Although I don’t always (or usually) agree with PETA, the one thing they consistently do right is their PETA2 campaign. Influencing kids early on in life when they are much more open-minded is a great way to promote longterm veg*nism and animal rights. Today another great example of this hit my mailbox. spcaLA has started a Junior Girl Scout Pet Care Patch program where they teach Junior Girl Scouts about animals, learning responsible ways to care for pets, and encouraging them to help animals in the community. Earning the badge requires Junior Girl Scouts to take care of a pet for 2 weeks, keep a scrapbook with pictures and emergency information about the pet, compare labels on pet food containers for their food value and locating groups and places that care for pets in their neighborhood for potential volunteer work. Frankly, it sounds like this badge should be required for EVERY pet owner.

Click here to find out more info about the spcaLA program.

Leading up to spcaLA Night with the Dodgers is a 3 day eBay auction featuring all kinds of Dodger/celebrity merchandise. Up for bid are baseballs autographed by Betty White and Alyssa Milano; Dodgers game tickets; a stadium tour; Dodgers memorabilia, baseballs autographed by Dodgers players  James Loney and Casey Blake and more. 100% of the proceeds of these auction items support spcaLA programs and services so if you’re a baseball fan (personally, I can’t stand baseball), this is a great opportunity to pick up some Dodgers items while giving back to the animals. The auction begins August 17th at noon and runs for 3 days. You can view the items on spcaLA’s eBay page when they will be listed here.

This Thursday you have the opportunity to dine out at Buca de Bepo and raise money for spcaLA. From 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, 20% of your purchase will be donated to spcaLA if you present them with this flyer. Even though they are a chain restaurant, you can find a few vegan items on their menu, and a couple of them are even tasty! The quick list is this:

• - Bruschetta
• - Spaghetti Marinara
• - Green Beans
• - Roasted Vegetables

One trick is that you can make what is their regular spaghetti dish a bit more exciting by substituting gnocchi with their marinara. And the green beans are a must! So if you’re looking for a dining out option tomorrow in the Hollywood area, Buca would be a great choice.

Have you ever thought about adding another pet to your family but don’t want the 10-15 year commitment? spcaLA Foster Parents provide temporary care for animals that are either too young or infirm to be adopted right away, pets that are in protective custody, and animals who are in the Animal Safety Net (ASN) program which provides a safe haven for the pets of victims of domestic violence.

If you are interested in becoming a Foster Parent for spcaLA or learning more about the program, please email Foster@spcaLA.com or call 310-676-1149 x222. They are also having a Foster Class on February 21st in Long Beach for any prospective parents. You can read all about the Foster Parent program on their website here.

This Saturday, everyone is invited to the special pet friendly release party for the new movie “Marley & Me.” Apparently it’s a new holiday movie coming starring an adorable dog as well as Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. The highlight of the evening is that the star dog that plays Marely will be making a special appearance. There’s a silent auction happening that benefits the spcaLA (although they are not high on my list after the whole Coach Cares thing). The fun part of the event is that it’s being held at Skybark, LA’s (only?) bar that caters to both humans and dogs. I’ve seen the bar on The Rob and Big Show but I’ve never gone there. Looks like it could be a lot of fun. Here are the details:

Saturday, December 6th from 8:00 – 12:00 PM

Skybark: 1026 S. Santa Fe Ave. Los Angeles, CA. 90021

spcaLA just sent out their newsletter for the holiday season and one of the items you can purchase that benefits the organization this Christmas is the Coach Sabrina Patent Leather Large Satchel. Does anyone else find it strange that you’re killing cows to help save shelter animals?

If not, here’s a great option. The spcaLA is having a New Year’s Eve celebration and fundraiser aboard the Regent Sea ship. They will cruise the calm waters of Marina del Rey on Wednesday, December 31st from 9pm to 1am. You will have an outstanding view of the Marina del Rey fireworks as well as dining, dancing, an open bar, a raffle, and champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are $170 per person. You can RSVP to liveup@earthlink.net.

Last week was National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. If you missed it, you’re not the only one. I just got an e-mail from spcaLA saying they are celebrating this week instead. This year’s sponsor was Guess Clothing. 100 percent of the net profits from their “Shelters Rock” t-shirts will be donated to the Humane Society US. The shirts are available online in both mens and womens sizes. Guess stores will also be selling tote bags in their stores though November 15th and donating $5 from each sale to HSUS.

spcaLA just sent out an e-mail saying that a temporary ban on black cat adoptions has gone into effect through November 1st.

“We have found many people have ulterior motives when adopting black cats and it is a shame that all the myths and superstitions about black cats have made them targets.” To get into the Halloween spirit, many pranksters target black cats and use them as party props. Black cats have even been sacrificed during satanic rituals and are more likely to be subjected to cruel treatment during this time of year. spcaLA takes every precaution to make sure this does not happen by temporarily banning black cat adoptions and encourages other pet adoption facilities to do the same.

Good to see that spcaLA is doing what they can to prevent cruelty to these pets just looking for a home. Remember to keep black cats (or any pet for that matter) indoors this Halloween season.