What the Flock Is Going On? Birds Crashing Planes Over the Hudson, Dogs Getting Electric Shocks on The Sidewalks of Battery Park, Major Animal Shelter in Queens Shutting It's Doors, Dog Fashion Police...Oh My!
There I was, minding my own, trying to get some work done last Thursday and then the next 72 hours turned into newsroom chaos. Except in this case the newsroom is little o’Chilli. Luckily I can jump pretty fast, because that’s exactly what I was doing from one event to the next.
A flock of geese (allegedly Canadian Geese) decided to fly into the engines of a airplane taking off from LaGuardia Airport (right near Astoria and Jackson Heights, Queens), blowing at least one of the engines and causing the plane to pancake into the Hudson River. Now, whether the geese flew into the engines or got sucked into it is a matter of opinion, but I’m going to guess any halfway intelligent sentient being seeing and hearing a huge grinding engine in front of them is gong to want to fly the other way if they can. Latest reports say the airplane had just taken off and suddenly a formation of geese was splattered on the windshield of the cockpit and the smell of cooked goose wafted through the air.
Thankfully, everyone escaped from the airplane crash with very few major injuries. (If you have a chance, take a look at some of the photos—it’s pretty amazing. The passengers standing on the submerged wings of the plane looks like Jesus and his apostles walking across the river Jordan.) But the geese, presumably, were turned into duck soup. In true New York Post style, the perpetually hyperbolic paper were calling for all geese to be immediately separated from their heads:
Pluck ‘Em!
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01172009/postopinion/editorials/geese_be_gone_150533.htm
Now I am the world’s biggest chicken when it comes to flying. I absolutely, positively hate flying, which means I probably won’t see a lot of people, places and things before I die. So yes, next time I’m about to (reluctantly) board a plane and I see even one goose in the vicinity I’m going to freak out. But kill them all? Eh…not so much. There are other alternatives, and while some of the ideas may need a little work, it’s a start. I spoke with Patrick Kwan, head of the mid-atlantic region of the Humane Society of the United States about it and while I didn’t agree with everything he said, like I said, it’s a start.
Oh, but I’m just getting started. You know it’s really winter in New York when you hear about the first sidewalk shock of the season—and that’s exactly what happened last week. Guy walking his dog down in Battery Park suddenly got a jolt of electricity that shook them both up pretty badly.
Yes, you read that right. It’s not safe in the skies above New York, and it’s not safe on the street below you, either! Sadly, while this has all the makings of an urban legend, it is not. It happens every year. Blair Sorrel, who for seven years has been waging a one-woman war against stray voltage from the street, has an excellent website called Street Zaps which maps all confirmed incidents everywhere. She’s working really hard to get this bizzaro, deadly problem addressed in an meaningful way, so drop by her website and see how you can help. (It’s not just New York City, either—Miami is also a hot spot.)
Oh, but’s that’s not all. I’m just about to update my blog with these two items when I get this piece of news—Animal Haven in Flushing is closing. This is pretty significant around here because Animal Haven, perhaps right behind the ASPCA and North Shore Animal League, is a very popular and well-known animal shelter and adoption agency. Just a little over two years ago they opened a swanky outpost in downtown SoHo (aptly named “Animal Haven SoHo”) which is part fancy store, part shelter, and part groomer/training facility. But the Flushing spot was where the majority of the animals lived. With the shuttering of the Flushing location, some 150 or so dogs and cats are scrambling for a home. I’m still trying to find out what exactly happened here; in the meantime, some of the preliminaries are answered on AH’s Frequently Asked Questions page.
And, finally, of perhaps importance to both our readers to dress up their dogs as well as those sponsors who create and sell often very high-end clothing—the RSPCA of the U.K. is proposing disiplinary action against people who dress up their dogs. Now, okay, I think they have some validity in their objections. If a piece of clothing doesn’t fit right, or obstructs the dog’s view (like several ‘hoodies’ I saw on the street during the cold snap recently—poor dogs had no idea where they were going) or had little accessories on it that they can chew off and swallow, or fabric that can get caught in a gate, or a very hot dress on a very hot day (you see where I’m going with this) you might want to rethink that ‘cute’ outfit. But in the bitter cold of recent weeks, especially for small, short-haired dogs, well-fitted coats are certainly in order. I sent an email to the RSPCA (I’m not calling England) for a response and got back an automated ‘we’ll get back to you’ message.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4227567/RSPCA-says-people-who-dress-up-their-dogs-could-be-prosecuted.html
There’s a whole bunch of other stuff going on, of course, but these three doozies happened within a 24-hour period in the last couple of weeks. As more info trickles in about each of these I’ll let you know, and, of course, when new stuff comes in as well. If you have any info please feel free to post.
