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Preparing yourself and your family for any disaster or emergency, be it earthquake, wind or fire, is essential no matter where you live. Because pets are family members, of course, June has been designated National Pet Preparedness Month and the city of Long Beach’s Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications is going all out this month to help you get an emergency plan in place for your furry, feathery, scaly and leathery roommates.

This month, a variety of outreach items and educational activities will help you prepare your pets for emergency:

“The preparedness kits that we are providing to the public contain travel pet-waste bags with dispenser, a collapsible pet food/water bowl, a wallet first-aid kit, a flashlight and our department informational brochure on preparedness tips for pet owners,” said Rebecca Lopez, the department’s disaster-preparedness analyst. “These are all included in a canvas tote bag that has an ‘emergency go-kit’ checklist printed on it to assist residents in their planning.” Photo courtesy of City of Long Beach.

The Disaster Preparedness team emphasizes including pet supplies in emergency go-kits in case sudden evacuations are necessary. Items in the kit should include at least seven days of food and water, medications (be sure to replace old food and meds at least yearly), registration and medical paperwork, poop bags and travel litter boxes with scoop, harness and leash, crates and carriers, a collar with an ID, and a recent photo of you and your pet to prove ownership in case you’re separated. Most pet owners have photos on their phones and can print them out or pin them to the top of their photo feed. Make sure to use a current photo and update all photos and emergency contact information if needed.

Microchipping your pet can’t be emphasized enough. Chips increase the chance of your pets making it home safely in the event that they run off during a disaster or a firework boom. See To the rescue for organizations offering free microchips during June and early July.

For more information about pet preparedness, visit the Disaster Preparedness website and follow Disaster Preparedness on Facebook and Instagram.

Zazzy Cats Kitty Rescue’s mission is to avoid disaster for unfortunate felines: cats at high risk of danger of one sort or other, including euthanasia; the well-being of nursing and expectant mothers and their kittens; and treatment of sick and injured kitties. All the Zazzys have been spayed or neutered and equipped with vaccinations, and they spend comfy days in foster homes until they go to forever ones. If you’re ready to adopt, check out their cats (meet a few below), and fill out an application here. Rescues are run by volunteers, and expenses run into the thousands of dollars. Your donation to Zazzy will be much appreciated.

Meet beautiful Miss Strawberry, 5 years old. She’s a wonderful cat— very sweet and fond of head scritches. She’s playful sometimes but mostly enjoys lying around all day. She would love to be a potato on your couch with you!

Patches, 4 years old, is a very personable, friendly boy. He’s very playful and loves climbing to high places and chasing things. Sadly, his owner was unable to care for him any longer, and now, he’s looking for a new place to call home.

Bellamy is the perfect cat! She’s only a year old and is a sweet, neat, petite, playful, purring lap kitty! Bellamy was a good mom, but that’s in the past now, and she’s ready for her own loving home. She might learn to like other cats if they are sweet and calm like she is, but she doesn’t like feisty cats. She’s certainly relaxed and happy on her own. This gentle girl would be great with children. To sum it up, Bellamy is perfection in a cat suit! You will love this girl!

Precious is an 11-year-old black domestic shorthair. She’s affectionate, will sit by your side, and will likely want to sleep with you. She loves to play with the laser light and watch cat TV out the window. Precious is looking for a home where she’s the only pet, as she’s not fond of other cats or dogs. For this reason, she would do best in a household with older kids who can respect her space when needed. Despite this, she makes a great companion and loves people! She’s house trained, her vaccinations are up to date, and she’s been spayed.

KLOS Pet Adoption Day: Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., PD Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center, 7700 E. Spring St. (at entrance to El Dorado Park; no parking fee for shelter visitors), Long Beach, pick-your-price adoption fee.

Visit two shelters in one building—Long Beach Animal Care Services and spcaLA and meet dozens of dogs, cats, rabbits and various pocket pets who have been let down by life’s circumstances and need a safe, loving and forever home. Meet Heidi and Frank from their KLOS 95.5 morning show, get a gift bag when you adopt, and enjoy a silent auction, vendor booths, food trucks, giveaways and games. Check out the adoption requirements for the best housemates ever!

Seal Beach Animal Care Center Meatball Fundraiser: Saturday, June 11, 10:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Seal Beach Animal Care Center, 1700 Adolfo Lopez Dr., Seal Beach, donations accepted

It’s meatballs and not furballs that will help fund the miraculous but very expensive treatment of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) for two of SBACC’s wonderful felines, Ninja and Mr. Whiskers. These two have been cured of this formerly fatal disease, but it costs! The full lunch includes a beef or vegan sandwich, veggies, chips, water or soda, and dessert! The cost will be whatever you care to donate. Invite your family and friends!

Calling all dachshunds for Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals!

SoCal’s favorite unintentional pet comedy will be held for the first time since 2019 when 100 dachshunds will compete in the event’s 25th running on Saturday night, July 16, at Los Alamitos Race Course. The event is a fundraiser for Seal Beach Animal Care Center. Racing spots for the cocktail franks of the doggie world are still available, so if you know of a faster-than-lightning dachshund one who’s simply super-friendly and a good sport, enter them by mailing a photo along with your contact info to [email protected] . Visit this link for more information!

Free microchips for pets of Long Beach and Signal Hill residents: Sunday, June 12, 1–4 p.m., Fix Long Beach, 1749 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, $20 for anyone outside the designated areas.

Microchips are an animal’s lifeline, especially when they’re freaked by fireworks and even more especially around the Fourth of July holiday. This Sunday, Fix Long Beach and Friends of Long Beach Animals will offer them absolutely free, and low-cost shots are, as always, available.

Preregistration is required under vaccine/microchip special clinic appointment, but you can come anytime during the designated times—preregistration will ensure that your information is available when you check in. A link will be emailed to you the day before if you’d like to prepay for your vaccines or include a donation for your microchip.

Friends of Long Beach Animals’ free microchip clinic: through July 3, Bixby Animal Clinic, 3938 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, 562-426-4066, appointments preferred but not required.

The Fourth of July—or rather, the unbridled fireworks season that should start (or continue) any day now—is the worst holiday for animals. Every year at this time, dogs and cats fill shelters in disturbing numbers after they’ve been startled by a crack or a boom and go running off. The best way to put the odds in favor of your pet getting a ride home is to provide them with a microchip. Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) is once again living up to its name by providing free microchipping for your dog or cat. Please take advantage of this opportunity if your pet is not currently microchipped—it may mean the difference of being reunited with your pet. Pass on this information to everyone you know so FOLBA can microchip as many pets as possible in Long Beach and the surrounding areas.

Foster for awhile—or furever!

Meet a real cat dad—he’s fostering for Helen Sanders CatPAWS, and he’s not lying down on the job, no matter what he looks like. All cat foster parents are encouraged to fill out a form, available here, to take home a kitten and socialize them for the adoption center! It’s just temporary. Really. Unless . . . Photo courtesy of Nancy Cohn

If you’ve always wanted a pet but aren’t sure if you’re ready for a lifetime (the animal’s) commitment, or if you’re past the pet-roommate days for any reason, fostering might be a great way to go, especially with one or more of the kittens popping up during kitten season. Every one of the organizations listed below is in desperate need of fosters who’ll social them and help save their little lives. Who knows—maybe one of those lives will change your mind about the not-ready-for-roommate thing!

These nonprofits also regularly feature cat, dog and rabbit adoptions. As of now, adoptions are mainly by appointment. Click on the links for each rescue in case of updates or changes. These organizations operate through donations and grants, and anything you can give would be welcome. Please suggest any Long Beach-area rescues to add to the list.

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