With a host of off-leash parks, dog-friendly eateries, and excellent pet businesses, Chatsworth is full of great experiences and attractions for dog lovers! Unsurprisingly it’s also home to several inspirational animal rescue groups that collectively have saved the lives of thousands of dogs.
The Animal Rescue Alliance (TARA) is just one of these wonderful organizations. This non-profit group runs a no-kill shelter and sanctuary right here in Chatsworth, with a mission to find loving and permanent homes for abused and neglected companion and farm animals. This means that TARA’s sanctuary, Rancho Providencia, not only hosts rescued dogs and cats but also goats, horses, and even parrots.
LA Animal Rescue also lends a helping paw to unwanted animals throughout Chatsworth and the wider Los Angeles region. The focus at LA Animal Rescue is on the three Rs — Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Rehome — and the group helps dogs of all breeds, ages, and health. However, as the organization doesn’t have a rescue facility, every dog it saves is fostered at a volunteer home until it can be matched with a loving owner.
Pet Adoption Fund is yet another hard-working rescue group striving to improve the lives of dogs in the Chatsworth area. Based in nearby Canoga Park, this non-profit, no-kill shelter rescues all breeds of homeless dogs and cats. Staffed mainly by volunteers, Pet Adoption Fund has successfully re-homed thousands of pets since it was established in 1983, ensuring that unloved animals end up in the loving homes they deserve.
Woof, wag, and wander your way around a three-mile course to raise money for a good cause. This annual Wag ‘n Walk, held at Rancho Simi Community Park in nearby Simi Valley, gives dog owners and their four-legged friends a chance to take a stroll, see new sights, sniff new smells, and make new friends. The fun continues after the walk with live entertainment, raffles, vendors, and much more! You and your pooch can enjoy a whole day of doggy fun. Wag ‘n Walk is held in September and raises money for Animal Rescue Volunteers, a Simi Valley non-profit that has helped rehome more than 5000 animals since 1994.
Eat, drink, and be merry, and do it all with your fur-kid by your side! Healthy Spot in Topanga Canyon holds regular Yappy Hour events throughout the year, giving you and your pet the perfect opportunity to kick back, relax, and indulge. There are plenty of refreshments to keep dog owners entertained, while your pup can paw-ty down with some new furry friends. Demonstrations and a range of delicious snacks are also on hand to ensure that everyone has a paw-riffic time.
Food, glorious food! If you’ve got an appetite bigger than a Great Dane, Granada Hills Grubfest will have you licking your lips with anticipation. This foodie feast is held every Friday in Chatsworth Street, Granada Hills, and with between 25 and 35 food trucks regularly attending it’s the biggest ongoing food truck event in the world! Regardless of whether you want sushi, crepes, churros, burritos, burgers or anything in between, chances are you’ll find what you’re craving here. And the best part? Leashed, well-behaved dogs are more than welcome, so you and your pet can explore all those delicious smells, sights, sounds, and tastes together.
Looking for the purr-fect pet lover’s day out? The Bow-wows & Meows Pet Fair, held in October at Hart Park, Santa Clarita, could be just what the veterinarian ordered. This free community pet fair is run by Valencia-based non-profit Bow-Wows & Meows, Inc. and offers a day of free, furry fun for the whole family. Festivities include the Famous Fun Dog Show, which sees prizes awarded for everything from best vocalist to pet/owner lookalike, as well as food trucks, a huge raffle, and pets up for adoption. All breeds of dog are welcome, so take your pooch along for a day of paw-some fun.