Whew! Now back to my regularly scheduled work. Of course, if one of the Obama girls shows up with a puppy on her arm during Inaugeration Day tomorrow I might just have a nervous breakdown. By the way, Mistress Chilli adds to her prediction: the ‘shelter’ puppy, a Labradoodle or a Portugese Water Dog, will likely come from Chicago or Washington, D.C. rescue group. Again, just an educated guess.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Obama's Pick First Dog! (Almost)
Okay, they've at least narrowed the field down to two--either a Labradoodle or a Portuguese Water Dog:
http://news.aol.com/main/obama-presidency/article/obama-dog-choice-down-to-2-breeds/301532
To quote the President-Elect:
"They [presumably his daughters] seem to have narrowed it down to a labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound … [a] medium-sized dog, so we're now going to start looking at shelters to see when one of those dogs might come up," Barack Obama told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on 'This Week.'
What did Mistress Chilli tell you...one of her predictions is that they were going to stick with the Labradoodle (as one of their daughters has requested waay back). She also predicted it will be a 'rescue' Labradoodle if at all possible. (See previous blog posts.) You can bet your bones that shelters across the nation/rescue groups and breeders have sounded the alarm, diving under every rock and crevice looking for a Labradoodle puppy that will be ready to live with the Obamas', oh, probably within the next two months, or on the lookout for one that 'just happens' to come in the door. And then when they do come in the door put him or her in luxury lock-down marked "OBAMAS ONLY."
Mistress Chilli now makes another prediction: the adoption will not be before January 20th, lest the thunder be stolen from the Inauguration, but she does predict it will be within the next two months (so, let's say, by mid-March.) But you never know--in his acceptance speech he did say "...you have earned the new puppy that will be coming with us to the White House" so that *could* mean they're getting it right before they move in (probably not right now--they're living in a hotel, last we heard, and it is a bit of a chaotic time.) Then again, because it's such a chaotic time the Obamas might feel the girls really should get a puppy to be a friend for them as soon as they move in to the White House.
The other interesting possible choice was a Portuguese Water Dog--interesting! I've seen a few around New York and they do seem to be very, very handsome animals, good size, nice personality (again, the ones I met.) The AKC did list them among 'hypoallergenic' breeds (as is the Labradoodle) but honestly every vet I've ever met says there ain't no such thing as a 'hypoallergenic' breed in the truest sense of the word, although there are ones that shed less and/or produce less dander which may be a good choice for allergy sufferers. I had to laugh when I saw one of the ways the AKC described the Portuguese Water Dog:
1. Temperament--Shy, vicious, or unsound behavior.
2. Head--Unimpressive; small in overall size; narrow in topskull; snipey in muzzle.
Wow! Now THIS is a dog that will fit right in among the politicians in Washington! Hey, if that's the type of pet they wanted, why not just let Curious George stay there?) Okay, let me let up on Bush a little bit--they do seem to love their dogs, and indeed their mystery cat, India, died recently, so they do seem to like animals.
Now, let's see how the Obama's pull off getting a Labradoodle or a Portuguese Water Dog puppy from a rescue. Because you know it's going to be a puppy. Most rescues have older dogs available, but puppies are harder to come by unless there's a raid on a puppy mill. And it does happen--for example, just recently in Canada 50 Labradoodle puppies were rescued:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/50_dogs_rescued_from_breeder.html
Canada--if you wanted to improve relations with the U.S., now would be a good time to make a 'gift' to the Obama girls...
And there are of course 'doodle rescues and water dog rescues, so in case Obama reads my blog:
Doodle Rescues and Rehomes
http://disc.yourwebapps.com/Indices/213827.html
Portuguese Water Dog Club of America
http://www.pwdca.org/breed/rescue/
(By the way, Portugal--now would be a good time to make a 'welcoming gift' of a you-know-what, so long as it is a rescue.)
