Pet-friendly interior design

Back in March, a man living at 100 Jay St. in DUMBO made a splash when he listed his beautiful 800-square-foot apartment for $679,000. Nothing unusual about that, except that this apartment also served as playground to his two cherished roommates, Oliver and Dodger, domestic shorthair cats.

Though the apartment is no longer on the market (I haven’t been able to locate a selling price yet), it serves as an example pet lovers everywhere can aspire to. The apartment’s owner designed it himself over time, fusing human aesthetic considerations with the natural instincts of playful felines. Check out the video:

You like my bling?

Carpet-covered “staircase” bookshelves, a floor-to-ceiling sisal-covered pipe, and a modified bench for the litter box are a few of the key features. It got me thinking about pet friendly interior design – something which you’d think would be more widespread by now, given our culture’s obsession with pets. We clothe and accessorize our pets til you’d think they were rap stars, so why aren’t Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn selling more pet friendly, design-conscious furniture?

I did find a few resources if you’re ready to move beyond the run-of-the-mill scratching posts, litter boxes, and dog beds:

Read more…

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admin, July 27th 2010 | Tags: ,
Posted in Services, Stuff

NYC Feral Cat Initiative – TNR Workshop in Brooklyn, 8/7

While it’s not dog-related, managing feral cat colonies is a big part of reducing the homeless pet population (an important cause for DFB!). Unchecked, feral cat colonies will grow like crazy, often becoming a nuisance to local residents and other animals. But if you’ve ever seen a cat wandering the streets with what looks like the corner of their ear chopped off, then you know someone’s been looking after him or her.

The ear cropping is a widely-used marker that a feral cat has already been trapped, usually vaccinated, and spayed or neutered before being released. TNR (trap-neuter-return) is (in my opinion) a humane and effective method to control feral cat colonies. Since most adult feral cats don’t make for great house pets, the alternative to TNR is euthanasia.

But TNR programs require resources – human and financial. Someone needs to take the lead in monitoring a local colony, setting the humane traps, and bringing the animals in to a vet to be fixed. The NYC Feral Cat Initiative is an effort by the city and a nonprofit two nonprofits, the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and Neighborhood Cats to take control of feral cat colonies. They provide numerous services to those willing to help, including TNR training classes, equipment (traps, etc), access to free spay/neuter services to certified TNR caretakers (via the ASPCA, Toby Project, Helping PAW and the Humane Society of NY), and ongoing advice to volunteers.

On Saturday, August 7, 2010, the NYC Feral Cat Initiative will be holding a workshop entitled, “Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR): How to Manage a Feral Cat Colony” from noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Brooklyn Library Sunset Park Branch, 5108 4th Avenue (at 51st Street).

Advance registration is required. E-mail lois@NYCFeralCat.org or call Neighborhood Cats at (212) 662-5761 with your name, address, phone number, and date of workshop you wish to attend. For more information, visit the Neighborhood Cats website.

For additional resources and organizations working on the feral cat issue in New York, go here.

(photo courtesy of the New York City Feral Cat Initiative)

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admin, July 23rd 2010 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Adoption/rescue, Events, Services

Emergency vet services in Brooklyn & NYC

It’s an awful feeling when your dog (or cat or turtle) is sick. You can see they’re in pain, but they can’t tell you what hurts. You just want to tell them it’s going to be ok.

In the event that you do find yourself with an injured or extremely sick pet, you should have the following information at hand. I’ve included as much Brooklyn info as I could find, but please get in touch if I’ve left anything out!

Pet ambulance:

  • AmbuVet

    • CALL 800-AMBU-VET (800-262-8838)

    According to their website: AmbuVet “is the only pet emergency transport service in New York City that operates
    24 hrs/7 days/week by NYS board certified licensed veterinary technicians providing immediate response for pets that require transport to a veterinary facility.”

    Read more…

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    admin, July 13th 2010 | Tags: , , ,
    Posted in Pet care, Services

    Don’t own a car? Here’s how to get around the city with your pet

    I was thrilled when I first learned my employer has a pet-friendly office policy.  But then the reality set in: I live in Brooklyn and my office is in Manhattan… how would I get Duke back and forth?

    Pbffft. That's all I have to say about your rules!

    Transportation for medium to large dog owners is always an issue (unless you own a car). Some NYC cabs will pick up a passenger with their pet, but it’s entirely at their discretion, and in my experience, uncommon.  There are, however, a few other options:

  • Pet taxis – Most pet taxi companies will transport your animal with or without you as co-passenger. So if your dog or cat needs to go to the vet or the groomer unaccompanied, this is your best option. As far as I’m aware, Tim’s Pet Minivan is the only Brooklyn-based pet taxi service. There are several based in Manhattan, however they tack on surcharges for non-Manhattan trips (typically, trips to/from Bk will start at around $50 – not cheap). I’ve included links to a few Manhattan pet taxi companies at the bottom of this post.

  • Rental cars – Zipcar and Mint (a smaller, Zipcar-like service) both permit pets in cars if they are enclosed in a carrier. They also require owners to clean up any pet hair that may be left behind. Connect By Hertz does not allow animals in their cars unless they’re service animals.

  • Private car services – This is my preferred method for traveling with Duke. Brooklyn has many private car service companies, and some are more willing than others to take your pet. I’ve been using Express 11 recently, and as long as you tell the dispatcher that you have a dog, they’re very accommodating. I’ve also used Arecibo in the past, but had a couple less-than-stellar experiences where the driver sent had not been told about my dog by the dispatcher (and wasn’t too happy about allowing him in the car).

  • Get creative! – New York City Transit regulations about pets on subways and buses are pretty restrictive. “Small domestic pets” in carriers that can fit on your lap are permitted. Of course, “small” is not defined. One of my stronger friends modified a large tote bag so her 35lb dog could fit comfortably inside (see photo above). If only Duke were a few pounds lighter…!

    • Manhattan-based pet taxi companies: (none of which I’m recommending because I haven’t tried any of them!)

  • Pet Taxi
  • Pet Chauffer
  • Canine Cab Company
  • K9 Cars

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    admin, July 12th 2010 | Tags: , , , ,
    Posted in Services