On a recent bright and clear California Sunday, we joined throngs of canine aficionados, adoptive dog parents, dog rescue groups, vendors, spectators, and Hollywood celebrities for the 7th Annual Nutts for Mutts event sponsored by New Leash on Life. This is a common grumble with pet owners, who have to regularly vacuum or sweep in order to control the amount of hair that is shed during this time, and can be a burden on people with allergies as the hair and dust particles can collect and wreak havoc on those that are sensitive to their environment.

Many are there because of a death in the family, change in lifestyle, lack of interest , a family move that won’t permit a dog and a host of other reasons that in no way impact on the desirability of the family dog that is now sitting caged on doggy death row.

Companionship and bonding: adopting a dog means you have a companion who can go anywhere with you from the beginning, instead of waiting for her to grow up so you can take her further than the front yard and she can ride in the car with you instead of being left at home all the time.

The coordinator makes the calls, ensures the drivers have maps, chooses a meeting point, does all the paperwork to get the dogs out of the shelter and into dog crates or dog carriers, makes sure there are leashes and collars, and that all the vaccinations are current.

Shelter dogs come from various places such as animals found wandering the streets by Council Animal Control Officers and general public or sometimes people have to surrender dogs because their circumstances have changed and they can no longer keep their dog.