Sherwin is a 6-year-old little fellow. Shelter staff and volunteers call him small but mighty! Sherwin came to us in mid-May as a stray, and he’s so unusual looking as well as charming that no one can figure out why he’s still here! He has a huge personality for such a little guy, always charming anyone walking by his kennel by happily bouncing around and asking for pets. His adorable facial markings—one little eyebrow and one huge one—make Sherwin look as if he got out of hand with the eyebrow pencil! Come meet Sherwin! Shelter hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 7700 E. Spring St. at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors). You can email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov to speed the process for adopting or fostering Sherwin. Ask for ID#A69853).

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)

Steadman has just celebrated his one-year anniversary. Hold the confetti and the Mutt and Chandon, though—this is no cause for celebration. Poor Steadman has been in a shelter kennel for over a year now, and a shelter, no matter how loving and caring the volunteers are, is no place for an active 4-year-old Husky. Steadman will love you unconditionally in exchange for your commitment to his husky spirit, taking long walks, playing with toys and his constant talking. He’s such a good boy! If you know a husky rescue or would love to take him home yourself, you can speed the process to adopt or foster Steadman and any of our other pets by emailing PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov. You can also call (562) 570-4925. Even better, stop by during our walk-in hours every Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Our shelter is located at 7700 E. Spring St. Ask for ID#A674834 to meet Steadman. We’re over capacity, and everyone needs homes! 

Look at those ears! She can hear for miles and miles! Pineapple is one of 14 cats removed from a hoarding situation, all of whom were named after fruits. She’s now ripe for the picking and would love to show you how sweet she is behind the rough and spiky shell of her past. She’s a little shy but gets into the groove quickly, enjoying the love and being held and massaged. Pineapple is a shelter cat, but she’s on display at the Paw Shoppe, 6416 E. Spring St. in Long Beach! To make Pineapple your princess, email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov to speed the process for adopting or fostering. Ask for ID#A695717).

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)

Every other word from every shelter volunteer who connects with Maya is “sweet.” Maya, a senior husky of 10 years old, is the type of elderly person you’d want in your house: cookies with homework help, story time after supper, licks to your face any time at all! If she can’t deliver on the human tasks, she can on the doggie part! Her former family couldn’t deliver to Maya—it’s a sad story, but they had to give her up during a welfare check. Somehow, Maya has remained mellow and, of course, sweet, and she’d sure like a stable, situation to make her own life sweet. Our shelter hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 7700 E. Spring St. at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors). You can email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov to speed the process for adopting or fostering Maya. Ask for ID#A542375

In more ways than one, dogs are truly man’s best friend. On top of bringing joy and comfort to households as pets, they also contribute towards necessary services such as aiding the disabled, preserving public safety in the company of personnel like policemen, and rescuing people in need during natural disasters. These paw-some heroes are called “working dogs.”

There are many types of working dogs, but all dogs that fall under that umbrella are trained to perform specific functions. For example, dogs classified as service animals by Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) typically help visually impaired people navigate public places, alert the hard of hearing about important sounds like knocks on the door, and respond to the onset of seizures in people with epilepsy.  

Most of the time, it’s easy to differentiate service dogs and other working dogs from normal pets thanks to apparel like custom dog collars or harnesses. But aside from being able to identify them, ordinary people should also learn the rules for interacting with working dogs. These canines follow rules and observe a routine that’s very different from that of a usual house dog, and it’s important to be conscious of them so that there are no obstacles to the valuable service they’re rendering for their humans. Knowing the etiquette for interacting with working canines will also allow strangers to respect the privacy, dignity, and agency of the dogs’ owners or handlers.

To that end, below are some dos and don’ts for safely and unobtrusively interacting with working dogs:

Rule Number One: Speak to the Owner, Not the Dog

Working dogs tend to stand out among other dogs, regardless of their breed. A dog on duty may catch your eye because of its well-trained and attentive nature, not to mention how adorable it is. You may have the urge to go up to a working dog and coo at them or talk to them. But don’t be tempted to place all your attention on the dog and completely ignore its owner.

Bear in mind that when they’re working, these dogs are supposed to accomplish specific tasks. They may be in the middle of leading their visually impaired owner down the street or watching their owner for alarming symptoms of a specific mental condition. Even if it’s not immediately apparent what they’re doing, talking to them may obstruct them from doing their duty and even endanger their owner. 

