:
- Sept. 10, 10:30 a.m. to noon: PAWS to Read Program will hold a reading-aloud session for youngsters at the Hermosa Beach Library, 550 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach (310-379-8475). More info at www.spcaLA.com.
- Sept. 15, 10 a.m. to noon: spcaLA presents a foster class for volunteers interested in temporarily taking in pets waiting to be adopted into a permanent home. The class is free and applications are available at www.spcaLA.com. "We provide the pet, you provide the home." Pets that have been fostered in a family environment have a much better chance of being adopted. Class meets at the P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village (in the auditorium), 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach. Call 323-730-5300, Ext. 300, or email foster@spcaLA.com.
- Sept. 18, 1-3 p.m.: Dog owners can celebrate back-to-school month by picking up some education for themselves at the Responsible Dog Ownership Day presented by the South Bay Kennel Club. The free, AKC-sponsored event will take place at Arthur Johnson Park, 1200 W. 170th St., Gardena, with the stated purpose of educating "first-time dog owners about the responsibilities of dog ownership and helping current owners enhance their relationships with their pets." San Pedro's Barbara Millman, obedience chairperson for the South Bay Kennel Club, will provide information about the AKC's Canine Good Citizen certificate. She will also administer the test for those who want to apply for the certificate. Members of the Southwest Obedience Club of L.A. also will provide information about obedience classes and give demonstrations. Dogs of several breeds and varieties also will be on hand in a mini "Meet-the-Breeds" show. Call 310-324-3549 or email sobykc@aol.com for information; also, www.akc.org. The public also is welcome to attend the South Bay Kennel Club's meeting at 8 p.m. Thursday (9/1) at the Nakaoka Community Center, 1678 W. 162nd St., Gardena. There will be a discussion about the upcoming event. We'll be sure also to post a reminder when the time gets closer.
- Sept. 18, 4-5:30 p.m.: A concert for the animals -- Animal-Loving Musicians Support will donate a performance to help raise funds for Diamonds in the Ruff, a nonprofit animal rescue organization based in Los Angeles (310-699-2747). The benefit concert will feature jazz and pop standards performed at The Strings Connection, 716 Deep Valley Drive, Rolling Hills Estates. Call 310-377-0803 or email alms4animals@hotmail.com for details.



Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(
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