On a recent bright and clear California Sunday, we joined a crowd of canine fans, foster dog parents, dog rescue groups, vendors, spectators and Hollywood celebrities for the 7th annual Nutts for Mutts event sponsored by New Leash. on Life.

As a visiting press, we made an effort to immerse ourselves in as many aspects of the day’s activities as possible. The goal of the event is to provide a gathering, gathering place for dog lovers in the greater Los Angeles area, while raising funds to support rescue, care and adoption outreach efforts.

New Leash on Life, like thousands of dog adoption and pet rescue groups, has a singular and primary goal, to rescue and rehabilitate homeless dogs, and then to find a forever home for its grateful wards.

The first impression one is struck with when first walking through the doors of the event is the incredible sense of positive energy and kindness that permeates the venue. Visitors, contest participants, vendors, volunteers, and the dogs themselves seemingly instantly bond with everyone in sight, creating an instant sense of community.

And the show is not to be missed! Over 400 dogs competed in over 30 categories like Fast Eater, Best Kisser, Most Obedient, Fastest Mutt, Mystery Mutt, and more.

Each contest, mimicking the elegant events of the AKC show, provided an opportunity for dogs of all sizes and stripes to show their stuff in the spotlight with their guardian handlers. And Hollywood celebrities like Shirley Jones, by taking on the difficult task of judging the adorable stray dogs, added a definite Los Angeles quality to the event.

Well the day was fun and we will be back for the next event, but what is it really about? If your pup wins a contest or you happily chat about the wonderful qualities of your dogs with other viewers, will this make any difference to the thousands of dogs who are homeless or killed in dog shelters every day as a matter of course?

We’re here to tell you that it does it … big time. Raising awareness, raising funds, adopting dogs, meeting with volunteers, recruiting new hands to help, and engaging the larger media than we will ever be to tell the story on the evening news and wide-spread publications, all effectively point to one direction.

As we see it, it is supporting a local and national no-kill policy when it comes to homeless dogs, promoting spay and neuter to help achieve that goal and placing homeless dogs in loving homes that are our companions. natural and not disposable garbage. .

New Leash on Life is also involved in other worthwhile activities, such as the Lend a Paw program, which rescues dogs from dog shelters and trains them as therapy dogs for those in need.
They are also developing a training program for all rescued dogs.

So if you are ever in the Los Angeles area when a Nutts for Mutts event is scheduled, we wholeheartedly encourage you to attend. http://www.nlol.org/

If not, you can still start your own event by working with dog rescue and adoption groups in your hometown, and make a difference in your quest to find an adoptive home for every dog. Through events like this, promoting education, awareness, and neutering, we will one day stop the inhumane policies of euthanizing homeless dogs as a matter of policy in most cities across the nation and around the world.

Dogs 4 Life is Nutts for Mutts … don’t miss the next event!