Spelman, former director of the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C, will discuss the new book she co-edited and contributed to: The Rhino With Glue-On Shoes. Chapters document the challenges of being doctors for wild and exotic animals, the creative solutions somestimes needed to help them — and the bonds that develop in the process. The chapters I’ve read are really quite moving.

For more on the book and the animals it features, check out Spelman’s Web site at www.drlucyspelman.com.

30 humans and 20 Chihuahuas see new movie at San Jose drive-in

Fiesta, Mingo and Napoleon. Owner: Kate Singleton

Emily Verna, president, urges everyone to “collect pledges now and walk at our event to support rescue dogs and cats. Enjoy a 3K peaceful walk around beautiful Lake Elizabeth.” Walk with or without a dog. And after the walk, “celebrate saving lives for a decade” with contests and a vegetarian picnic lunch.

Contests will include Rescue Dog Parade, Most Heartfelt Rescue, Greatest American Dog-Best Trick, Dog Costume (best and cutest), Waggiest Tail and more.  The event starts at 9 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.

Furry Friends has helped rescue and save about 1,000 dogs and cats every year since 1998.

Furry Friends Rescue also has a big Halloween event coming up so make sure you check their Web site at www.furryfriendsrescue.org.

Portia de Rossi, left, Ellen DeGeneres, and Frances Hayward, right, were among those who helped raise $1 million for Proposition 2 in Bel Air. Photo by PMC.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi really know how to host a fundraiser. The newlyweds helped raise $1 million for the “YES! on Proposition 2″ campaign at a recent event in Bel Air.

Among the 400 people lending support with their presence and their checkbooks were Frances Hayward, founder of BeKind, a not-for-profit organization that helps animals in need, Cornelia Guest, Anne Hearst and husband Jay McInerney, director Ken Howard, Tobey Maguire, Kelly Lynch, Arianna Huffington, James Cromwell, Amber Tamblyn, Amy Smart, Heather Graham, Matt Grant, Catherine Oxenberg and Casper Van Dien. Not a bad crew, and I can’t think of two funnier hosts than DeGeneres and de Rossi.

The crowd dined on a vegan meal, of course, and enjoyed music by Moby and Carol King. As much as we all know it’s important to be “seen” in Hollywood, I know that stars don’t have to go to these things.

Proposition 2 on the November ballot would require that farm animals be housed in cages that allow them enough room to stand up, turn around and stretch their limbs.

 ”I am just appalled that we are kept ignorant and are not shown how food gets to our table,” DeGeneres said in a statement. “If most people were actually aware of the process, they would stand up and do something about it and this is what we’re trying to do right now.”

Go Ellen.

This time, he seems to be trying to learn how to bark but comes off sounding more like the Aflac duck. He truly is the sentry cat at my house though. If there is a strange sound, he whips those ears up, switches them around like a submarine  periscope and then makes eye contact with me to let me know he’s on the case.

He seems to know there’s been a void in home security at our house ever since Sweet Lucy, my bearded collie mix, died. Bouncer follows me where ever I go in the house, lies down in the doorway of the bathroom when I’m in there and anchors the right foot of my bed so he can see me and the door. If I didn’t laugh so hard when he sounds like the Aflac duck, he’d know what a great job I think he’s doing. And, no, I’m not abusing him. I know cats don’t always have a terrific sense of humor — there are those rare feisty ones — about themselves but they need to be tough enough to handle a laugh ever now and then.

Maybe I should buy  Bouncer a CD of barking dogs so he can practice. Potential burglars might be more alarmed if they heard a cat barking like a dog rather than quacking like a duck. Luckily, we haven’t had the chance to find out if he can give a knockout punch to an intruder.

The lecture begins at 7 p.m. in the conference room at Santa Cruz Veterinary Hospital, 2585 Soquel Drive.  Phone for the vet hospital is (831) 475-5400. It’s a rare opportunity to pick a vet’s brain for free and comes courtesy of Dr. Gratzek, Kitty Hill Resort for Cats and Project Purr, a nonprofit volunteer cat rescue organization.

Think of it as an extra chance to trot out your Halloween costume — yours, your dog’s your family’s –. What better way to spend an October day.

Sponsored by the Sunnyvale Downtown Association, the event will feature an “American Pet Idol” talent contest, pet themed arts and crafts vendors, foot powered floats and a kissing booth. Other contests include Best Pet Costume, Best Human Costume, Best Combo Costume, Best Float (again, must be a foot powered float) and a dog treat stacking contest.

The parade will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in downtown Sunnyvale. The pet faire will run from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is no registration fee but all dogs must be registered in advance. For more information, go to www.downtownsunnyvale.com/petparade. Vendors and down owners can find applications at the web site.

Send me photos of your dog in costume if you go.

Society Dog event at Roaring Camp in Felton.

Photos by Stewart Gibson

The next time you’re tempted, try to think of the thousands of dogs and puppies that rarely get to put their feet on the ground, who are conceived and born in cages, who often arrive at the pet stores sick — or mysteriously get sick after you buy them and take them home.

Over the weekend, the Humane Society of the United States rescued 1,000 breeding dogs and puppies from a puppy mill in West Virginia. Last November, HSUS rescued another 1,000 from a mill in Virginia. This time, on Saturday, the dogs were rescued from Whispering Oaks Kennel. To watch a video of the puppies and their rescue, go to www.hsus.org.  And please try to resist helping to keep the mills in business.