Mistress Chilli also found it amusing that the AKC, one of the first to jump on the Obama dog bandwagon, said this in a press release as soon as our President Elect made the statement:
"While the AKC does not recognize the Labradoodle (considered a mixed breed), over 42,000 voters on the organization’s web site chose a Poodle as the ideal dog for the Obamas in a poll conducted this summer."
A Labradoodle is, of course, a cross between a Labrador and a Poodle (usually a Standard poodle, I think--the big ones.) So you see how the AKC is REALLY trying to say, see! see! Our poll picked a poodle! Okay, we don't recognize Labradoodles as real dogs, but they are part Poodle, and our poll said Poodle, so we won!
They also plucked from their website's description of the Portuguese Water Dog it's finer qualities and left out the stuff about the 'unsound behavior' and so forth. They continue:
The AKC breed standard for the Portuguese Water Dog describes it as “an animal of spirited disposition, self-willed, brave, and very resistant to fatigue. A dog of exceptional intelligence and a loyal companion.”
Mistress Chilli does hope it's a rescue dog--whether from a shelter or a breed rescue. In either case, this would be great. All of the cats, dogs and other creatures that end up in the shelters (in my opinion) are all special (or have the potential to be) but if the Obamas get a rescued purebred dog (and somehow Mistress Chilli suspects the Obamas will jump to the top of the waiting list for a rescued 'doodle or water dog) it will demonstrate to people that there are purebred dogs to be found in the shelter system or through rescues. Granted, some of them (many of them) are older and often have extensive medical or psychological problems, but many people don't even know breeds end up in shelters, and even less are aware of breed rescue groups. So either way, she thinks this is a good thing.
We'll keep you posted.
Listen to Mistress Chilli.
http://news.aol.com/main/obama-presidency/article/obama-dog-choice-down-to-2-breeds/301532
To quote the President-Elect:
"They [presumably his daughters] seem to have narrowed it down to a labradoodle or a Portuguese water hound … [a] medium-sized dog, so we're now going to start looking at shelters to see when one of those dogs might come up," Barack Obama told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos on 'This Week.'
What did Mistress Chilli tell you...one of her predictions is that they were going to stick with the Labradoodle (as one of their daughters has requested waay back). She also predicted it will be a 'rescue' Labradoodle if at all possible. (See previous blog posts.) You can bet your bones that shelters across the nation/rescue groups and breeders have sounded the alarm, diving under every rock and crevice looking for a Labradoodle puppy that will be ready to live with the Obamas', oh, probably within the next two months, or on the lookout for one that 'just happens' to come in the door. And then when they do come in the door put him or her in luxury lock-down marked "OBAMAS ONLY."
Mistress Chilli now makes another prediction: the adoption will not be before January 20th, lest the thunder be stolen from the Inauguration, but she does predict it will be within the next two months (so, let's say, by mid-March.) But you never know--in his acceptance speech he did say "...you have earned the new puppy that will be coming with us to the White House" so that *could* mean they're getting it right before they move in (probably not right now--they're living in a hotel, last we heard, and it is a bit of a chaotic time.) Then again, because it's such a chaotic time the Obamas might feel the girls really should get a puppy to be a friend for them as soon as they move in to the White House.
The other interesting possible choice was a Portuguese Water Dog--interesting! I've seen a few around New York and they do seem to be very, very handsome animals, good size, nice personality (again, the ones I met.) The AKC did list them among 'hypoallergenic' breeds (as is the Labradoodle) but honestly every vet I've ever met says there ain't no such thing as a 'hypoallergenic' breed in the truest sense of the word, although there are ones that shed less and/or produce less dander which may be a good choice for allergy sufferers. I had to laugh when I saw one of the ways the AKC described the Portuguese Water Dog:
1. Temperament--Shy, vicious, or unsound behavior.
2. Head--Unimpressive; small in overall size; narrow in topskull; snipey in muzzle.
Wow! Now THIS is a dog that will fit right in among the politicians in Washington! Hey, if that's the type of pet they wanted, why not just let Curious George stay there?) Okay, let me let up on Bush a little bit--they do seem to love their dogs, and indeed their mystery cat, India, died recently, so they do seem to like animals.
