Southern California animal lovers’ calendar: Weekend of July 24-25 and beyond

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If you want to adopt a pet, volunteer at the L.A. Zoo or meet fellow animal lovers while enjoying a nice cocktail (or two), there’s an event for you coming up in Southern California. Here are the events that hit our radar; if you think we’re missing one or want to alert us to an upcoming event, let us know by leaving a comment or sending us a tweet @LATUnleashed.

Now through Sunday, July 25, the L.A. Department of Animal Services offers potential adopters the chance to bring home a new dog or cat for a discounted fee during its Summer Discount Adoption Days. Throughout the event, dogs and puppies will be available for a discounted rate of $78.50 and cats and kittens for a discounted rate of $50.50 at each of the department’s six shelter facilities (West L.A., South L.A., Harbor, North Central, East Valley and West Valley) and at mobile adoption events.

Saturday, July 24-Sunday, Aug. 1, the Capistrano Animal Rescue Effort (CARE) offers discounted adoption fees for homeless cats at the San Juan Capistrano PetSmart in honor of its 10th anniversary. During the event, cats will be available for a $100 adoption fee (down from $135). See photos of adoptable cats at the organization’s website.

Saturday, July 24, the L.A. Department of Animal Services holds mobile pet-adoption events at Forneris Farms, 15200 Rinaldi St. in Mission Hills, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; at the G2 Gallery, 1503 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice, from noon to 3 p.m.; and at the Canoga Park Petco location, 6615 Fallbrook Mall Ave., from noon to 4 p.m. See photos of adoptable pets at LAAnimalServices.com.

Saturday, July 24, the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn. (GLAZA) holds an informational meeting for potential volunteer docents from 10 a.m. to noon at the zoo’s Witherbee Auditorium. Docents serve as volunteer teachers at the zoo and must complete a training program offered by the zoo each fall in conjunction with UCLA Extension. Docents must be 18 or older and able to commit to 100 hours of volunteer work per year for a minimum of two years. Applications for the program will be accepted through Aug. 14.

Sunday, July 25, the L.A. Department of Animal Services holds a mobile pet-adoption event at the Torrance PetSmart location, 3855-59 Sepulveda Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Upcoming:

Tuesday, July 27, the Downtown Center Business Improvement District invites downtown L.A. residents and their well-behaved, leashed dogs to its annual Downtown Dog Day Afternoon at the Cathedral from 6 to 9 p.m. The event, held in an open-house format at the outdoor plaza of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W. Temple St., is intended to highlight the increasingly dog-friendly nature of the downtown area. Adoptable pets, animal-themed vendors and a pet portrait artist will also be on hand. Event is free; parking and refreshments from Levy Restaurants are available for a small charge. For more information or to RSVP, visit DowntownLA.com.

Wednesday, July 28, I Love Dogs Inc. hosts the second of its summery ‘Mojitos and Mutts’ happy-hour gatherings at Long Beach’s pet-friendly Hotel Maya from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring their well-behaved, leashed dogs to this event, which benefits the Gulf Coast Companion Animal Relief Program, part of the Louisiana SPCA’s effort to help pet owners affected by the gulf oil spill to keep their pets. All proceeds benefit Gulf Coast pet owners, primarily those who work in the fishing industry, by helping them to provide food and veterinary care for their animals despite the spill’s effect on their livelihoods. Guests are encouraged to bring a new dog toy for a needy shelter animal. More information about Mojitos and Mutts at ILoveDogsInc.

Wednesday, July 28, the city of San Juan Capistrano offers a low-cost vaccination and microchip clinic at City Hall, 32400 Paseo Adelanto, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Rabies vaccines for dogs and cats are $6; DHPP vaccines for dogs are $15; FVRCP vaccines for cats are $15; FeLV vaccines for cats are $17; and bordatella vaccines for dogs are $12. Microchipping is $28. Purevax rabies vaccines for cats are also available for $20. Payments must be made in cash.

Saturday, July 31, more than 60 fine artists will present their work at an art show and silent auction at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium, 3485 Mission Inn Ave. in Riverside, with proceeds benefiting the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. The event also features a special appearance by Sea Shepherd leader Paul Watson and guest DJ sets by The Crystal Method and DJ Diabetic (a/k/a artist Shepard Fairey). Cost is $20, payable at the door. VIP admission is also available for $110 per person. More information at SeaShepherdArtShow.com.

Friday, Aug. 6, the L.A. Zoo hosts its final ‘Music in the Zoo’ summer event of the season from 6 to 9 p.m. Up-and-coming local artists are featured, including the Happy Hollows, Walking Sleep, the Lonely Wild and more. Tickets are $12.50 for adult zoo members; $7.50 for child members ages 6 to 15; $16.50 for adult non-members; and $10.50 for child non-members ages 6 to 15. Children 5 and under enter free. Guests are encouraged to RSVP in advance. For more information or to RSVP, visit LAZoo.org.

Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 7-8, the Mountains Restoration Trust offers rattlesnake avoidance training clinics for dogs, presented by trainer Tracy Jenson-Presson of High On Kennels. The clinics aim to teach dogs, whose keen sense of smell can distinguish between rattlesnakes and other types of snake, to avoid rattlesnakes when they encounter them. Training sessions are available in the morning and afternoon on both days and will be conducted at the Mountains Restoration Trust’s 23075 Mulholland Highway facility in Calabasas. Dog owners are assured that the clinics will be ‘conducted in a safe, humane, controlled environment ensuring the safety of your dog, as well as the safety of the rattlesnakes.’ Cost is $70 and registration must be made in advance. For more information or to register, visit MountainsTrust.org.

Saturday, Aug. 7, spcaLA offers a low-cost vaccination and microchip clinic for dogs and cats at its South Bay Pet Adoption Center, 12910 Yukon Ave. in Hawthorne, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The clinic will offer rabies vaccinations for cats and dogs ($5); DHPP vaccinations for dogs ($15); bordetella vaccinations for dogs ($10); FVRCP and FeLV vaccinations for cats ($15 each); and microchipping for cats and dogs ($25). More information at spcaLA.com.

Saturday, Aug. 21, spcaLA invites animal-loving baseball fans to its ‘Bark in the Park at Dodger Stadium’ event beginning at 5:10 p.m. Human guests and their dogs will sit in a special section of the stadium and have the chance to participate in contests and a ‘pup rally,’ watch Tillman the skateboarding bulldog in action and cheer on their team in a Dodgers-Cincinnati Reds matchup. Tickets are $25; a signed release waiver and current vaccination record for canine attendees are required. For more information, to download a printable release form or to purchase tickets, visit spcaLA.com.

Sunday, Aug. 22, the Orange County Animal Rescue Coalition hosts a wine-tasting event at Hi-Time Wine Cellars, 250 Ogle St. in Costa Mesa, from 1 to 6 p.m. The event benefits OC-ARC’s Purrs Fund, which pays for veterinary care for severely injured cats rescued by the organization, and includes a silent auction and raffle. Cost is $25 and can be paid online in advance of the event or at the door.

Wednesday, Sept. 8, Much Love Animal Rescue hosts a bingo night at West Hollywood landmark Hamburger Mary’s, 8288 Santa Monica Blvd., beginning at 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit the group’s work on behalf of needy animals in Southern California.

Saturday, Sept. 18, Last Chance for Animals invites Southern California pet lovers to its Puppy Mill Awareness Festival at Hancock Park, 5801 Wilshire Blvd. (near the La Brea Tar Pits), from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature educational speakers, animal advocacy and animal welfare information booths, adoptable pets from area rescue organizations and shelters, live entertainment, pet-themed vendors and activities for children.

Ongoing:

Through Sept. 30, the Found Animals Foundation offers a special discount on cat adoption fees at the L.A. City and County animal shelters and the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority shelter in Downey through its Summer Buddies program. Adopt two cats or kittens and Found Animals will pay the second adoption fee (that’s a two-for-one deal, kids -- and it comes at just the right time, because it’s kitten season and area shelters are filled to the brim with adoptable kitties). More information and a list of participating shelters at FoundAnimals.org.

The L.A. Department of Animal Services offers low-cost vaccination, microchipping and licensing clinics every first Thursday at its Harbor animal shelter; every second Thursday at its North Central animal shelter; every third Thursday at its South L.A. animal shelter; and every fourth Thursday at its East Valley animal shelter. All clinics begin at 4:30 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. More information and pricing in PDF format at the department’s website.

Every Saturday from noon to 6 p.m., local group Kinder 4 Rescue hosts a mobile dog adoption event at Book Star, 12136 Ventura Blvd. (just west of Laurel Canyon) in Studio City. See photos of adoptable pets at the group’s Petfinder page.

Every Wednesday in July, area animal sanctuary the Gentle Barn offers a class on deep-tissue massage for animals, which can help provide comfort and pain relief. Cost is $300. More information at the Gentle Barn’s Facebook fan page.

Every first Wednesday through October, Santa Monica’s Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar, 104 Santa Monica Blvd., hosts ‘Wine Woof Wednesday’ from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. During the event, guests can bring their dogs along to Pourtal and receive free dog-walking service with any purchase over $25. More information at Pourtal.com.

Every fourth Saturday, spcaLA hosts ‘PAWS to Read’ at the Redondo Beach Public Library, 303 N. Pacific Coast Highway, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Through the PAWS to Read program, children practice their reading skills by reading aloud to a decidedly nonjudgmental audience: certified therapy dogs. Participation is free; sign-up begins at 9 a.m. at the Children’s Information Desk. More information at spcaLA.com.

-- Lindsay Barnett

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Top photo: Puppies await adoption at the South L.A. animal shelter, one of the six L.A. City shelters that are offering discounted adoption fees for homeless animals through Sunday. Credit: Friends of Paz, a local photographer who posts great photos of adoptable pets at the South L.A. shelter through Twitter and Facebook.