Don't forget! Mother's Day is May 10!

We have the perfect Mother's Day gift idea for all those dog loving moms out there... a gift subscription to CityDog Magazine! If you're a dog mom, treat yourself (it's a little tough for Fido to purchase one for you) or give the gift that has tails wagging all year long! Simply click here!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! CityDog visits the newly dog-friendly Salish Lodge!

Hope springs eternal and eternity is what it felt like, as we hoped and waited for Salish Lodge to someday be dog friendly. Thankfully, the wait is over and the lodge now invites you and your four legged friend to enjoy everything this Northwest icon has to offer. Read the full story here.

Photo by J. Nichole Smith, Dane + Dane Studios

Upcoming Event Not to be Missed: Pugmania!

May 9 • Seattle, Wash. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. in airplane hanger #30 at Magnuson Park, 7400 Sandpoint Way. Seattle Pug Rescue's 14th annual pug gala. Pugs and their people come from all over for this event. Activities include the parade of rescue pugs, pug races, pug costume contests, pug talent show, an agility ring, pug kissing contest, a silent auction and raffle, and a variety of vendors supplying all things Pug.

For more info, call Cathy 425.827.7155 or Sherry 425.643.1418. Please note that for insurance purposes, only pugs and pug-mix dogs are allowed inside the Seattle Pug Gala.

Another Contest Entry to Share With You

"I refer to my dogs as the 4Bs. They are Bailey, Baxter, Brody, & Benson. They have changed my life because they are my life. Before them, I was alone. Now I am like a soccer mom, only in my case it’s a dog-, park-, tennis-, ball-mom. I groom them, I walk them, I take them to the dog park to play, we have birthday parties for them, and we go on vacation together. I even bought a house, or more appropriately, a yard, for them. It’s just a small house at 1058 square feet, but sits on ¼ acre which makes for a nice back yard for my boys to play." -- Peg Ponack & the 4Bs

Keep the entries coming! To enter, simply email us a photo of your dog(s) and in 100 words or less, tell us how they've changed your life.

Woof!

CityDog Magazine

Another Contest Entry to Share With You

"Squirt ran out in front of my car one day on my way to a meeting. He wormed his way into my heart and subsequently my home!

We began competing in agility and have a blast! My social life started to revolve around dog events…Dog parks, doggie dine-arounds, agility classes, ‘Yappy Hours’ and trips to Dog Beach. I now find myself looking for restaurants that have a patio and are ‘dog friendly’! He’s my constant companion and Best Friend!" -- Barb Del'Ve

Breaking News: Bill to Curb Puppy Mills Goes to Governor Gregoire for Signature

CityDog Magazine, the Humane Society of the United States, and dog lovers throughout Washington State, urge Gov. Christine Gregoire to sign a bill that strengthens protections for dogs at mass production facilities known as puppy mills. The legislation (S.B. 5651), led by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-36, passed its final vote in the Senate today by a bipartisan vote of 43-4.

“As we have seen in Washington, abusive puppy mills produce dogs with no concern for their welfare,” said Daniel Paul, HSUS Washington state director. “Washington state lawmakers have taken a measurable step forward for man’s best friend, and we urge Governor Gregoire to sign this important animal welfare and consumer protection legislation.”

The bill prohibits a commercial puppy producer from possessing more than 50 unaltered dogs more than 6 months old at any time. It also establishes basic care standards for producers with more than 10 unaltered dogs older than 6 months that are kept in enclosures for the majority of the day. The basic care standards include providing clean food and water, allowing dogs to leave their cages for at least an hour daily, providing adequate veterinary care and having clean, safe housing.

“This is a consumer protection issue for individuals and families who obtain puppies from commercial breeders. Puppies from puppy mills are likely to have serious health problems which can translate to a health risk for individuals and families who purchase them. But I also introduced the bill for protection of the animals who really should have clean facilities, be able to move around, be able to get fresh air, and not be kept in horrible conditions and expected to just simply breed,” said Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles.

Washington State currently has no statewide law to regulate puppy mills. Puppy mills are mass dog producing facilities that keep animals in cages or kennels, often in squalid conditions with little or no exercise, socialization or human interaction. The puppies churned out at these facilities are sold to pet stores, online and directly to consumers with little to no regard for the dog’s health or genetic history.

The legislation exempts retail pet stores and some other entities. The legislation cracks down on the worst abuses at large-scale puppy mills, and will not affect responsible breeders who already raise dogs humanely.

To learn more about puppy mills, visit www.humanesociety.org/puppymills.

The Odd Couple: Elephant + Dog = Best Friends

CityDog Contest Kick-Off!

We've asked for them and you've sent them -- inspiring stories about how your dog has changed your life! It's a way for us to give back to readers with cool prizes plus share your tails (er, tales) with fellow readers! Here's the first in a series:

"My dog Brook has changed my life by continually reminding me of the simple principles: Worry less, play more. Whine less, smile more. Run often, sleep often, love unconditionally. Give affection daily. Show remorse when you get into garbage. Enjoy the outdoors as much as possible. Use all your senses to enjoy the world around you. For these reasons I love Brook, and she has made my life immeasurably better." -- Randi Phelps

To enter, simply email us a photo of your dog(s) and in 100 words or less, tell us how they've changed your life.

Woof!
CityDog Magazine

Single Copy & Back Issues Now Available!

Single copies of the current issue and back issues through Summer 2007 are now available for purchase on the CityDog website. Want the current issue? Save a trip to the newsstand and have it mailed right to your door! Miss a back issue? Simply click on the Buy Now button for the issue you're looking for and we'll handle the rest!

To get started, click here!

