Central Park Paws Event This Saturday

Central Park Paws—an organization of dog owners who use Central Park—is hosting a “Bagel Bark” this Saturday, July 25th, at Conservatory Water (also known as the boat pond). Join other dog owners from 7:30-9am for coffee, pastries, bagels…and, of course, biscuits for the dogs. (You can enter the park at 72nd Street on the east side, and you’ll see the pond just to your north.)

Central Park Paws’ steering committee is an advisory group to the Central Park Conservancy. It is made up of dog owners representing various areas of the park, as well as representatives from the Central Park Conservancy and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

For more information on Central Park Paws, click here.

A New Way to Clean Your Dog’s Paws

Let’s be honest, walking your dog around the streets of New York can leave his paws covered in all kinds of grody stuff. I saw this Paw Plunger on the FetchDog site and thought it was genius.

How it works: You fill it with warm water (and a tiny bit dog shampoo if you think it’s necessary) and plunge each paw in, one at a time. The soft cleaning bristles inside the mug work off all the dirt. After rinsing, you simply dry off your dog’s feet with a towel. The PawPlunger is $34. For more information or to buy, click here.

Has anyone tried this? What do you think—cool, or overkill?

Seeking Single White Female...Husky?

In India, hundreds of dogs are being signed up for dog dating websites such as Puppy Love and Date Your Pet, according to Reuters. A doggie dating post goes something like this: “Brucci, single six-year-old mixed breed available for mating. Ferocious! Yet demure and very lovable. Extremely possessive.” Yes, this is an actual post. I’m not sure this owner is doing so well finding hook-ups for his pup. “Ferocious” and “extremely possessive” aren’t exactly selling points.

Reuters/Paul Darrow

“Pet ownership has boomed in India," says the piece, "thanks to its growing ranks of wealthy, middle and upper class professionals who are also driving sales of luxury goods. But for the vast majority of the country, which lives on between $1 and $2 a day, pets are not an option.” I won’t include the part about what they do to stray dogs because it’s tragic.

D-Bag Michael Vick Goes Free

Mike Vick—the NFL quarterback who bankrolled Bad Newz Kennels, a dogfighting ring near his Hampton, Va. home—was officially released today. After 18 months in jail and two months of home confinement, he can now do whatever he pleases. However, one thing he won’t be doing is playing for the Atlanta Falcons. They released him on June 12^th. (Read this Washington Post story for more information.)

I’ve been reading a lot of the sports blogs, and have been seriously shocked at how many people still believe Vick is an upstanding guy. I could go on an on about what I think of him, but I may get arrested if I told you what I think he really deserves.

My only advice to anyone who isn’t familiar with what he did to those dogs is to read this New York Times article. On his property, Vick's dogs were were beaten, hung, electrocuted, or tied to car axels for months on end. Some were used as bait dogs, only used to be literally ripped apart. Many females had every one of their teeth ripped out of their mouths so that when they were forcibly bred, they couldn’t fight back. This wasn’t a one-time crime; this was something he knowingly participated in, supported, and profited from for years.

These days, Vick is seeking reinstatement in the NFL. (He has stated that he cannot pay his bills working in construction for $10 an hour. Message to Vick: Sell your house, bitch.)

If you’d like to voice your thoughts to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, go ahead and call or email him at Roger.Goodell2@nfl.net (212) 450-2000 or (212) 450-2027.

A Doggie Tanning Bed?

Ok, I wish I could claim that I found this on my own, but I didn’t. I get daily emails from Daily Kibble, and this was on their post this morning. (If you don’t get it, it’s worth signing up. Think Daily Candy, but for dogs.) One company, Fauna Sauna, has created what looks like a tanning bed for animals. Their heated spa beds are “radiant heat-enhanced”—meaning, they emit “far infrared” warmth, which feels to a dog (or cat)  like he’s basking in sunlight.

According to the Fauna Sauna site: “Far Infrared has been shown to reduce pain, increase immune function, speed healing and reduce joint stiffness.  In many cases, the use of Far Infrared heat can reduce or even eliminate the need for costly medications.” 

For more information—and to see other designs—take a look at the Fauna Sauna site. What do you think, completely absurd…or amazing?