Fetch the Paper: Digital Dog Edition

Walking Tour for Pets Unlimited

Pets Unlimited just sent me a heads-up about a great idea: a one-time chance at a San Francisco walking tour with Grace Ann Walden (a food critic for the SF Chronicle), you and your dog.

The tour will feature "coffee and pastries, a visit to a terrific dog accessories store, a tour behind the scenes at Pets Unlimited led by Dr. Kathy [Gervais] and brunch at a French Bistro. All with our dogs!"

The tour is being held on Saturday, October 11, and tickets are $80. To reserve your spot on the tour, contact Grace Ann Walden at (415) 302-5898, or email her at gaw _ at _ sbcglobal.net. Part of the proceeds will benefit Pets Unlimited.

I don't know about you guys, but they had me at "coffee." And then again at "dog accessories." And once more at "French bistro."

 

Three Years Later: Are Your Pets Ready for Disaster?

Three years ago this week in 1995, Hurricane Katrina blew through the Gulf states with disastrous results. This year, we sit and watch helplessly as Hurricane Gustav does his business in the same region. 

One big difference: this time, more people are ready to safely evacuate their pets, and rescue workers are more prepared to deal with the special task of caring for animals who are either lost or left behind.

In 1995, hundreds of thousands of family companion animals were left behind and found themselves in a horrible crisis. More than 6,000 of those left behind made it to makeshift rescue. About 100 times as many – yes, more than 600,000 – died.  Oregon film maker Mike Shiley documented the rescue – and our society’s failure to adequately deal with the staggering task of saving those left behind – in his film Dark Water Rising.

Today, as Gustav gains force and heads for Louisiana, there is one thing you can surely do. Make sure you think about, document, and prepare your own disaster plan, and include your pets.

Californians must prepare for, and do encounter flooding and earthquakes. In the last three years winter storms have caused serious flooding throughout the Bay Area, so it’s not just the more easily disregarded “Big One” earthquake for which we need to prepare.

I am willing to guess that many of you don’t even have an adequate disaster kit for yourselves, much less your pets. (My own kit is a small box with a smattering of useful things: a hand-crank radio that I got as a premium for my last donation to KQED; some rations I got for going through a disaster training workshop; batteries; and dog food; I still have more work to do.)

To make sure your pets are ready, research and then put your plan into action. Start by collecting everything you need for your evacuation and first aid kits. San Francisco Animal Care & Control provides a useful guide that includes checklists for your pet’s first aid and other needs, as well as making sure your neighborhood has a plan to help animals if residents are not able to return home during a disaster.

If you really want to dig into this topic, the American Veterinary Medical Association has a comprehensive disaster preparedness and response guide on its site. By the way, while there I learned that California is one of about a dozen US states and territories that do not yet have a state disaster plan, so you might want to contact your favorite state legislator and find out why. Another great asset on the AVMA site is their Saving the Whole Family brochure (PDF). 

Well, off to the store now… need to stock up!

Dogs are Talking

I've been seeing posters around town lately. Each one features a picture of a couple of dogs chatting. For example, one might say "People say I look like my guy, but you two even have the same rash..."

Gross? Totally. But so is syphilis, and the ads are part of a syphilis awareness campaign aimed at gay men called "Dogs are Talking." The premise is that your dog really needs you to get tested for syphilis. After all, who needs you more than your dog? Sure, your spouse, kids or friends might need you, but they have opposable thumbs of their own. Whereas only you can open the treat bag for your pet.

I was surprised to learn that the campaign comes from a group called Promotions West, since most of the social marketing in San Francisco these days seems to be run by Better World Advertising. But I'm always happy to see a new do-gooder enter the field. And I'm in favor of anything that a) encourages people to take responsibility for their own health care and b) features big pictures of cute dogs being plastered all over my neighborhood. For more information, you can visit the Dogs Are Talking website.

