But the little racers in the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals<\/a> event, now in its 29th running at Los Alamitos Race Course, would just give a horse laugh to the rules, because this run is anything but traditional. First, the races don\u2019t involve wagering, and the closest thing to a mishap would be a cold nose on your ankle. Second, as short in stature as jockeys have to be, none are tiny enough to mount even a standard-size dachshund at its tallest. Besides, training a dachshund to respond to orders would spoil the fun of the event. It\u2019s pretty obvious that it\u2019s impossible to do so anyway.<\/p>\n The dashing doxies in the Wiener Nationals practice sessions mix responding to signals from their humans and doing whatever they durn well please. The non-wiener at the end of the race is the lovely Lola, an Ibizan hound who serves as nationals entrant Petey\u2019s emotional support dog. Petey is more inclined to rush to the finish line if Lola\u2019s there. Lola will likely not be present at the actual race on July 11. Video by Kate Karp<\/p>\n The Wiener Nationals have run at Los Al since 1996, with a couple of dark seasons brought on by COVID-19. Besides being a great family night out, the Nationals serve as a fundraiser for the pets at the volunteer-run Seal Beach Animal Care Center<\/a> (SBACC). The mix of cuteness and wackiness has made the Nationals so popular that in 28 meetes, it\u2019s so far raised close to $300,000 for SBACC through its ticket and T-shirt sales. Last year\u2019s event brought in $14,000, which purchases food, toys, flea meds, leashes and litter for the cats and dogs. The money also pays extensive vet bills, including spay and neuter.<\/p>\n The Wiener Races feature about 100 dogs competing in a series of 50-yard dachshund dashes. Four feature races include the Diaper Dash for puppies under a year old; Long in the Tail for sausage seniors 8 years and older; he Superstars Race, which the organizers describe as \u201ca clash of titans featuring past champions and fan favorites\u201d; and a new category called the Tweeners, featuring dachshunds from 6 to 7 years old. People come from all over hoping that their little low-riders can win any of the meets and maybe take home the grand prize: $1,000, a custom doghouse shaped like a Wienerschnitzel restaurant, and the “Fastest Wiener in the West” trophy.<\/p>\n \u201cWe got some from Texas \u2014Houston, San Antonio \u2014 Albuquerque, New Mexico; Arizona; Boise; some from up north,\u201d said Orlando Gutierrez, Los Alamitos Race Course\u2019s marketing and publicity director. \u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019m forgetting a state or two! We got a lot of them coming from everywhere and a lot of home-grown locals, too!\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s the final difference between a horse race and the Wiener Nationals \u2014 the entrants are house pets, and their backstories are diverse. Some may have come from breeders, but that\u2019s not the rule. The Oliva family\u2019s Minnie, for instance, was rescued from a revolting situation. The Olivas live in Long Beach, which has a vibrant animal community, and although Rachel Oliva said she doesn\u2019t rescue animals, you may beg to differ.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo years ago, we were out walking, and we heard this noise from a box in the trash can,\u201d Oliva said. \u201cMy daughter was curious, so we opened the box, and there was a puppy. She was just a few weeks old. So, we took her in, and ever since, we just love her.\u201d<\/p>\n Not long after, the family brought in Minnie. Minnie was a puppy that a family friend couldn\u2019t take care of, so he asked the Olivas if Duchess would like a sister. Now, both dogs are competing in their maiden race!<\/p>\n On the other side of the experience spectrum is 15-year-old Sisi, who\u2019s retiring after this meet.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re gonna do one more for her,\u201d mom Kiley Majeski said. \u201cWe contemplated not running this year due to her age, but we have over 40 people already showing up for Sisi.\u201d<\/p>\n Sisi also has a story. Majeski and her partner, Jason Gharrebo, took her in during the COVID-19 pandemic when friend told them about a homeless dachshund and asked if they\u2019d like to house her.<\/p>\n \u201cNobody wanted her, and so we took her,\u201d Majeski said. \u201cWe originally thought it was going to be a foster situation, and, well, here we are six years later!\u201d<\/p>\n Sisi was 9 years old when she came to live with Majeski and Gharrebo. Pets that age are considered as seniors by rescues. Sisi in her role as racing star has become an ambassador for senior-pet adoption. Adopting a senior dog, cat or rabbit, Majeski said, will give them a great end-of-life.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a bigger purpose than winning an award or just being the fastest,\u201d Majeski said. \u201cSenior dogs still have a lot of a lot of life left. We\u2019ve had six great years with [Sisi], and I hope that our story might inspire somebody to adopt a senior that doesn\u2019t have a home right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Gutierrez agrees that although being a wiener winner is wonderful, everyone, dogs in particular, benefit from the camaraderie among the participants and how much the doxies and their humans love one another.