Los Angeles Bans Puppy Mills!

I'm sure you have all been anxiously awaiting the verdict on the motion that Councilman Paul Koretz proposed that bans the commercial breeding of pets, as well as the sale of factory-bred dogs in pet stores.  Well, it is good news all around, as the city council has approved the motion unanimously and has asked the Department of Animal Services to begin drafting a law.

For more info, check out the full story here!

  

Three Dog Bakery #2

I stopped by the Three Dog Bakery today after work to pick up a Jax and Bones rope toy (Daisy the duck) for a puppy friend of mine, as well as a little cheese pizza treat for Bo.  I love this place... so so cute and my toy helped support The Rescue Train!  :)

LA Dog-Friendly Digs- June 11, 2011

When I first moved to LA, I was lucky enough to be able to move in with friends for a few months before committing to a lease.  It gave me the opportunity to figure out where in LA I wanted to live, the kind of budget I could work with, and the type of apartment I preferred.

In my case, I wanted to live alone, stay in the valley close to my job (between Encino and Burbank), and really wanted a place with a small yard/patio with a dog door for Bo.  This meant that my options were limited, especially if I wanted to stay in my budget.  However, I found the perfect place that fit my criteria (1br garden apartment in Burbank with a fenced yard and permission to put in a dog door) for about $50 a month more than I wanted to spend.  Totally worth it and totally doable!

However, I have since taken a slight pay cut to do a new job I love.  While the rent is still doable, I definitely have less wiggle room for other (more fun) things.  But I love my place and don’t want to move… so this whole thing has made me think about what it was like to find an apartment that was Erika- AND Bo-friendly in the first place.  I became something of a Craigslist pro and thought I would share some of my findings with you all in case any of you are in the market for a new place!  You’re welcome.  ;)

On a very tight budget but want to live alone?
Downtown- Studio microloft in the Alexandria- $575
Koreatown- Studio with exposed brick- $695
Long Beach- Studio close to downtown LB- $650 (larger studio is $750)
Burbank- Studio guest house with private entrance and patio- $700


Want to live alone but have a bit of a more generous budget?
Pasadena- 1br guest house with an office and dog door to fenced area- $1050
Encino- Studio guest house with alcove bedroom and private deck- $1100
Hollywood- Large studio with private yard, many upgrades- $1295


Living with a roommate?
Pasadena- 2br bungalow with private yard and shared 1 acre lot- $1300
Sherman Oaks- 2br apt with a pool, fitness center, and free utilities- $1577
Toluca Lake- 2br townhouse with private backyard- $1595
Venice- 2br townhouse 3 blocks from the beach with yard- $2295


Obviously, these are just a handful of examples.  I plan to send out a Dog-Friendly Digs post regularly, so if there is a part of town, budget, or type of apartment you would like me to focus on, please let me know!
  

Fun Friday News- June 10, 2011

Happy Friday all!  I am feeling charitable today so my news for the day supports great causes.

Love wine and dogs (I do!!)?  Well, Silverlake Wine is hosting a tasting to benefit Molly's Mutts and Meows this Saturday from 6-8pm.  It is $30 per person for 4 tastes plus food by Gingergrass, discount on all wine purchases, and a raffle.  Half of the profits go toward helping the rescue find good homes for good mutts!  Check out their Facebook event for more details.



Marina Del Rey's Bark Williams pet spa is offering a $15 bath to support Forte Animal Rescue.  You can buy your tickets online through tomorrow and redeem them in store any time before Wednesday!  The best part? They provide all of the supplies AND clean up after you are done.  Yes, please.

Lastly, I wanted to let everyone know that the Found Animals organization is hosting an Adopt-a-Thon event on Saturday June 18th from 10am-5pm at many locations throughout LA.  There will be discounts on adoption fees so if you are looking for a new member of the family, be sure to check it out!  This might also be a great excuse to check out their new Adopt & Shop store in Lakewood as well...

