(January 28, 2008. updated Jan. 29) -- LBReport.com is saddened to report the passing of Fred Bergendorff, whose idea for using television to find homes for adoptable pets at local animal shelters grew into The Pet Place TV show seen on LB cable channel 3 since 1990 and expanded to a separate version airing since 1991 on KDOC-TV (channel 56) in Anaheim.

Source: www.petplace.org

Hosting the Pet Place TV shows made Mr. Bergendorff a recognizable figure in LB, OC and beyond. The show's website says the Pet Place has saved an estimated 160,000 animals from 45 shelters and rescue groups in L.A., OC and inland counties. The show has been honored by the U.S. Congress, the CA Assembly, the SPCA, the Counties of L.A. and OC as well as the cities of L.A., Anaheim, Long Beach and Irvine. Mr. Bergendorff personally received the CA Veterinary Medical Association's first-ever Meritorious Service Award "in appreciation for promoting the special relationship between people and their pets and the benefits for the human-animal bond."

The idea of using TV -- with its emotional close-ups of unwanted pets needing homes (with the unspoken alternative in the back of viewers' minds) -- had its roots in LB. The Pet Place website says Mr. Bergendorff visited the (now former) LB Animal Shelter site on Willow St. near Temple Ave. in 1989 and saw first-hand the need to find homes for thousands of unwanted pets.

That led Mr. Bergendorff (who for years handled marketing/promotions for KNX radio) to approach LB's cable franchisee (today Charter Communications) with the idea of a pet adoption TV show. LB Animal Control went along with the idea; animal-loving LB area volunteers pitched in...and the show took off.

Shirley Vaughan, who founded Friends of Long Beach Animals [a LBReport.com advertiser], was part of the Pet Place from its inception...and as Mr. Bergendorff's health declined in 2007, Ms. Vaughan hosted a number of the LB Pet Place shows (archived specials are currently running on Charter Cable channel 3).

Deborah Turner, now a successful writer (and owner of "Wheely Willie," the little dog who propels himself in a wheeled device oblivious to his paralyzed back legs) at the time owned Doggie in the Window, a pet washing/grooming business on Anaheim Street. Each week, Ms. Turner washed and groomed a dog or cat to make sure they looked their best as they went up for adoption on The Pet Place. Local vets, LB Animal Control staffers and other volunteers became regulars on the show.

A separate KDOC-TV version of the show (produced by Gary Lycan) brought viewers from throughout the L.A. market (where multiple cable systems carried the OC station) and featured animals from various shelters in OC and L.A. County.

Mr. Bergendorff's unassuming style ensured that the animals always remained the focus of the show. The format was simple. Volunteers hoisted dogs and cats, one by one (sometimes with legs and tails flying) onto a table as the camera came in for a close-up. "This is Fluffy," a volunteer would explain. "She's a [identifies breed] and really likes [personality traits]"...and then described the animal's often unhappy history [abandoned, stray, owner deceased].

As the animal's face filled the screen, Mr. Bergendorff added off camera comments in a calm tone of voice. "Oh my, a stray. Isn't that sad? We really have to find Fluffy a good home," or the like.

The process was repeated over and over...with viewers staying tuned for the next animal and the next.

Ms. Vaughan emailed us a photo (below) on the Pet Place set with Mr. Bergendorff (wearing his trademark sweater) during a show on Disabled Pets. Ms. Vaughan is holding her blind cat, Rodney (a Pet Place alumnus) who has been in her "home and heart for 13 years now." Ms. Turner is in the photo at right, holding Wheely Willie.

Mr. Bergendorff was present (photo right) at Friends of LB Animals fall 2006 Walk for the Animals, along with FoLBA president Shirley Vaughan (photo left).

Ms. Vaughan shared with us an email she sent to the Pet Place's KDOC-TV producer, Gary Lycan:

The world has lost a special person as I have lost a special friend. My volunteer job with Long Beach Animal Control began with the Pet Place...In those days we loaded up 12 animals for the show, 6 in the first segment and 6 in the last. That went on for quite some time until other shelters started sharing the time. As the shows went on so did my volunteer responsibilities to where I was the one who chose the animals the day before...We would send one to Doggie In The Window for grooming and comb and put bows or bandanas on the rest. We all so appreciated the Pet Place. It was an avenue for helping find homes for the lost and abandoned pets and what was really special, it was FREE to us. I hardly ever missed a Pet Place taping (probably only five) in all those years...

Friends of Long Beach Animals always supported the Pet Place, we all knew how very special it was for the animals to have a program like this.

As Wesley Moore of LB Animal Control said, "When Fred started the Pet Place no one else was featuring homeless pets, it was his idea that started news shows and others to feature a pet once a week or daily on their program."

Mr. Bergendorff's other accomplishments include creating what may be the longest running radio musical bridge in the L.A. market today. The KNX traffic sounder's musical chords (in echoed octaves that introduce the station's traffic reports every ten minutes) were actually played by Mr. Bergendorff years ago on a primitive electric keyboard.

Fred Bergendorff was kind-hearted, creative, gentle man. We don't know his exact age; we believe he was about 64. We don't know his cause of death; he'd been in declining health for much of 2007.

Details of his death are less important than his life...and the animal lives that he respected and loved...and so creatively saved.

Update: On Jan. 29, www.petplace.org said the following on its front page:

Fred Bergendorff, 63, longtime KNX/1070 AM marketing director and creator of The Pet Place TV and radio shows, died Sunday night in Brea after a long illness.

Bergendorff created the TV show in the early 1990's, first on the cable system in Long Beach and then on KDOC-TV, where it continues today on Sunday mornings with new host Mickey Laszlo.

A radio version of the TV show began in 2006 with KGIL 540 & 1260 AM. It continues Saturday mornings with Marie Hulett as host.

"Fred's goal was to find homes for all the adoptable animals.", said Gary Lycan, senior producer of the TV and radio shows, "and it was Fred's desire that it would be his legacy and our goal to continue his rewarding work to help shelters and rescue groups throughout Southern California. And that is our plan.

Bergendorff retired from KNX in 2002. He was hospitalized in October, 2007 for multiple muscular and nerve problems. He was receiving long-term therapy at Kindred Hospital Brea at the time of his death.

Funeral arrangements are pending.