In addition, paying attention only to a working dog is rude behavior. The dog’s owner may feel like you’re ignoring them on purpose and may not take too kindly to you.

As such, it’s best practice to speak with the dog’s owner first before speaking to the dog. The owner is also in the best position to tell you about how to engage with their dog, as well as explain other important facts about how their dog helps them navigate their disability or condition—provided, of course, that they are open to sharing.

Rule Number Two: Don’t Distract the Dog without Permission

As mentioned above, working dogs are trained for highly specialized purposes, and a dog may be on duty even if it currently looks relaxed. The dog’s priority is to maintain their focus and ensure that their owner is safe at all times.

Avoid distracting the dog, for example by petting them or asking them to do a trick for you, unless given explicit permission by the owner or handler. Some dog breeds take a while to regain their focus after play, and this could potentially be dangerous for the owner if any incident arises soon after that.

If something were to happen to the owner during the interim between play and work, a working dog would not be able to do its job correctly. Knowing that, never violate the rule of permission and always take the dog owner’s word as the final word.

Rule Number Three: Keep Your Own Dog at a Safe Distance

It’s natural for dogs to be curious about one another, but if you’re a dog owner yourself, try to keep your pooch a safe distance away from a working dog. This is especially important if your dog is playful or easy to approach another dog.

At worst, it’s possible for your dog and a service dog or other working dog to get into a scuffle, and this could be particularly dangerous to the owner. Knowing that you can’t always predict how two dogs will interact with one another, err on the side of safety and make sure that the working dog and their owner have their space. 

Rule Number Four: Don’t Praise a Working Dog or Give It Treats

Lastly, it may be tempting to praise a working dog or give it treats when you see it doing a good job. Positive reinforcement is an integral part of a working dog’s training with the people immediately close to them, and hearing it from someone other than their owner may send the dog confusing signals.

Treats like human food can also pose as the ultimate distraction—even for the most well-trained dog. It cannot be overemphasized that working dogs should not be distracted from their duty or put in a situation that runs counter to their routine.

Final Thoughts: Treat Working Dogs as Service Professionals

As the term implies suggests, working dogs are trained to perform a specific duty. Dogs may be naturally friendly and irresistible to whoever beholds them, but nothing should get in the way of the tedious and precise duties required of a working dog—which, if done well, can save lives and contribute to the wellbeing of whole communities.   

If you’re unsure of how to engage with a working dog, the best course of action would be to defer to its owner. When in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask. It’s better that you do and learn the right thing to do moving forward than to accidentally do something wrong.

Ray Charles is as gifted in the cat world as his namesake was as a musician. Like the famed artist, our Ray Charles is completely blind, too—we don’t know if he was born blind or lost his sight later, as his human counterpart did. Whoever his human caregivers were decided to hit the road, Jack, and our Ray wound up at LBACS at 5 years old. But he gets around fine and welcomes affection! Any loving human willing to take Ray Charles home will be shouting, “Hallelujah I love him so!” And if he could sing, it would be meowtual! Shelter hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 7700 E. Spring St. at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors). You can email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov to speed the process for adopting or fostering Ray Charles. Ask for ID#A698202).

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)

Obe-Wan Kenobi has one of the best curly tails ever, and he can’t wait to show it off to his forever family! He’s only 2 years old and is a medium-size white pit bull mix. Look at that smile! He’ll win your heart with it! Obe’s a spunky little guy and gets excited to see other pups. He has to get to know humans, though, and he’ll need someone who has the time and patience to win his trust. He’s happy to get hugs from his two-legged friends at the shelter, so there is a bright future for anyone who wants to be Obe’s forever buddy! You can speed the process to adopt or foster Obe or any of our other pets by emailing PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov. You can also call (562) 570-4925. Even better, stop by during our walk-in hours every Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Our shelter is located at 7700 E. Spring St. Ask for ID#A692261 to meet Obe. We’re at capacity, and everyone needs homes

It’s kitten season, and Long Beach Animal Care Services admitted 16 cats and kittens in a single day last week. The community cat coordinator referred to it as a “kitten tsunami,” an apt description because the waves of felines flooding in are about as easy to surf as a tsunami would be. Our shelter now has as many cats as dogs, and good people need to take these furry creatures home—not just the babies but also the adults. Shelter hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 7700 E. Spring St. at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors). You can email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov to speed the process for adopting or fostering kittens and cats.

(This rescue encouraged by the usual suspects.)