WILD PARTY: It seems that just about...

WILD PARTY: It seems that just about any animal these days has a support group. At the Mission Viejo Animal Shelter’s ([714] 470-3045) second anniversary Saturday, many of them will get together for the first time. Groups for walruses to mountain lions will be there--from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.--to show people how to get along with wildlife. There is even a turtle group. . . . “If you’re passionate for tortoises, you can see what’s being done for them,” says organizer Sharon Cody. “It’s for learning about different wildlife and how they can be helped.”

NO CAT HOLIDAY: You may think black cats and Halloween go together. The cats don’t think much of it. . . . Laurie de Mars of the Irvine Animal Shelter recalls a few years back when a group tied a black cat to the back of their car for some Halloweening. The cat died, of course. . . . As a precaution against such acts of cruelty, most local animal shelters have placed a moratorium on the adoption of black cats between now and Halloween. Says De Mars: “Practical jokes can be dangerous--for the cat.”

NEVER STOPS: Chi Chi Rodriguez is still competitive--he’s playing in the senior tour stop at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles this weekend. But the colorful golfer spends most of his time now at clinics and benefits for youngsters. . . . Example: He’s hosting an outing at Pelican Hill Golf Club near Monarch Bay Monday to raise $100,000 for local Boy Scouts. He’ll teach a clinic, tell a few stories and play with executives from Toyota Motor Sales, the sponsor.

BADGES BAGGED: In Huntington Beach, City Council members have long been provided badges, just like police officers. But Mayor Victor Leipzig has convinced the council to drop the idea. Too many on the council abused them in the past, says the mayor: “They have the potential for more harm than good.” One dissenting vote: Councilman Dave Garofalo. He wants his badge. . . . “I have total confidence in myself to use it properly. I need it to get to emergency situations with the minimum amount of delay and hassle.”