Across the street from a small creek that runs below the Westchester Bluffs in Playa Vista, Wallis Annenberg PetSpace is forging connections between humans and animals. The state-of-the-art facility is one part animal shelter and one part community center that aims to help people and pets live their best lives together.
“The human-animal bond is such a foundation of the work that we do, and we really recognize that,” says Gabrielle Amster, PetSpace’s director, when we meet at the center for this interview.
Founded by philanthropist Wallis Annenberg in 2017, PetSpace partners with local shelters that need assistance in caring for animals, primarily dogs and cats, while finding them forever homes.
But, that’s not all that happens here.
They host pet-friendly events, like the Stand Up for Pets comedy shows, where dogs are a part of the audience. There are camps during school breaks for animal-loving youth, special projects with partners like the Chargers. Then there’s the Leadership Institute, which convenes every two years to study the bond between humans and animals. Research papers that have come out of this initiative tackle subjects that include “Healthy, Active Aging for People and Dogs” and “Considering the ‘Dog’ In Dog-Human Interaction.”
There’s an ever-expanding wealth of research on the health benefits of pet ownership for humans at all stages of life. They can help children develop social skills and provide emotional support as we age. Particularly with dogs, pets help keep people active in ways that are beneficial for cardiovascular health. There is also a body of research indicating that pets help humans forge social connections with other humans.
“A lot of the research is commonly dog and cat,” notes Lindsey Braun, vice president of operations for the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, a nonprofit that funds research in this area of study. She adds, though, that, overall, research shows “that caring for a pet — whether or not it’s a fish or a dog or a horse — really benefits by keeping us in routines and keeping us mindful and motivated and taking care of our own health.”
Research consistently shows that pets are good for our health: For example, 60% of dog owners meet the recommended weekly amount of exercise, according to a report from UC Davis Health. This means most dog owners are logging 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week. Plus: On average, pet owners typically have a lower resting blood pressure than people who don’t own pets.
Animal Care Coordinator, Lulu Ochoa, gives 6-month-old Layla some much-needed playtime at Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. The spunky pup, described as “living ife in the fast lane,” is looking for a permanant home. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A curious kitten hangs out inside the Wallis Annenberg PetSpace Scratching Post room where adoptable kittens run around on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Six-month-old Layla plays in and enclosed yard at Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. The spunky pup, described as “living ife in the fast lane,” is looking for a permanant home. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A cool cat suns itself inside the Wallis Annenberg PetSpace Scratching Post room where adoptable felines run around on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Two-year-old Aiden Grabb shares a moment with Dove at Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. Although it is an adoption center, PetSpace was also designed to be a community center where people and families can hang out and interact with the animals. Pet food can be fed to the dogs through holes in the enclosures like Aiden was doing. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Gabrielle Amster is the director of Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista. She hangs out with the adoptable kittens inside the Scratching Post room on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
At the Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista, people come together with pets to hang out or adopt them. This old-soul of a dog watches a young visitor on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Puppies M & M and Kit Kat get excited to see visitors at the Wallis Annenberg PetSpace adoption center in Playa Vista on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Lena Grabb meets some friendly kittens at Wallis Annenberg PetSpace, an adoption and community center in Playa Vista on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. Grabb, whose life isn’t conducive to having pets, visits the center regulary with her 2-year-old son, Aiden, where they get their fill of animal love. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cats roam inside the sun-drenched Scratching Post room at Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista where adoptable felines can be seen on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Show Caption1 of 10Animal Care Coordinator, Lulu Ochoa, gives 6-month-old Layla some much-needed playtime at Wallis Annenberg PetSpace in Playa Vista on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. The spunky pup, described as “living ife in the fast lane,” is looking for a permanant home. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
ExpandThe flip side of that is ensuring that we’re good for our pets’ health as well. All that starts by selecting pets whose lives are compatible with our own.
Jessica Huszar-Yoshimoto, a veterinarian on contract with PetSpace, has plenty of animals at home. Her pet clan includes four cats, three chihuahuas, two frogs, two tortoises, two rabbits, a gecko, a snake and a pot-belly pig. She notes that different animals can impact people’s lives in different ways.
“My reptiles, obviously, aren’t very affectionate, but they do provide company and it’s always on my terms,” she says. “Cats are very social, but that’s on their terms. It depends on the cat. Dogs are much more active and interactive. They really need your interaction with them.”
Even if you’re certain that you’re a dog person, take some time to make sure that you pick a breed of dog whose lifestyle meshes with your own.
“Do you need a couch potato? Do you want a dog that’s out hiking with you and running with you?” says Huszar-Yoshimoto. “Looking at the shedding is really important. Does that bother you? Maybe you don’t want a husky if you don’t want piles of fur around your house. If that doesn’t bother you, then huskies are great.”
Age is a factor, too. “If you’re looking for a dog or a cat that’s chill and maybe just wants to hang out with you, go on some slower walks, a senior pet is great for that,” says Amster, who adds, there are fewer surprises with senior pets. “We’ve usually identified a lot of their behaviors by that point.”
PetSpace also hosts clinics, where folks can make sure that their canine and feline friends are up to date with their shots. Sometimes, too, the visits include wellness checks for treatable issues that are often overlooked. Amster says that, in some cases, this is the first time that an animal is seeing a vet.
“Most people are afraid of what’s going to happen when they get to that vet and what it’s going to cost them to care for that animal,” she says. “It’s good for us to make people feel comfortable and that it’s safe to take their animal to be treated and cared for.”
Often, common, treatable ailments might go unnoticed. “Skin allergies are a big one that a lot of pets get that people don’t recognize,” says Huszar-Yoshimoto. “Instead of getting watery eyes and hay fever like humans do, they get itchy skin when they have allergies to pollen and other things. Repeated itchiness can be a sign.”
Fleas, too, can go unnoticed by people. “It’s really important to keep your pet on year-round flea control because it’s sunny and nice here and fleas are around all year long.” The same goes for ear infections. “If there’s black stuff in the dog’s ear, or cat’s ear, they should get that checked out. It doesn’t have to be super painful for them to have an ear infection.”
Inside PetSpace’s veterinary facility, the usual activities involve spaying and neutering animals, vaccinating them and making sure they are ready for adoption.
“The great thing about getting them from a shelter is that they’ve probably already been spayed and neutered,” says Huszar-Yoshimoto. “They’ve had their vaccines that are up to date.”
Usually, she adds, adoptable pets have already been tested and, if necessary, treated for heartworms and parasites, as well as treated for flea control. She adds that this lifts a financial burden off the new pet parents. “That first year is really a big expenditure when you get a puppy or a kitten from a breeder, with all the vaccines and all that,” she says.
Generally speaking, pets should visit the vet annually. Once they hit their senior years, Huszar-Yoshimoto says, it’s best to schedule two appointments per year.
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