Woof!

CityDog Magazine

A Few of Our Favorite Things: Part One

Want a day to simply hang out in bed and watch old movies? Grab your dog a fashionable duvet from Molly Mutt and he might be persuaded to forgo his daily walk to join you in the relaxation. The duvets are durable, washable, 100 percent cotton and fully zipped. Use it to add décor to an old dog bed or stuff it with blankets or old, recycled sweaters and tees (your dog will love that it smells like you) to start fresh. Sizes are available from small to large. $20-$40 at mollymutt.com.

This, and many more cool products are featured in the Spring 2009 issue of CityDog Magazine. To subscribe, simply click here.

This Dog Has Good Taste!

This was shared with us by a CityDog reader! Apparently, Captain loves his CityDog Magazine so much he ate it! Woof!

The Obamas Join the Ranks of Dog Lovers!

The internet is abuzz with news of Bo, the Obama family's newest member! Congratulations to the First Family on joining the ranks of millions of dog lovers! It's a special group to be in and we are thrilled to have you!

To read more about the First Pooch, click here.

Happy Easter!

My girl Scout at the newly dog-friendly Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie, Washington.

Happy Easter everyone, two- and four-legged alike!

Brandie Ahlgren, founder
CityDog Magazine

Photo by J. Nichole Smith, Dane + Dane Studios.

The Spring 2009 issue of CityDog Magazine is hot-off-the-press! It's your one-stop-shop for all there is to know about life and living with dogs in the West, with articles on everything from dog-friendly weekend getaways, to behavior and health, to regional events and adventures to be had with your four-legged friend.

For a sneak peek at the current issue simply click on the image above. We've packed it with things to do and places to go this spring with your pooch including a feature travel story about Northwest icon and newly dog-friendly Salish Lodge, overlooking the spectacular Snoqualmie Falls!

And, if you enjoy what you see, a one-year subscription to CityDog is just $18 or save even more with a two-year subscription for $30. That's 40% off the newsstand price. Enjoy the convenience of CityDog Magazine delivered directly to your door! CityDog is also sold in over 400 locations including independent pet stores and newsstands as well as major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.

Woof!
Brandie Ahlgren, founder & editor
CityDog Magazine
Seattle, Wash.

Event Not to Be Missed!

Easter b'Egg Hunt
April 11 • Duvall, Wash. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at Camp Charlie, 124th St. Bring your canine (s) to Camp Charlie’s for the annual Homeward Pet Adoption Center Easter b’Egg Hunt! This is such a fun event and the dogs really do enjoy the hunt for the eggs. For more information, visit homewardpet.org or call 425.488.4444 x404.

For more upcoming events visit our online calendar.

Good News!

Good news—Washington Senate Bill 5651, the bill that will help dogs in our state’s puppy mills, has passed the senate! It is now being considered in the Washington House of Representatives, which could vote on it as soon as next week.

SB 5651 will set a cap on the number of intact, adult dogs commercial breeders may keep, as well as establish basic standards of humane care for these dogs—including minimum requirements for cage size and exercise.

The next few days are a critical period for SB 5651. Please let your representative know that you want this bill to pass.

The spring issue of CityDog Magazine is hot-off-the-press and in it we delve into the recent puppy mill raids as told by the people on the front lines. For a sneak peek, click here.

To subscribe to CityDog Magazine, click here.

Update on Dog Tethering from King County Councilmember Larry Phillips

I wanted to share the below letter from King County Councilmember Larry Phillips regarding recommendations for banning dog tethering. This is good news!
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Dear Ms. Ahlgren,

Thank you for your interest in animal care in King County, and specifically in the practice of chaining dogs. I am pleased to announce that on March 30, 2009 the Metropolitan King County Council unanimously accepted a report recommending a partial ban on the continuous chaining or tethering of dogs. I was glad to sponsor this legislation.

Last year I wrote with the good news that the Council unanimously voted to ask the County Executive to study the costs and challenges of implementing such a ban in both the unincorporated areas of King County and in the 34 suburban cities that contract with King County for animal services. This week's legislation, Motion 2009-0159, accepts the Executive's response.

In short, the Executive recommends an outright ban on tethering dogs in certain situations, including no tethering:

• Of puppies under 6 months old
• Of sick or injured dogs
• Using training chains, choke chains, or pinch chains
• During periods of extreme weather (heat, cold, windstorms)
• If there is no access to water, shelter, and dry ground

In addition, the Executive recommends a ban on any night-time tethering of all dogs (for example, no tethering between 9 pm-5 am). These bans would be in effect in unincorporated King County, as well as in any cities that contract with King County for animal care and control services that wish to be included in the ban. You can read the full report online at the following link: http://www.kingcounty.gov/council.aspx

The Council will be taking a close look at the findings and recommendations of the report, as well as the associated costs of implementing a ban. Citizen input has been and will continue to be very important in considering moving forward with a ban, so I appreciate knowing your views on this matter.

There is significant evidence that continuous chaining of dogs is inhumane and may result in increased vicious and aggressive behavior toward other animals and humans. Thus, banning the continuous chaining of dogs may help keep both people and animals safer; certainly, more education and early intervention around the root causes of aggressive behavior in dogs can lead to happier, better behaved dogs, and can help prevent attacks on innocent victims.

Thank you again for your interest in animal care and safety.

Sincerely,

Larry Phillips, Councilmember
Metropolitan King County Council, District Four
King County Courthouse
516 Third Avenue, Room 1200
Seattle, WA 98104-3272
206.296.1004
larry.phillips@kingcounty.gov

For more information: http://www.kingcounty.gov/phillips