Money a bit tight these days? Well, the weather should be cooler this weekend- perfect for a (free!) hike with the pup or a trip to the dog park! Have a great weekend!
  

Fat Dog- West Hollywood

I finally got a chance to stop by the Fat Dog in West Hollywood this weekend to have a mid-afternoon snack (and a puppy-themed cocktail of course!) on their dog-friendly patio.  When we arrived, there were already two pups on the patio but there was plenty of space for us to grab a nice table in the corner where Bo had lots of room to hang out.  In fact, Bo even claimed his own chair at the table...

Walker and I split the Jalapeno Mac and Cheese and the crab/hollandaise potato skins… delicious!  I also had the “Well Groomed” cocktail (Pimm's, Ginger Beer, Lemonade, and Cucumber) which was equally as yummy! J

 

All-in-all this is the PERFECT place to have a nice lunch or a cocktail with friends and bring your pup.  Not sure how crowded it gets at night so you may want to go sans-dog to find out first and enjoy the inside of the restaurant for dinner, which comes complete with dog paintings on the walls!  Anyone gone here for dinner and can shed some light?  I may just have to go back and find out myself…!

  

Spot! Dog Rescue

We decided to check out the casting call for Rover at Spot! Dog Rescue in West Hollywood yesterday.  Before we even got into the shop, we were greeted by an adorable lemonade stand/bake sale to support the store's rescue pups.  After stuffing my face with a rice krispy treat and many glasses of lemonade, we went inside to find a very cute shop!

I filled out a card with all of my/Bo's info for the casting call and explored the store for a bit while we waited for our turn.  Not only is this place a pet shop, but it is a grooming salon, a doggy daycare center, and a rescue organization too!  Everyone there was very nice and obviously adored pups of all kinds! :) If you are a West Hollywood dweller, you and your dog absolutely HAVE to check this place out.  Or if you are looking to adopt a new friend, this place has has a bunch of adorable young puppies who need a good home!

On a side note, the meeting with the photographer, Andrew, went very well! Hopefully Bo and I will hear back from him... fingers crossed! :)
  

Fun Friday News- June 3, 2011

Happy Friday all!  I hope everyone is enjoying this BEAUTIFUL weather as much as I am.

First piece of news today is that Spot! Rescue in West Hollywood is hosting a casting call for Andrew Grant’s second edition of the museum-quality coffee table book Rover.  Your mutt’s mug could have a chance to grace one of the 500 pages of this beautiful book!  The casting call takes place this Saturday (June 4^th) from 10am-5pm at 534 N. La Cienega Blvd.  Bo and I will see you there!

A pet owner’s biggest nightmare is not knowing how to help your dog in an emergency.  So why not take some extra precautions to make sure you are prepared by taking a Pet CPR, First Aid, and Care class at Healthy Paws LA?  They offer a variety of different classes, including a comprehensive certification course at Santa Monica College.  The next class is scheduled for July 2^nd and 9^th (2 part morning class) and costs $120 for full certification.

Lastly, today only you can get a Hartz New Pet Pack for a new pet parent and donate an additional pack to a shelter in need… all for FREE!  Just go onto the Hartz Facebook page, go to the Pet Week tab, and follow the instructions to send a friend and his/her new pet a Pet Pack!  Hurry though… they are only giving away 1,000 packs!


Have a fantastic weekend!
  

Calling All Downtown Dogs!

I hope you all had a great memorial day weekend and are having a wonderful first day of June!

A fun little piece of news for Downtown dogs... the Fifth Annual Downtown Dog Day Afternoon has been scheduled for Tuesday, July 26th from 6-9pm.  Last year, over 500 dogs (and their people of course!) showed up to enjoy mingling, vendors, food, and fun.  The event takes place on the plaza of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 555 Temple Street.  Go to the website to register for the free event today!

I know the event is a long way off still, so I have added it to the Trail of Pawprints events calendar as a reminder for you.  Check out the calendar to see all kinds of great events around LA!


Location: 555 Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA