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Director
Marcia Mayeda's
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How Old is Your Pet, Really?

How Old is Your Pet, Really? 1024 768 Animal Care and Control

Some dogs and cats have lived remarkably long lives. In March, Guinness World Records named Chihuahua “TobyKeith” the oldest living dog at 21 years, 66 days old. The oldest dog ever recorded was an Australian Cattle Dog that passed in 1939 at the age of 29 years, five months. The world’s oldest cat, Crème Puff,…

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Kittens?

Kittens? 1024 1024 Animal Care and Control

My first cat was a beautiful black and white cat named Murphy. Murphy was born at the home of the “cat lady” who lived down the block and fed dozens of cats, with no sterilization plan in place to reduce their population growth. Murphy was first taken in as a kitten by our neighbors, but…

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Does Your Dog Act Its Breed?

Does Your Dog Act Its Breed? 409 358 Animal Care and Control

In my early twenties I worked on a sheep farm in southern Illinois. The farm had about 1,000 sheep and two Great Pyrenees dogs to protect them. Great Pyrenees dogs are a type of dog known as a livestock guardian dog (LGD); they do not herd the sheep like border collies but are there instead…

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Dear Hollywood

Dear Hollywood 704 527 Animal Care and Control

Animals are a beloved and popular topic for film and television because they provide heartwarming stories and highlight the intrinsic reward of the human-animal bond. Many wonderful TV shows and films have helped elevate the public’s awareness of kindness towards animals, how to care for them, and the importance of protecting them in our society.…

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Do Dogs Grieve?

Do Dogs Grieve? 1024 768 Animal Care and Control

The other night my husband and I were talking about one of our past dogs, a Great Pyrenees named Isabella, who passed away several years ago at 14 years of age. When we mentioned her name, our Golden Retriever, Rebecca, raised her head and looked around the room. She clearly recognized Isabella’s name and remembered…

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The Crisis in Veterinary Medicine

The Crisis in Veterinary Medicine 1024 1024 Animal Care and Control

The Crisis in Veterinary Medicine People often ask me why I didn’t pursue a career in veterinary medicine because I love animals so much. I had indeed considered it and was an avid reader of James Herriot’s books about being a veterinarian in 1930’s and 40’s Yorkshire, England. I also worked for a veterinarian when…

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Protecting Service Animals

Protecting Service Animals 1024 1024 Animal Care and Control

Protecting Service Animals More than twenty years ago I led the animal control division for an agency in northern California, and at one point we received a series of complaints from students at a local community college regarding a fellow student’s emotional support animal (ESA). The students were in a great state of anxiety and…

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Taking Care of (Animal) Business

Taking Care of (Animal) Business 195 139 Animal Care and Control

Taking Care of (Animal) Business In my last two blogs I wrote about how animal care and control isn’t just about dogs and cats, reflecting on our handling of a massive venomous reptile case and the closing of a 400+ exotic animal sanctuary here in Los Angeles County. Many people have expressed amazement at the…

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Paging Noah . . .

Paging Noah . . . 1024 803 Animal Care and Control

Paging Noah . . . In last month’s blog I listed the many unusual animals DACC has impounded throughout the years. I challenged readers to guess which two species of animals that DACC has not impounded, promising to reveal the answer in this month’s blog. The animals were: African grey parrot, African lion, African spur…

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But No Unicorns!

But No Unicorns! 268 422 Animal Care and Control

But No Unicorns! People are often surprised when I tell them the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) cares for animals other than dogs and cats. We also take in rabbits, guinea pigs, parrots and pet birds, hamsters, and other small pets. The wide geographical area we serve (about 3,800 sq.…

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