Noe Valley DPA opens

Good news for San Fran dogs and the people who love them: the dog park at the Noe Valley Rec Center is finally re-opened. You can thank Supervisor Bevan Dufty for this -- the DPA (dog play area) was slated to open in August with the rest of the recently renovated space, but Dufty pushed for a faster open. (I mean -- it's August now, obviously, but the run opened about a week ago.)

Then again, Dufty is also the Supe who wrote the SF ordinance requiring that all pit bulls be neutered. Hero of the hour or enemy of the dog state? I'm going to throw my hat in the ring for "neither, just a politician trying to do his job," but I'm open to other interpretations.

Pogo, R.I.P.

When I first heard about the death of young Pogo, the pit bull foster puppy who was found stabbed this week seven days after he disappeared while exercising off-leash at Ocean Beach, I was snapped into despair and frustration. With so much good being done for animals in our community, with dozens of groups and thousands of volunteers rescuing and caring for the homeless and sick, it's always shocking to hear a story like this.

Pogo died when he was still a puppy, about 7 months old. He was in a foster home under the auspices of Grateful Dogs Rescue, one of San Francisco's most active rescue groups, and one dear to my own heart. My own Wylie  was rescued by Grateful dogs at age 10, and fostered by them for a year until we adopted him. Until Grateful Dogs took him in, he was slated for euthanasia because of his age and arthritis.

But Pogo's story has a special twist. Pogo came to San Francisco Animal Care & Control with a genetic defect that required the amputation of one hind leg. Now with two barriers to quick adoption - his breed and being a tripod - Pogo was taken in by Grateful Dogs, who raised the funds for his surgery and would train, socialize and care for him until he was ready for adoption. San Francisco Veterinary Specialists generously donated part of the cost of his surgery. Pogo was now set for success.

All that changed in the circumstance of a moment. While out on Ocean Beach near Sunset on July 22, Pogo disappeared behind a sand dune. Seven days later, his body, brutally stabbed to death, was found, dumped in an unincorporated area of Bayview.

SF ACC is asking anyone  with  information  about Pogo's death – or who knows anything about Pogo being taken from Ocean  Beach - to call Animal Care & Control at (415) 554-9400. A $2000 reward  for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator has been established by Grateful Dogs Rescue and The Friends of SF Animal Care & Control. To contribute to the reward fund, please contact Animal Care & Control at (415) 554-9412.

Yes, I am mourning Pogo. And my heart goes out to the wonderful folks at Grateful Dogs, who have rescued, healed, fostered, trained, and re-homed thousands of dogs taken from the streets of San Francisco or who, like my Wylie, were surrendered by owners when they became old, sick, or inconvenient.

Even if you can't help solve this horrible crime, please do anything you can to support the efforts of groups like Grateful Dogs.

Off-leash Advocacy Alert

This off leash action alert requesting IMMEDIATE action just in from Sally Stephens, Chair of SF Dog:

Last week I sent out an email about a bill introduced by Nancy Pelosi, HR 6305, that includes a section that would change the name of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to the Golden Gate National Parks. While this seems like an innocuous cosmetic change, the implications for recreation in the GGNRA -- including off-leash recreation -- are disturbing:

1. The legislation that created the GGNRA states that the GGNRA was created to: "provide for the maintenance of needed recreational open space necessary for urban environment and planning." Recreation, including off-leash dog walking, was the primary reason the GGNRA was created.
2. For years, GGNRA staff have been citing the fact that the GGNRA is a national park as the reason they have to restrict off-leash recreation. They say that the primary reason national parks exist is to preserve and restore habitat, and that recreation interferes with that mandate.
3. The US Code says that national parks have to be governed uniformly (with an emphasis on scenery and habitat). But it also says (16, U.S.C. Section 1a-1) that: "the protection, management, and administration of these areas ... shall not be exercised in derogation of the values and purposes for which these various areas have been established, except as may have been or shall be directly and specifically provided by Congress."
4. Even if Congress doesn't intend it, this bill will be cited by those opposed to off-leash and all other forms of recreation as evidence that Congress wants to overturn the recreation mandate contained in the legislation that created the GGNRA. This name change will be cited as proof Congress wants the GGNRA managed to restore habitat, not to maintain needed recreational open space.
5. This is not just about dogs. All current, non-hiking recreational users of the GGNRA are at risk with this bill. Equestrians, surfers, windsurfers, mountain bikers -- all could be banned from GGNRA trails if this name change goes through. Look at Yosemite's park rules -- no bikes or trails, no dogs on trails.
6. This name change will be used to push all recreational users -- including people with dogs -- out of the GGNRA.

