Editorial Intern
Animal-care organizations are influencing young generations, raising awareness of the significance of sympathy to animals. In honor of Kindness to Animals Month in May, Friends of Long Beach Animals (FOLBA) and author and public speaker Deborah Turner put together a “Be Kind to Animals” essay and art contest. The winners were announced on June 28.
FOLBA is a nonprofit that is dedicated in its promotion of the humane treatment and care of cats, dogs and all other animals through the education of the public regarding pet owner responsibilities within Long Beach and Signal Hill. Its goal is to eliminate euthanasia of healthy animals by providing funding for low-cost spay/neuter of pets, humane education to help end violence towards animals and medical supplies for animals at the shelter.
Turner connected with FOLBA back when she was still managing her store, Doggie in the Window. She participated in a number of the nonprofit’s events and helped to organize a humane-education program that teaches the importance of kindness to animals and responsible pet ownership.
In the contest, which attracted students from local elementary schools, 5-year-old Emily Robles won first place and was awarded a $40 gift card for Baja Sonora restaurant. The winners of second and third place, who each received a $25 gift card to Target, are third-grader Vanessa Rodriguez and fifth-grader Sydney Treece.
The judges for the contest included: Turner; Maureen White; and Shirley Vaughan, president of FOLBA. Robles’s entry came in independently rather than as a class assignment. The idea behind the illustration, that animals need love in addition to food and water, appealed to Turner the most. “It was precious the way it was put together with loving hands taking care of the animals,” Turner said.
Vaughan said the decision was a difficult one but that Robles’s entry stood out as rather thoughtful. The drawing included a pair of hands walking and feeding a pet, and those images were primarily what attracted Vaughan to it. “I related to that more than anybody else would because years ago, when [FOLBA] was founded, we were trying to make a logo. I found a postcard where there were a row of cats and dogs with arms underneath,” she said. “I wanted to work that with our logo, but it didn’t work out. Everybody else didn’t like it.”
In honor of Kindness to Animals Month, kindergarten and first-grade classes from Willard Elementary School visited the City of Long Beach Animal Care Services department, where they took a tour of the facility. They also visited Wheely Willy’s commemorative plaque. Wheely Willy is Turner’s former Chihuahua, who had severed vocal cords and spinal injuries that made his two back legs immobile. For transportation, Willy used a wheelchair designed for canines. Turner and Diana Mohler wrote two children’s books about him titled How Willy Got His Wheels and How Willy Got His Wings: The Further Adventures of Wheely Willy. For years, he and Turner traveled to different schools, hospitals and other events.“He was a little, challenged guy that managed to defeat the odds,” Turner said. “It’s really wonderful to see a true underdog rise above.” Willy passed away at the age of 18 on Dec. 22, 2009.
Now Turner has a newly adopted dog, ChiBi, a tan Chihuahua who also went through trauma before he met Turner. She rescued him from Animal Care Services on the anniversary of Willy’s passing. ChiBi was also immobile, but, unlike Willy, only temporarily. ChiBi used a wheelchair for three weeks, but he is now doing well at walking and running. Turner now brings him along with her to speak at school assemblies. “The kids love him,” Turner added.
FOLBA’s next annual meeting will take place on Thursday, July 26 at the City of Signal Hill Community Center, 1780 E Hill St., from 6pm to 8pm. A guest speaker from Shoestring City Ranch, Long Beach will discuss the care of animals.
Vaughan believes that today teaching animal care to children is particularly significant. “It is so important to educate the kids now because of all the cutbacks,” she said. “I think humane education gets cut out a lot now. The teachers are so busy just making their curriculums.”
