The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

A running start to solving AV’s pet crisis

by •

Jeanette Portocarrero leads the "Run with Pets" 5K with Frankie. The pit bull was found with a gaping gash across his forehead, which required his ears to be pulled back in a mass of staples, earning him the name Frankenstein, or Frankie for short.
Jeanette Portocarrero leads the “Run with Pets” 5K with Frankie. When found, the pit bull had a gaping gash across his forehead, which required his ears to be pulled back in a mass of staples, earning him the name Frankenstein, or Frankie for short. Frankie is one of many success stories made possible through Lost & Found Dogs in the Antelope Valley.

LANCASTER – Skye was wandering the desert on a rainy day when she was spotted by concerned residents, who teamed up to safely corral the soaking wet, frightened poodle.

Skye and Dalida Ohanian.
Skye and Dalida Ohanian.

Today, Skye is healthy and happy and has found a loving home with Palmdale resident Dalida Ohanian.

“At home she’s relaxed, she doesn’t bark and she’s really sweet,” Ohanian said.

Skye and many others like her have been saved thanks to the Lost & Found Dogs in the Antelope Valley (LAFDAV), an online information center supported by Antelope Valley residents who are advocates for animals.

“Our motto is reuniting pets with their families and helping the ones left behind,” said Jeanette Portocarrero, who started LAFDAV in 2011 to have a central online station for locally lost pets.

Tinker was abandoned as a puppy and roamed the streets of east Palmdale until she was saved by the LAFDAV crew. Tinker is shown with owner Khalilah Shahiv.
Tinker was abandoned as a puppy and roamed the streets of east Palmdale until she was saved by the LAFDAV crew. Tinker is shown with owner Khalilah Shahiv.

“I started a Facebook page in hopes of trying to reunite these pets with their families, and in doing so, I discovered a much deeper need,” Portocarrero said. “There are so many stray dogs, abused dogs, abandoned and neglected dogs in this Valley, so now I’m deep in the trenches.”

LAFDAV’s mission continues to expand, and the network now provides support, education and funding for the local pet community, as well as a resolution towards pet negligence and abandonment, Portocarrero said.

On Sunday (Oct. 6), the group hosted its inaugural “Run with Pets” event, a 5K “run/walk/crawl” aimed at raising awareness of the pet crisis in the Antelope Valley.

Sunday’s 5K brought together about two dozen participants and pooches of all breeds.

The 5K started and ended at Sol Plaza, at 1140 Commerce Drive in Lancaster. Participants paid $15 to take part and received a LAFDAV “No Kill” T-shirt.

Diana and her 4-year-old son Gabriel joined Coco for the 5K "Run with Pets."
Diana and her 4-year-old son Gabriel joined Coco for the 5K “Run with Pets.”

Funds raised from the event will be used to help continue LAFDAV’s mission, which includes getting more residents involved and eventually opening a weekend adoption center in Sol Plaza, Portocarrero said.

“I think there’s a lot of people that see the need and don’t really know how to help or where to begin, so the network gives them a start,” Portocarrero said. “We need to bring awareness to this community that every individual who owns a pet needs to take proper care of it, because at the end of the day, it’s people like us left to pick up litters of unwanted pets.”

For more information about LAFDAV or to make a tax deductible donation to support the cause, visit http://lafdav.com. If you are in the midst of trying to locate a lost pet or have found a pet and are looking to locate its owner, you can post pictures at LAFDAV’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lostdogsintheantelopevalley.

You can also join the LAFDAV network’s Facebook group, by visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/lafdav/.

Filed Under: Lancaster

7 comments for "A running start to solving AV’s pet crisis"

  1. Thats absolutely awesome. Animals bring such happiness to peoples lives and its nice when the community comes to bat for them as-well, to adopt a pet or find them back to their owners is so great. I completely support anything and everything with animals.No tolerance with abuse on animals. Its unnessary and unforgiveable.

    I was wondering if anyone could give me or know where theres any kind of shelters for cats/kittens. I know cats are out of control being born then their wild …but cats matter just as dogs do, as any animal in my book. Where I live theres so many to count but I would like to find the ones that are not wild but have been abandoned a place of safety. I feed so many cats right now, its unreal however I’m broke and can barely feed myself and I would like to know of a place where their is an option for cats. If you have any info for me I would greatly appreciate it….thanks

  2. To bad the AVTIMES staff didn’t do more to inform their readers about this event…
    I’m sure there would have been a larger turn out….
    Posting the event after it happened???…well at least we have a site where we can go to so we can donate, and hopefully next time the staff can inform their readers in a timely manner for all up coming events.
    Just saying!!

    • Thank you for your comment” No fault of AV Times,the event was approved very late in the game. We will have an amazing turn out next year :)
      Hope to see you then”

  3. Cool stuff. We took in a dog about a year ago, poor girl had been abandoned. Year later and she is already a loving member of the family. At least once in a life, you should extend a paw to a dog in need.

    • I agree, we all need to help those in need of a helping “paw”. After being dumped in the desert ~6 years ago and about to be put down at the shelter when he was rescued by a “no kill” rescue center, and put up for adoption. Its been over 5 years and my “rescue beagle”, best dog ever. One of the most rewarding feelings you will have is adopting a pet, not just for you, but you’ve saved a life…Can’t get any better than that!!!!