So far the combined partnership has been a huge success with several pets finding new loving homes on a daily basis. How great! In both locations combined, San Bernardino and Ontario, we have adopted out 241 pets between September 2007 thru May 2008. The partnership combines Rancho Cucamonga’s forward-looking pet adoption policies with Petsmart’s longtime commitment to helping homeless animals.

Since October 2007, Los Osos High School Key Club has been dedicating their time and commitment to assist the needy animals of the Rancho Cucamonga Animal Care and Adoption Center. Every Tuesday a group of about 10 students lead by President Ann Wang volunteer for about 2 hours doing various jobs. From the simple job of laundry to helping in the vet tech room, the club members were more than willing to do their best at any job. Steven Hsu, a sophomore volunteer who hopes to one day become a veterinarian, has put in over 30 hours of service doing various jobs such as assisting the vet technicians, cleaning the play yards and kennels, and walking dogs. The members have learned valuable skills in handling, caring for and loving animals, while also assisting with clerical duties. The club hopes to continue to volunteer at the Animal Care and Adoption Center throughout the year, for not only do the students enjoy volunteering, the animals also benefit greatly from the relationships.

... and all kinds of wild creatures are starting their young families around us! Just like kids everywhere, many of these little ones will get into trouble every year, falling afoul of cats, dogs, and cars, as well as late storms and spring carpentry projects. What is the best way you can help Wildlife? Learn to know the difference between an animal “doing what comes naturally” and one that really is sick, injured, or in trouble. Here’s some hints:

Baby Rabbits. Unless they’re injured, most baby rabbits are fine alone; Mom only comes to feed them twice a day, so that predators don’t follow her and find her babies. If you want to make sure, put a string over the nest. If the string has not moved by the following morning, Mom hasn’t returned, and the babies need help.

Baby Birds.  Baby birds stay in the nest until their feathers and muscles develop enough to learn to fly, then spend a few days on the ground learning this necessary skill. If the baby you’ve found has no feathers, or very fluffy down, he still needs to be in the nest. Parent birds will not reject their babies after a human has touched them, so you can put him (gently) right back there. If you can’t see his nest, or can’t reach it, make a substitute nest out of a strawberry basket lined with tissue paper. Hang it within 8 feet of the original nest, and watch to make sure mom comes back to feed her little one – she should return within 30 minutes at the most. If the baby you’ve found on the ground has smooth feathers, with a little bit of down on them at the most, he’s learning to fly. If he’s safe where he is, leave him alone.

Baby Squirrels. Young squirrels stay in the nest until they are so quick on their feet that you would never be able to catch one! If a young squirrel has been knocked out of her nest during a windstorm, but is still warm and uninjured, put her in a box and set it at the base of her tree, then leave her alone. Watch and make sure Mom comes to get her baby and take her back up the tree.