This blurry photo from today was taken tonight in the Times Square station. The orange and white kitten is just weeks old. The man is sitting at the base of a staircase with a hat for collecting money.

Do you pay the man and get the kitten to a safe, warm home? Or will he just show up with a new kitten tomorrow? Grr.

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Meet Sophie.
A Beagle who has a little slice of internet heaven at Melanie’s Blog (see: Sophies’ Corner: a spoiled pet’s paradise).
Sophie is Melanie’s muse. How sweet.
Beagles are awesome!

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On the hunt for a dog walker to fill a boring afternoon for your dog with sights, sounds, and other hounds?
Here are a few places to find that special someone who loves dogs enough to spend days on end with them on the streets of NYC:

-Check with your local dog park group for dog walker recommendations.
-Ask other dog owners that you meet on the street.
-Read the forums at Urbanhound to learn who may be reputable and who to avoid.
-Try Find A Dog Walker (a Seattle-based site that has listings for New York, Brooklyn, and other cities).
-Call your Veterinarian

And remember, you dog walker loves dogs. He or she is also trying to run a business. You should expect to trust the walker (who has the keys to your home), and the person should always put the safety of your dog first and foremost. You should also expect to pay for the private care your pet receives, whether your walker runs a one-person show or works for a national chain.

If all of this sounds too strange for you, maybe you and a few dog-friendly neighbors can trade pet watching duties. (Is anyone doing this in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn?)

(Drawing of girl walking dog by Melanie. Thanks, Melanie!)

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…or so says an opponent to off-leash activity in NYC parks.
That statement would’ve could put any pet-loving person in a state of rage.
This just shows that some people will never get the appeal of off-leash recreation.
Here is a proposal for the Parks Department: post signs in front of every park that clearly state when and where dogs are allowed off-leash. Spread the word far and wide, since many New Yorkers have no clue about this struggle between the JPCA and NYCDog or off-leash hours for that matter.

Photo of off-leash hours promoter from the 2006 Great Pupkin event at Fort Greene Park

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In honor of Election Day, (a day we should not have to work, so as to celebrate the day we give voice to the state about just who we want-or don’t want-to represent us in government), here are some links about the things our dogs will want to know before deciding at the polls:

League of Humane Voters of NYCcandidate endorsements

ASPCA Lobby for Animals: Join the Advocacy Brigade and get alerts about state and federal issues pertaining to animals.
You can also read more about NYC Intro 13: the Pets in Housing Bill.

Find out which candidates the SAOVA (Sportsmen and Animal Owner’s Voting Alliance) endorse here.

MyDogVotes.com has a whole website dedicated to educating you about issues that matter to your dog. As they say, “If your dog matters, your vote matters.”
MDV also has a map where BSL has been passed to help people avoid those places if they have dogs that could pay the price if they wander into the wrong town.

**Not all animal-related organizations will support the same candidates or take the same side on an issue. The research is for the voter to do and these links are a starting point.

So get out there, walk your dog to the polls if you are able, and vote with your dog (and your heart). Unless someone gives you trouble….

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NYCDog representatives held a press conference yesterday at Foley Square to tell people that off-leash recreation (specifically, the 9 AM to 9 PM courtesy hours in parks without designated dog runs) is an important part of the quality of life of New Yorkers and their dogs.
The Health Department heard comments regarding the current leash regulations and we are certain many of the comments included pro-off-leash recreation.
Let us hope that the Health Department will come up with the right way to keep the 9 AM-9 PM privileges available for our dogs and those of the future. In the words of the newly formed Juniper Valley Park Dog Association’s President, Terri Sullivan: “The only difference between the ball players and us is that they interact with inanimate objects and we interact with animate ones.”

(For more photos, visit our Flickr page).

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