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great for these dogs to show all kinds of skills and where they\u2019re from, but more importantly, how just having that second chance to make a family or a couple happy,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd people meet each other and see how special this group is. From here, they go on to participate in different events. We\u2019re so proud to be a part of this community!\u201d<\/p>\n Enjoy an evening of silliness and awww-some little doggies! 29th Running of the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals kicks off Saturday, July 11, 6:30 p.m. at Los Alamitos Race Course, 4961 Katella Ave., Los Alamitos. Free general parking is included. General Admission tickets are $3 per person on the day of the event; children 17 and under are admitted free. Premium VIP seating is available to enjoy the event in style \u2014 reserve your seats by calling 714-820-2681.<\/p>\n For more information on the 29th Annual Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals, click this link<\/a> or call 714-820-2690.<\/p>\n YOURS DROOLY<\/p>\n Seal Beach Animal Care Center is a volunteer-run shelter where dogs and cats can stay in comfort until someone comes to take them home or for the rest of their lives, whichever comes first. Thanks to the money raised every year through donations and events like the Wiener Nationals, every pet at the Seal Beach Animal Care Center (SBACC) can win the grand prize of a forever home.<\/p>\n Meet four of the winning contenders for your heart, and read what the SBACC staff and volunteers have said about them. Click the Adoptables tab on SBACC\u2019s home page<\/a> to see the whole gang. Click this link<\/a> to find out how to adopt any of them, and go to the Ways to Give tab on the home page to widen the winner\u2019s circle!<\/p>\n Felix is a handsome young man of about a year and a half. He was pulled from a shelter in January 2025 when he was 6 months old \u2014 he didn\u2019t get the right family the first time around. Felix is smart and energetic. In his time at SBACC, he\u2019s learned how to play fetch like a pro and knows commands like sit, down and even touch! He\u2019s an A+ passenger in a car! On top of his big brain, he has an even bigger heart! Felix is very affectionate and just loves to be with his friends. Even if \u2018s off playing with his toy, he likes to know that you\u2019re close by. He loves other dogs but can be a rough player \u2014 he can be overbearing for dogs that don\u2019t match his play style. He would certainly love to have another doggy friend in the home, but he can be an only pup, too. As for people, he\u2019s still a bit of an overgrown puppy who likes to use his mouth, so teenagers would be more appropriate for him than little kids. Felix will truly thrive in the right home and become one of the best furry companions that you have ever had!<\/p>\n Sisi would love it if you adopted Juno! She\u2019s a sweet senior girl of 10 years who\u2019s treat motivated and loves to walk! Juno is a basenji\/terrier mix of great size \u2014 she\u2019s about 25 pounds with some long legs! She knows lots of adorable tricks like sitting pretty, twirling and dancing on her hind legs. You\u2019d never guess that she\u2019s nearing 11 \u2014 she has a lot more life to live! Juno would be a terrific walking buddy and companion for somebody willing to give a senior girl a chance! She\u2019d love to go to a quiet and slightly active home.<\/p>\n Belladonna has a long story to tell, especially for a brown tabby who\u2019s only a year and a half old. Belladonna was rescued from someone\u2019s backyard and arrived at SBACC in critical condition, nearly paralyzed. She was unable to sit, stand, or even lift her head. FIP was initially suspected, but an emergency vet visit revealed a serious lung infection. Treatment began immediately, and she started to get better. She lifted her head, sat up, stood up, and began walking and eating on her own. Then, just days before Christmas, Belladonna took a sudden and frightening turn. Her breathing became rapid and labored, and she was rushed back to the hospital where she spent nearly a week on oxygen. Further testing revealed histoplasmosis, a rare fungal infection that often requires months of ongoing treatment. To avoid prolonged hospitalization and to give Belladonna the best chance of recovery, SBACC purchased an oxygen chamber so she could safely continue treatment at the shelter. She gradually weaned off the oxygen and made a remarkable recovery \u2014 she became alert, affectionate, playful and eager for attention. She\u2019s now healthy and waiting for her forever home. If you\u2019re looking for a young lap kitty who loves to be held and cuddled and demands attention, that\u2019s Belladonna!<\/p>\n With his jaunty ascot and noble demeanor, Earl\u2019s name suits him well. But his time at SBACC began with a fall from royal favor. Earl had a home, but his family didn\u2019t want him anymore and put him out on the street. A neighbor felt sorry for him, took him in, and fed him. However, she had two dogs and a cat and couldn\u2019t keep Earl, so she brought him to SBACC. He was adopted again, but his adopters brought him back because he didn\u2019t want to share them with their other cat! Earl went home again to be the only cat in the home, but he came back again because his adopter worked long hours and had a very small place. Earl needs someone who can spend more time with him and has enough space for him to run and play. He\u2019s 2 years old, is friendly and talkative, and loves attention. He needs a home where he\u2019ll be loved forever.