Several representatives of dog groups met with Pelosi's staff last Friday morning. We were assured this bill would not be heard in the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands tomorrow (Tues 7/15) as had originally been planned. I have just learned that information was not correct. This bill will in fact be heard by the Subcommittee tomorrow (Tues, 7/15) and will be passed on to the full House Committee on Natural Resources for action the next day (Wed 7/16). The claim is that nothing will really be happening with the bill until September, and that Pelosi's office knows that they have to make some changes to the language of the bill (not just the name change section, but other sections too) and so we all shouldn't be too worried at this point. Don't believe it.

If this bill, H.R. 6305 is passed by the Subcommittee tomorrow, there's no guarantee it won't continue to sail through.

Please email, fax or call Pelosi's office, as well as the Subcommittee members BEFORE 10 am EDT tomorrow (July 15) and demand they remove Section 2 from H.R. 6305.

Ask them to delay any action on the bill until the problems with it can be addressed.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
sf.nancy@mail.house.gov
San Francisco office: (415) 556-4862 phone, (415) 861-1670
Washington DC office: (202) 225-4965 phone, (202) 225-4188

Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands:
(202) 226-7736 phone, (202) 226-2301 fax
Raul Grijalva (D, Ariz), Chairman
Rob Bishop, (R, Utah), ranking Republican

Committee on Natural Resources:
(202) 225-6065 phone. (202) 225-1931 fax
Nick Rahall II (D, West Virginia), Chairman
Don Young (R, Alaska), ranking Republican

Also contact your San Francisco Supervisor:
http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp?id=7271
and Mayor Newsom:
gavin.newsom@sfgov.org
(415) 554-6141 phone, (415) 554-6160 fax
and let them know this bill is unacceptable and will have a negative impact on San Franciscans quality of life and recreational opportunities.

Off Leash Updates

A couple of important items related to off-leash space came across my inbox today.

Is their vision your vision?
If you care about the off-leash use of Ocean Beach, one of SF's favorite dog socialization spots, you may want to show up at the Ocean Beach Vision Council meeting this Thursday, July 8, 6-8 PM at the Osher Great Hall at the San Francisco Zoo.

The Ocean Beach Vision Council was formed by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area officials and SF Mayor Gavin Newsom to discuss how best to improve the use of SF's Ocean Beach, a 5-mile long beach that has been in the center of some controversy around off-leash use by dogs. While some environmentalists claim that parts of Ocean Beach house vulnerable species that are threatened by the presence of dogs, many of SF's dog loving folk enjoy using Ocean Beach and tout it as a valuable exercise and socialization resource in the urban environment--something key for our city's dogs.
SF Dog Chair Sally Stephens notes that many dog advocates are concerned that the Vision Council is biased against off-leash use of Ocean Beach, citing that plans to commercially develop Ocean Beach may leave dogs and their people to find other spots for exercise.

This is an excellent opportunity to advocate for our community's dogs. Urban dogs need sufficient space and fresh air, and the unfettered socialization that off-leash recreation affords. Ocean Beach's 5 miles of shoreline can provide a very special environment for our canine friends.

What's in a name?
I also got word today from Suzanne Valenti, a representative of Ocean Beach Dog, that Nancy Pelosi has submitted Bill HR 6305 that would, among a number of other things, rename the Golden Gate National Recreation Area to "Golden Gate National Parks." If you think this is meaningless, you might want to think again.

