POOCH PREMIERE; EVENT GIVES UNWANTED PETS A STAR BILLING.Byline: Steve Carney Staff Writer Chewie, the shaggy blond briard Briard (brēärd`), breed of muscular, wiry working dog whose origins may be traced back to 12th-century France. It stands from 22 to 27 in. (55.9–68.6 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 70 and 80 lb (31.8–36.3 kg). from ``Dharma dharma (där`mə). In Hinduism, dharma is the doctrine of the religious and moral rights and duties of each individual; it generally refers to religious duty, but may also mean social order, right conduct, or simply virtue. and Greg,'' went from pound puppy to TV star, and on Saturday he hoped to set an example for humans that shelter animals can make great pets, and more. Chewie, who plays Stinky on television, was one of several animal and human celebrities on hand for the Festival of the Animals at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, held to raise money for the Archer Foundation. The Downey-based nonprofit group promotes spaying spaying: see castration. and neutering neu·ter adj. 1. Grammar a. Neither masculine nor feminine in gender. b. Neither active nor passive; intransitive. Used of verbs. 2. a. , and helps find homes for unwanted animals through its adopt-a-pet programs. ``Our goal is to stop the killing of animals due to overpopulation overpopulation Situation in which the number of individuals of a given species exceeds the number that its environment can sustain. Possible consequences are environmental deterioration, impaired quality of life, and a population crash (sudden reduction in numbers caused by ,'' said foundation President Rochelle Lord, who said 6 million animals healthy enough to be adopted are euthanized nationwide every year. ``People just need to be educated,'' said Kathryn Segura, trainer for PHD Animals and animal coordinator for the movie ``There's Something About Mary.'' ``Their pets need to be spayed and neutered neu·ter adj. 1. Grammar a. Neither masculine nor feminine in gender. b. Neither active nor passive; intransitive. Used of verbs. 2. a. and watched very carefully. That's the biggest problem, and that's why the pounds are so full.'' The festival's silent auction featured a ``Something About Mary'' poster signed by actress Cameron Diaz and a walk-on part in an episode of ABC's ``Dharma and Greg,'' which sold for about $600 apiece, Lord said. Autographed TV scripts, baskets of gourmet dog food and organic treats, and a hammock for a cat also raised money for the cause. The festival, which saw visits by actors Steven Seagal, JoAnne Worley and Earl Holliman, among others, also included vendors selling portable water bowls, multicolored visors, fake shearling shear·ling n. 1. A year-old sheep that has been sheared once. 2. The skin of a shearling or of a newly sheared sheep or lamb, tanned and with the wool on. jackets, shampoos and sprays, and tote bags to carry small pets. In addition, several organizations had pets available for adoption, including an agency that rescues animals on the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission campus, and others that specialize in Labrador retrievers and greyhounds. ``I wish they could do a lot more. More of these things would help out,'' said Tony Castaneda, a musician from Pasadena who went to the festival with his 4-year-old golden retriever, Otis. ``He just said hi to every dog here. It's good - he sees the obedient dogs and copies them.'' Cheryl Baxter, a choreographer from Sun Valley, said she hoped more people got the message to fix their pets, and to adopt animals from shelters. ``I just go in there, and I see how many animals are locked up. It's sad,'' she said. ``I'd take them all, if I could.'' The Festival of the Animals will resume today at the Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Drive, Burbank. Dogs will be available for adoption from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1) Boomer, a once-abandoned dog adopted by Monika Sorce of Laguna Beach, performs her Elton John impression in Burbank. (2) Extra, a Jack Russell terrier Jack Russell terrier, breed of dog developed in the 19th cent. by an English clergyman, the Reverend John (Parson Jack) Russell, 1795–1883, for hunting. , jumps through a hoop during an agility course at the Festival of Animals on Saturday. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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