Big Sunday Brings Canine Joy to Sepulveda Basin Dog Park

Humans and dogs alike shared in the happy spirit of Big Sunday at the Saturday. Dogs were spayed, adopted, and even entertained.

Jill Croce, a dog owner and lover who has brought her own beloved pet to this Dog Park for many years, organized the event.

"I'm someone who believes that if you are lucky enough to live in a community like this, you should give back," said Croce. "And this park has meant a lot to me, so I organized this as part of Big Sunday to raise money for the beautification of the park, and to plant trees."

Jill organized a team of volunteers that included high and middle school students, girl scouts and senior citizens to work all day on behalf of the park. In addition to planting trees and doing serious clean-up, they were making chew toys for dogs in shelters and decorating flower pots for seniors.

A mobile truck on site was offering spayings, which were free for families earning under $40,000. Adoptions costs $65, which included spaying and neutering, vaccinations and micro-chip insertion.

Several animal care and rights group had booths at the event, including Angel City Pit Bulls, who work for the adoption of pit bulls, as well as help people in the community with pit bulls. When Olivier Moratin of Mar Vista found a pit bull, who he named Rosie, roaming around Sunset and Fairfax in Hollywood, he brought her home. But unable to keep her where he lives, he contacted Angel City Pit Bulls, who invited him to bring Rosie here today for hopeful adoption.

"She is such a sweet dog," said Olivier. "People think pit bulls are dangerous, but that is a myth. They are very sweet, very loving dogs. I wish I could keep her, but where I live I am not allowed to. So I brought her here so I could find her a good home."

He added that Rosie has been living the good life since being brought to Olivier's home. "She is very found of prosciutto," he said, "so I've made sure she gets a lot."

Fortunately, Jessica Vellve of Chatsworth came to the  park today with the hope of maybe finding a dog to adopt. When she met Rosie, she fell in love.

"I didn't come looking for a pit bull," she said, "and I didn't know if pit bulls are dangerous, like people say. But as soon as I met her, she was so sweet. So I want to adopt her!"

Katie Larkin of Angel City Put Bulls explained they have a process by which potential adopters are interviewed, after which they arrange a trial period at the new owner's home to find a match.

"Pit bulls have been given a bad reputation by the press," Larkin explained, "and so there exists a media bias against them. The only stories reported in the press are the rare ones when there is a problem with a pit bull. But there's no reporting about the thousands of pit bulls who are good, beloved pets.

"Pit bulls are great dogs. They love people, they really do. And they are very resilient. A dog like Rosie here, for example, was abandoned. And yet she is so loving, and so ready to be adopted."

Shirley Levine, 46, of Sherman Oaks, was there with Bogey, her 4-year old miniature schnauzer. "Bogey loves it here. Next to Taco Bell, it's his favorite place to come. They have a section here fenced off just for small dogs, which is really great for us, because at other parks these enormous dogs come charging, and it's scary for the little ones!

"Here he hangs out with all his little friends. It's very social for them, and for us as well, 'cause some of us have come here for years."

Asked if she would enter Bogey in the upcoming fetch competition, she said, "No. That's not his style. He doesn't like to compete. He prefers to hang out with his friends. Which is not to say he doesn't enjoy a good game of fetch - especially with his favorite yellow tennis ball. But it's a private thing."