“Dear PoP,
My friends came across an abandoned dog at 18th & Lamont this morning and are trying to find someone to foster or take him. He’s part pit bull, speckled black and brown with white streak on chest, neutered, male, very friendly. If you know anything, please call (202) 384-4926.”
“Dear PoPville,
My wife and I found a Black Lab about 50lbs at the intersection of Quincy St NW and Rock Creek Church Rd tonight at about 530pm. He has a collar but no tags. We put him on our dogs leash and we have him in the back yard now. Can you post this to see if you can help us locate his owners.
Male, 50lbs ish, kind of afraid of people, Black Lab
Eric Rice
202-365-0508
Update:
“The Human society just called and they found the owners. We are all set!”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC
“Dear PoPville,
I live in Columbia Heights and I’m in the midst of firing our dogwalker. This is the second time in two years that I’ve had to do this. Can anyone recommend a great dogwalker (and by great I mean actually takes them for walks instead of just letting them out in the back yard, etc.). Many thanks!”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Wayan Vota
Yesterday, a reader asked if DPR was going to be hosting a doggie day swim when the pools close after Labor Day weekend. Via tweet, DCDPR shares the good news that this year’s doggie swim will be at:
“Francis (2435 N Street, NW) Upshur and Banneker (2500 Georgia Avenue, NW) pools on September 10th from 12-4.”
DCDPR updates with a press release:
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will partner with the Department of Health (DOH) to host their 3rd Annual DPR Doggie Day Swim on Saturday, September 10, from 12 noon to 4 pm at the Upshur Pool, 4300 Arkansas Avenue, NW, and Banneker Pool, 2500 Georgia Avenue, NW. With the end of the outdoor swimming season, this annual event provides dogs with a one day opportunity to enjoy a swim and play games. DOH will be on location to monitor the health and safety of the pets and their owners. They will also provide outreach and education regarding pet vaccinations, dog licenses and dog park licenses.
Admission is free to DC residents and their dogs. Attendance the day of the event will be based on capacity at the time of arrival. During the Doggie Day Swim, there will be limits to the number of dogs in the pool area at one time; 75 dogs at Upshur Pool, and 150 dogs at Banneker Pool.
To maintain order at each of the pools, dog owners are asked to follow these rules:
Dog handlers must be 16 years of age or older
Dog handlers cannot swim or enter the pool with their dogs
Dogs must be sociable and remain leashed while on the pool deck
All dogs must wear current DC dog license
All dogs must be current on vaccinations including rabiesThe event is subject to favorable weather conditions. DPR staff may cancel the event if the weather does not allow for safe pool conditions.
If anyone goes – take some photos for me!
Found around 4:30pm this afternoon.
District of Columbia Animal Care and Control Facility
(Operated for the District of Columbia Dept of Health by the Washington Humane Society)
1201 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-576-6664
Photo by PoPville flickr user Laura_Grageda
“Dear PoPville,
I know this is a bleak topic, but I have a question for the PoP community concerning “end of life” services for pets. I have a dog that’s getting up there in years and while hopefully she’ll be with us for a long time to come, I like to be prepared. Firstly, does anyone know of/ recommend a local veterinarian who makes house calls for euthanization? I found out that the one I had been going to doesn’t and for the sake of continuity of care as well as comfort for my pet I’d like to start going to one that will. Secondly and on the same dreary note, does anyone have any recommendations for cremation services? I’ve dealt with some awful places in the past and don’t want to have to go through that again.
Thank you.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user maria jpeg
“Dear PoPville,
I was walking past the park at the intersection of Sherman and Park and I saw a dog (probably a pit bull) swinging from a tree while a teenager/young adult was sitting next to it with headphones watching passively. The dog seemed to be biting a short rope tied to a branch so that it was hanging by its mouth as it swung around in the air. A police officer on a segway came, said something to the effect of “move along now,” the guy with the headphones released the dog from the rope and all went on their way.
My first thought was “WTF?” and my second thought was that the guy might have been using the rope as a way to strengthen the dog’s jaws and neck, likely training it for dogfights. That was just a guess though- I have no idea what it was about; the police officer didn’t seem too bothered by what was going on and the dog even seemed upset that it couldn’t swing anymore.
Any ideas?”
“Dear PoP,
This morning at around 9:30 on my bike ride to work, I saw an old, sad looking German Shepherd dog wandering around the SW corner of 11th and Florida. He looked lost; there was no owner-type person within sight. If anyone is missing him, he probably is still around there — he looked like he had arthritic hips, so I don’t think he could get far.
Also, I wanted to ask your readers what one should do in similar situations in the future. I don’t really know much about dogs, so I was uncomfortable with getting too close to check if he had tags, and taking him home with me was not an option either (since I was on my way to work & don’t have a car). I thought about calling the Humane Society, but I didn’t want to doom him to being put down before his time.”
Photo by PoPville flickr user Brandon Kopp
A reader writes,
“Could something like this be the solution to the issues with dog owners who don’t clean up after their pets? ha”
From Reuters:
A city in northern Taiwan is trying the Midas touch to persuade reluctant residents to clean up after their canines: offering a chance to win gold bars to anyone handing in bags of doggy deposits.
Starting from August 1, dog owners and other residents of New Taipei City, bordering the capital Taipei, can hand in waste to government cleaning teams in exchange for tickets to a lucky draw. The prizes: three gold ingots worth T$60,000 ($2,100), T$18,000 and T$12,000.
I seriously think this would be hugely successful in DC!
Photo by PoPville flickr user C. Michael Poole
“Dear PoPville,
Several years ago my wife and I rescued two mutts picked up off the streets of Southern Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina. They’re both very good with people, affectionate as all get-out, but they’re aggressive with other dogs. For this reason, we don’t take them to dog parks and are always careful to keep our distance from other dogs when walking ours on city streets.
Last night I took the dogs out for their nightly walk in our U Street neighborhood. As soon as I closed the front gate I saw a gentleman with his dog (which appeared to be some sort of pit bull mix) standing at the corner of 14th and T. I thought the gentleman was simply waiting for the light to change and would keep moving, so I stopped in my tracks and waited. Then I noticed that the gentleman had placed his dog’s leash on the ground and (from what I could gather from a few buildings away) was instructing his dog to sit, stay, and not approach my dogs. At this point I yelled to the gentleman “which direction are you heading?” so I could get out of his way — and right after that his dog darted away from him and ran towards my pair, oblivious to the fact that my dogs were prepared to greet him with open teeth and not open arms. The gentleman ran after his dog while yelling “don’t worry, he’s not aggressive!” to which I responded “no, but mine are!” I followed that up with a shrill — and, frankly, panicked — “your dog belongs on a leash whenever it’s on a city street!” His response: “I’m just trying to train him.”
I managed to keep my dogs at bay just long enough for the gentleman to collect his dog, but barely. Unfortunately, under the circumstances I wasn’t in a position to stick around, apologize for being shrill, and explain why I think his training approach is not only wrong and illegal — it’s dangerous and puts his own dog at risk. I’m assuming the gentleman and I are neighbors, so I’m hoping he sees this, gets my message, accepts my apology, and appreciates the spirit with which I am offering this advice.”