Helping domestic critters everywhere

Lanisha Butler quickly cleaned out a cage, laid some newspaper and piled in a few puppies. For Butler, there is more than enough to go around; she and her fellow volunteers want to give as many dogs a chance to find a home as they can.

“We bring as many [dogs] as we have crates for,” Butler said.

Butler volunteers at Zara’s List Animal Rescue, one of the many organizations that were at America’s Family Pet Expo Sunday at the Orange County Fairgrounds. The event, which drew thousands of visitors, featured pet supplies, exotic animals, animal advocacy groups and pet adoption areas.

Butler’s group was one of the more busy organizations, having more than 20 dogs adopted at an average of $350 each. The money, more or less, covers the animals’ medical bills, Butler said. Each animal receives all needed vaccines, is spayed or neutered, and is groomed.

Butler, a Riverside resident and accountant, said the organization tries to take care of as many dogs as it can, often taking on full litters and trying to find them homes. Many of those puppies do find homes, Butler said, but they have to work hard to find older dogs a suitor.

“Sometimes it’s, ‘Eww, who would ever want that thing?’” Butler said. “But then the organization gets them groomed and [gives them] medical care.”

Visitors could speak to rescue or advocate organizations for cats, dogs, rabbits and even mice.

One such animal advocacy group was Ferrets Anonymous, which was trying to educate the public on the animal that is illegal to own in California and Hawaii, but is legal in all other states.

“Since the 1930s, the ferret has been misclassified as a wild animal,” Lance M. of Ferrets Anonymous said. “It’s a little pig headed of [California] to say its wrong.”

Lance said he could not divulge his last name because of the anonymous nature of his organization and because it deals with an animal illegal in the state, but he is the president of three ferret organizations in California, including Ferrets Anonymous.

Lance had a table at the expo, hoping to increase awareness and clear misconceptions concerning ferrets. He acknowledged the animal is difficult to take care of and is easily susceptible to illness, but said the benefits of the animal outweigh those concerns and he argued that previous opinions that the animal was bad for the environment were false.

“If a dog and cat mixed, never grew up and always stayed playful, that would be a ferret,” Lance said. “They are some of the most animated creatures you’ll ever see.”

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at [email protected].