Years ago when the people of San Francisco turned some of their key open space over to the Federal government, it was with the intention that the land continue to be used recreationally. According to the Ocean Beach Dog web site:

Off-leash advocates have been told by GGNRA staff for years that changing the name from Golden Gate National Recreation Area to Golden Gate National Parks will make it easier for them to further restrict recreation within GGNRA boundaries. There is no other reason for this name change. They want to remove recreation from the park just as they remove it from their name.

It's been no secret for the last few years that a vocal group has called for dogs to either be banned completely from certain land in the GGNRA or to be forced to return to leash-only recreation. The Ocean Beach Dog group contends that this "name change" would effectively allow the affected land to be treated more like a national park rather than the recreational treasure it has been for the many Bay Area residents who have enjoyed it with and without their dogs.

If you would like to comment on this issue:

• Contact Nancy Pelosi and demand that she remove Sec 2 from HR 6305:
  email: sf.nancy@mail.house.gov
  District Office - 450 Golden Gate Ave. - 14th Floor - San Francisco, CA 94102, (415) 556-4862
  Washington, D.C. Office - 235 Cannon HOB - Washington, DC 20515 - (202) 225-4965
• Also contact the Committee on Natural Resources to which the bill has been referred:
  1324 Longworth House Office Building
  (202) 225-6065 Fax: (202) 225-1931
  MR. NICK J. RAHALL, II, West Virginia, Chairman
  MR. DON YOUNG, Alaska, Ranking Republican Member
  and the Subcommittee on National Parks Forests and Public Lands to which it was referred on June 25:
  1333 Longworth House Office Building
  (202) 226-7736 Fax: (202) 226-2301
  Mr. Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona, Chairman
  Mr. Rob Bishop, Utah, Ranking Republican Member 

Thanking the Monkey

At the last minute, we just got word that Karen Dawn, animal rights activist and author of Thanking the Monkey, will have a book launch part in San Francisco on Tuesday July 1.

The event will be held at The Usual Suspects, a North Beach vegetarian restaurant located at 450 Broadway. Karen will do a reading upstairs at 7 pm, and attendees are welcome to have dinner downstairs after the reading.

Karen's trying to round up a few local "special guests" so you never know who might show!

Karen's email about the event instructs folks to go to www.thankingthemonkey.com and click "Readings" to RSVP if you plan to be there. Please spread the word and let everyone know.

A dog by any other name...

I've been thinking about dog names recently, and how we pick them. When we name a child, all kinds of factors go into the decision: family history, aesthetics, a desire to show our kid's individuality with an unusual name or to show their connection to history with a more common choice. But what do we base our dog names on?

My mom (always the first interviewee for any good reporter, right?) says her dog's name came to her in the car on the way home from the shelter, and she felt like the name came from the dog -- their first bonding experience. 

A lot of us name our dogs according to what they look like: Bear, Blackie, Honey. (Good thing we don't do that with babies when they're born, or we'd have a lot of Scrunchie Smiths, Tomato Face Jacksons and Winston Churchill McGees running around.)

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the top three dog names in San Francisco are Max, Lucy and Buddy, and I can see why. There's no hidden agenda in a Lucy. No one named Buddy could possibly have a dark past. We like to give simple, friendly names to these simple, friendly pals.

Got a good story on how you named your dog? Leave it in the comments!

Yappy Hour on Take Your Dog to Work Day

Join the San Francisco SPCA for “Yappy Hour,”  6-9 pm On Friday, June 20th at Dragon Bar, 473 Broadway in North Beach, to celebrate Take Your Dog to Work Day.

There's a $10 admission fee which gets the human a specialty cocktail. There will also be a raffle and door prizes. Proceeds benefit the SF SPCA.

Whatever you do on Friday, remember to honor dogs in the workplace!