<\/p>\n TAIL-WAGGIN’ AND NOSE-BOOPIN’ EVENTS<\/p>\n Trivia for Lebanon fundraiser<\/p>\n Join Cool Cat Collective<\/a> and local Lebanese Long Beach resident Sarah Salam\u00e9 for an evening of trivia, cats and fundraising to support Lebanon\u2019s people and animals. Answer over 60 questions about Lebanon and cats, and learn while you compete for fun prizes. As an added bonus, the adoptable cats from TippedEars<\/a> will join and whisper the answers in your ear! Cool Cat Collective will donate all proceeds from the event to support the Lebanese Red Cross and Animals Lebanon \u2014 the previous Lebanon Trivia event raised over $1,100 between ticket sales and contributions! This event has limited capacity, so come early with your team, or play solo!<\/p>\n The Lebanon Trivia fundraiser takes place Thursday, July 9, 6:30 p.m.\u20138:30 p.m. at Cool Cat Collective, 2741 E. 4th St., C, Long Beach. Tickets are $15 each; purchase them here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pet Loss and Illness Support Group<\/p>\n The worst day in the life you share with a pet is the day you have to say goodbye forever. Grief is personal on the one hand, and on the other hand, you have a lot of company who get what you\u2019re going through. Helen Sanders CatPAWS<\/a> rescue gets it, too, and offers a space for anyone who also gets it, who\u2019ll never say to you, \u201cBut it was just a cat.\u201d Or a dog, or a rabbit, or a horse, or a goldfish. The members of this group will listen, connect, and support you, and you\u2019ll do the same for them.<\/p>\n The Pet Loss and Illness Support Group takes place Saturday, June 20 at 11 a.m. at the Bay Shore Church, 5100 E. The Toledo, Long Beach. No cost for the meeting, but let the leads know that you\u2019re coming here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Whiskers & Words open mic night<\/p>\n Think you can get a word in edgewise with a bunch of cats milling around? Feline Good Social Club<\/a> (FGSC) would like you to try! The cat lounge invites local writers, musicians and cat lovers to Whiskers & Words, a unique open mic night dedicated entirely to the pointy-eared characters in the audience and at large. Human attendees can step into the spotlight or settle into the audience while the lounge\u2019s free-roaming, adoptable resident cats do their best to distract. Performers may share original poetry, read favorite cat-centric literature, or strum acoustic songs inspired by their four-legged muses. It\u2019s the perfect opportunity for animal advocates and creatives to express their devotion to felines in a cozy, supportive community space. \u201cOur resident kitties make the absolute coziest audience in Long Beach,\u201d said Pam Leslie, Chief Feline Officer (CFO) of FGSC. \u201cWhether you are stepping up to the microphone or just soaking up the creative energy, you get to cuddle with adoptable cats the entire time. It is a wonderful way to balance local art with vital animal socialization.\u201d<\/p>\n Whiskers & Words takes place Saturday, July 25, 6:30 p.m.\u20138 p.m. at Feline Good Social Club, 301 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach. Tickets are $19.99; purchase tickets or sign up to perform at this link<\/a>. All proceeds support local cat rescues.<\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/prize-doghouse.jpg\")
Little wiener hopefuls see whether the grand-prize doghouse will pass muster \u2014 or is that mustard? Sorry. Photo by Kate Karp<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Kathy-Gustafson-and-Stormy.jpg\")
Kathy Gustafson of Huntington Beach has entered Stormy in the meet. Here they are, giving each other encouragement. Gustafson said that Stormy\u2019s brother, Harrison, was in last year\u2019s race and lost by a nose. That\u2019s kind of ambiguous when you consider a sausage snout. Photo by Kate Karp<\/p>\n![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Rachel--Shawn--Kaylin--Minnie-and-Duchess-1.jpg\")
The Olivas family: from left, Kaylin, Minnie, Shawn, Duchess and Rachel. Rachel Oliva said that they train the dogs for the race by having one person stand at each end of a decided-on area. One person waits with the dogs, and the other calls to them until they come running. Should work as well as anything! Photo by Kate Karp<\/p>\n![\"And](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Felix.jpeg\")
Felix<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Juno-1.jpeg\")
Juno<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Belladonna--.jpeg\")
Belladonna<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Earl_FB1.jpeg\")
Earl<\/p>\n![\"Cartoon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/July-Lebanon-Trivia.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Pet-loss-support-group.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Whiskers-and-Words.jpg\")
A black and white cat rests in a bright blue fabric tunnel.<\/p>\n