It was the perfect formula: A worthy project for Bakersfield's givers to demonstrate their generosity while showing off the family pet in the pages of the newspaper. Tails of Bakersfield, The Californian's effort to save the lives of unwanted pets, has exceeded its goal of $10,000 for local shelters. In fact, thanks to one anonymous donor's gift of $3,000, the project's haul as of Friday was $13,495.

Though we're no longer accepting pet photos, over the next couple of weeks we will continue to run pictures received as of Friday. And if you missed out this year, Tails will return in 2009.

Here's a breakdown, as of today, of the amount raised per shelter. (Donors chose which shelter their donations would go to.)

The Cat People: $1,591.25
Kern County Animal Shelter: $1,221.25
Bakersfield SPCA: $3,966.25
Alpha Canine $4,261.25 (plus $3,000 matching donation = $7,261.25)

As of today, our Tails of Bakersfield project has raised $8,915 for local animal shelters and rescue groups. We are aiming for $10,000 and we know we'll get there!

Here's a break down:

The Cat People $1,358.75
Kern County Animal Control $1,048.75
ALPHA Canine $3,363.75 (received a single donation in the mail for $1,000.00 today)
Bakersfield SPCA $3,143.75

Click here for how to donate, and get your pets' photos printed in The Bakersfield Californian.

Keep your donations coming!!!!!

Tails of Bakersfield, The Bakersfield Californian's fundraising drive to help local animal shelters, is half-way through the summer program and already is going strong.

So far, readers have donated $4,445 for the Kern County Animal Shelter, ALPHA Canine, The Cat People and Bakersfield SPCA. And just today, we've learned that an anonymous donor will match up to $3,000 in donations for ALPHA Canine.

Click here to find out how to donate and get a photo of your pet printed in The Bakersfield Californian.

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This week's Pets of the Week are sooooo hard for me to pass up! But I already have a dog and a cat. So I'm making endorsements on the potentials of the following animals:

Sibling kittens — This is the BEST way to adopt a new cat. I once found a brother-sister set of kittens on my driveway and took them in. What entertainment! They played together every waking moment, chasing each other around the house, tumbling off the couch, having the time of their lives. Who needed TV when I had them? Then, when they slept, they curled up with each other in the sweetest ways. I can't tell you how many photos I took of my kittens sleeping. They were inseparable!

The Cat People and the Kern County Animal Shelter are both featuring sibling kittens this week. Check them out!

Lab mixes — My chocolate Lab-pit mix is the most loving, docile, obedient, smart dog I've ever had. I've known other Lab mixes that were equally intelligent, eager to please, loyal and sweet. This week, Bakersfield SPCA and the Kern County Animal Shelter are featuring yellow Lab mix puppies. I highly recommend meeting these puppies and seeing if they are a match for you.

— Jennifer Baldwin

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The Cat People, a rescue and adoption agency in Bakersfield, is the latest such group to join The Bakersfield Californian's "Pets of the Week" feature. Poster markthecat has been submitting several oh-so-cute photos and personality write-ups about such kitties as Delilah, a 4-year-old, spayed, female black and white cat. She looks so friendly and beautiful!

Here's how to adopt a cat from The Cat People:

Cats are adopted by application and an interview for a $50.00 fee from The Cat People at the Rosedale Petco most Saturdays from 10am until 4pm. If this particular cat has been lucky enough to have already been adopted there are many more cats just waiting to go home. For more information, please call 327-4706 or go to www.thecatpeople.org.

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New Pets of the Week have been posted at Bakersfield.com/yourwords. There is Star the chihuahua mix, Sasha the black and white kitten, Lily the tabby cat, and so many more.

And during summer, the Bakersfield SPCA is offering half-off all cats and kittens on Thursdays! What a deal!

View the link above for details on how to adopt all of these wonderful, waiting dogs and cats.

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In March and April of this year, over 2,700 cats and dogs were euthanized in Kern County. There are many pet shelters in Bakersfield that are no kill, and in our TBC Gives video produced by Louis Medina, we spotlight one of them- the Bakersfield SPCA.

Click here to watch the video.

--Mary Russo

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One way to help reduce the stray animal population in Kern County is to adopt a shelter pet rather than buy a purebreed. Local shelters and rescue groups allow you to visit the pet and also give you personality traits to help you decide if you and the pet are a good match.

Every Monday in The Bakersfield Californian we highlight the Pets of the Week available locally. But there are countless others waiting to be adopted as well!

To view the Pets of the Week online, view this link on our Your Words section.

Also, here is info on the local shelters and rescue groups:

ALPHA Canine, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For directions: alphacanine.org. Call 391-8212 for an appointment.

Kern County Animal Shelter, 201 S. Mount Vernon Ave., 868-7144, www.co.kern.ca.us/acd. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday through Saturday; 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Bakersfield SPCA, 3000 Gibson St., 323-8353, www.bakersfieldspca.org. Open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; noon to 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

The Cat People: contact Barb Hayes, 599-2719.
 

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Our Eye Street team announced online the best part of our new Tails of Bakersfield project!

You can show off your pet in the pages of The Californian and on Bakersfield.com! You can bet you will be seeing some pictures from me!

-- Mary Russo

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I have 3 very spoiled cats and I'm constantly covered with cat hair. It's annoying but I love my pets too much to let it stop me. So a few weeks ago when our TBC Gives team met to talk about starting a new project, I secretly was hoping we'd do something for pets. 

Since our team is brimming with pet lovers like me (less hair covered though), it was easy for to decide upon our next project of helping local pets in need of a permanent home.

Next week, "Tails of Bakersfield" will be kicking-off. It's our drive for local organizations such as the SPCA, Kern Animal Control, Alpha Canine Sanctuary, and The Cat People. We will be raising funds and accepting donations for their shelters.

Soon, we will be sharing all of the details with you on how you can help, plus letting you know how you can showcase the adorable pets you've welcomed into your home as well.

I just wish as part of this project we could invent a better lint roller so I'm no longer a walking hairball.

-- Mary Russo