Getting to SEAACA



Use the Yahoo Maps site to get a map to SEAACA and look for
the "Driving Directions" links on the right side of the page.

Or, take a quick look at our location page.

HOME IMPROVEMENT FOR ANIMAL SHELTER

SEAACA Animal Control Officers tour the newly renovated animal shelter with Dan Morrison, SEAACA's Executive Director

For the past ten years, SEAACA has provided Lakewood with pet care and animal control services under a contract arrangement. SEAACA, which is a "joint powers authority," offers similar animal control services for twelve other cities. The agency has just completed a $3-million renovation and expansion of their Downey facility.

According to operations manager, Captain Aaron Reyes, the SEAACA shelter was becoming overcrowded and not able to house properly all the animals that were being picked up every day by animal control officers.

The remodeled facility includes better accommodations for dogs and cats. Kennels will be in rooms on either side of a hallway lined with benches and plants. There are also special rooms showcasing puppies and a separate room for adoptable cats. Dangerous or quarantined animals have their own, secure section. Even exotic animals -- such as snakes and rare birds -- have their own housing.

SEAACA licenses Lakewood dogs, shelters Lakewood strays, offers pet adoptions and provides a number of other services, including low-cost spay and neuter surgeries.

SEAACA also staffs a seven-day-a-week, response team that handles requests from residents for dead animal collection, stray pick up, investigating animal cruelty, or helping an injured animal. SEAACA also responds to complaints of persistently barking dogs.

The best solution to pet problems is responsible pet ownership. Whether it's how to care for your new puppy or why spaying or neutering your pet is so important, you can learn a lot from SEAACA and the pet resources on the Web.

BEING A RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER Top

Responsible owners only keep the number of dogs and cats that small Lakewood houses can accommodate. City ordinances permit no more than two dogs and no more than two cats per household.

Lakewood also requires dog owners to license their pet within 60 days of getting a dog. Before a license is issued, dogs older than four months must have a valid rabies vaccination certificate good for the term of the license. (Licenses for cats are available, but are not required.) Lakewood dog licenses are available for purchase at the SEAACA animal shelter or by mail. Call (562) 803-3301 for information.

Dog licenses, good for one year, are $24 for unaltered dogs and $12 for altered dogs (with a spayed or neutered certificate). Owners who fail to license their dog by July 31 must pay a $10 late fee.

The SEAACA licensing department is open Tuesday through Thursday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

A dog license is required for many reasons, including the assurance of rabies protection. Rabies is fatal to pets, and dangerous to humans and common in the wild animal population of southern California. With a dog license (and the required rabies vaccination), you protect both your dog and your family.

If your pet is lost, the chances of a happy recovery are dramatically increased if your pet wears its license along with a pet ID tag with the owner's name, address, and home and work phone numbers. According to city statistics, out of the 798 dogs impounded so far this year, 191 dogs were returned to their owners, thanks to ID tags and licenses.

Licensed animals are held much longer at animal shelters than unlicensed ones, which are placed up for adoption or destroyed after 5 days. Unfortunately, owners of unlicensed animals return from vacation to find that their animal ran away from a caretaker and were either adopted or destroyed at a local animal shelter. If an animal is wearing a license tag, animal shelter staff members make every effort to see that the animal is reunited with its owner.

SEAACA also manages pet vaccination services which are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Vaccination hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 4:00 p.m.

BOW-WOW AND MEOW DAYS Top

The city's annual Bow-Wow and Meow Days are coming. The two events help the city's pet owners get maximum health care protection for their animal companions at affordable prices. Pet owners get savings on required rabies vaccinations, priced at $5.00 each, and the opportunity to license their pet through SEAACA.

The 2002 Bow-Wow and Meow Days will be held at the northeast corner lot at Clark Avenue and Del Amo Boulevard on Saturday June 22 from 8:00 a.m. to noon, and on Wednesday, July 24 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Among the services available are flea control programs, educational materials pertaining to low cost spaying and neutering, and health care for dogs and cats. A complete selection of other pet vaccinations also will be available at substantial discounts.

Cash, checks, and credit cards are accepted. All dogs must be on leashes and cats in carriers.

For more information about the pet services available, call 562-803-3301, extension 239.

SPAYING AND NEUTERING Top

When it comes to man's best friend or your friendly feline, spaying or neutering can help your pet live a happier, healthier and longer life. You can also help all pets by reducing the number of dogs and cats condemned to live without homes and without love.

Cold, hard cash is part of the pet overpopulation problem, too. Cities and counties spend millions of tax dollars annually to care for lost, abandoned and unwanted pets -- and millions more to destroy those that find no homes. In addition, rabies, dog bites, and cat scratches threaten the public's health and safety. Property may be damaged when pets run wild or in packs. Yards and walkways can be fouled with urine and feces.

SEAACA offers spay/neuter services at their veterinary clinic by appointment only.

ADOPTIONS Top

SEAACA would like you to understand that adopting a pet is a long-term commitment. When you adopt an animal, you are making a promise to the animal and to yourself that you are going to provide the best possible care and love during the animal's lifetime.

Before adopting an animal, it is important to evaluate one's lifestyle and plan accordingly. Can you afford the proper care for the animal? What resources do you have, should that animal develop medical problems? Remember, dogs and cats are social animals and must have interaction. So, consider how much time you have to donate to this new family member.

California law states that all dogs and cats adopted from shelters such as SEAACA must be spayed or neutered. When you adopt your pet, if it has not already been spayed or neutered, you must agree to have the animal altered.

PET RESOURCES ON THE WEB Top

SpcaLA

Visit the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) at: http://www.spcala.com/pages/adoptions.htm

SpcaLA has a 91% adoption rate and is proud to introduce you to your next best friend. Only half of the dogs and cats available for adoption are featured on their web site. There are even pictures and descriptions to help you choose the pet just right for you.

Rescuers.com

Along with adoption information, this website also includes tips on adopting a rescued dog.
http://www.rescuers.com/

Petbond.com

This website allows you to search for a pet by breed, age, sex or color. It includes pet care tips and pet adoption, and a "pet event" guide.
http://www.petbond.com/

Feral Cat Alliance

The feral cat alliance is dedicated to the care and protection of feral cats. It is estimated that there are four million feral cats in L.A. County alone and unless there is human intervention the numbers will continue to grow and grow.
http://www.feralcatalliance.org/

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