Now, let's see how the Obama's pull off getting a Labradoodle or a Portuguese Water Dog puppy from a rescue. Because you know it's going to be a puppy. Most rescues have older dogs available, but puppies are harder to come by unless there's a raid on a puppy mill. And it does happen--for example, just recently in Canada 50 Labradoodle puppies were rescued:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/50_dogs_rescued_from_breeder.html
Canada--if you wanted to improve relations with the U.S., now would be a good time to make a 'gift' to the Obama girls...
And there are of course 'doodle rescues and water dog rescues, so in case Obama reads my blog:
Doodle Rescues and Rehomes
http://disc.yourwebapps.com/Indices/213827.html
Portuguese Water Dog Club of America
http://www.pwdca.org/breed/rescue/
(By the way, Portugal--now would be a good time to make a 'welcoming gift' of a you-know-what, so long as it is a rescue.)
Mistress Chilli also found it amusing that the AKC, one of the first to jump on the Obama dog bandwagon, said this in a press release as soon as our President Elect made the statement:
"While the AKC does not recognize the Labradoodle (considered a mixed breed), over 42,000 voters on the organization’s web site chose a Poodle as the ideal dog for the Obamas in a poll conducted this summer."
A Labradoodle is, of course, a cross between a Labrador and a Poodle (usually a Standard poodle, I think--the big ones.) So you see how the AKC is REALLY trying to say, see! see! Our poll picked a poodle! Okay, we don't recognize Labradoodles as real dogs, but they are part Poodle, and our poll said Poodle, so we won!
They also plucked from their website's description of the Portuguese Water Dog it's finer qualities and left out the stuff about the 'unsound behavior' and so forth. They continue:
The AKC breed standard for the Portuguese Water Dog describes it as “an animal of spirited disposition, self-willed, brave, and very resistant to fatigue. A dog of exceptional intelligence and a loyal companion.”
Mistress Chilli does hope it's a rescue dog--whether from a shelter or a breed rescue. In either case, this would be great. All of the cats, dogs and other creatures that end up in the shelters (in my opinion) are all special (or have the potential to be) but if the Obamas get a rescued purebred dog (and somehow Mistress Chilli suspects the Obamas will jump to the top of the waiting list for a rescued 'doodle or water dog) it will demonstrate to people that there are purebred dogs to be found in the shelter system or through rescues. Granted, some of them (many of them) are older and often have extensive medical or psychological problems, but many people don't even know breeds end up in shelters, and even less are aware of breed rescue groups. So either way, she thinks this is a good thing.
We'll keep you posted.
Listen to Mistress Chilli.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Scary Outbreak Endangers Brooklyn Shelter Dogs; and Riding the Rails With Rover?
With kudos to Bob Marino of NYC DOG and the ever-alert folks on the NYC_DOG chat board for bringing these to our attention.
Wed Jan 7, 2009 8:48 am (PST)
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/01/07/2009-01-07_new_york_city_animal_shelters_scramble_a.html
New York City animal shelters scramble after strep outbreak kills dogs
BY LISA L. COLANGELO
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, January 7th 2009, 4:00 AM
Adams/News
A dog awaiting adoption rest in her cage within the Brooklyn Animal Care and Control Center.
A rare and potentially deadly illness has wreaked havoc on the city animal shelter system, killing several dogs and leading officials to shut down a Brooklyn facility for almost a week.
At least four dogs - and possibly a dozen more - were killed by an outbreak of Streptoccocus equi subsp. zooepidemicus, also known as Strep Zoo, at Animal Care & Control's Brooklyn shelter.
Worried animal rescuers said the toll might be even greater, fearing additional dogs could have been infected or felled by the dangerous bug before it was discovered.
AC&C officials said the danger to other dogs has passed and reopened the Brooklyn shelter late Monday. The shelter was closed last week to people who wanted to drop off and adopt dogs, but had continued to take in stray and unwanted cats.
Everyone, including police officers and rescuers with stray animals, were redirected to AC&C's Manhattan shelter, which is undergoing renovations.
"We didn't want this to spread. We started isolation with the sick animals," said AC&C spokesman Richard Gentles. "There is no instance of Strep Zoo in any of the other shelters."
Gentles declined to call the incident an "outbreak" and said all the animals were put on penicillin as a precaution.
Animal rescuer Kerry Clare said most of the six dogs her group took in from AC&C last month have fallen ill.
Clare, who helps run the Middletown, N.Y.-based Pets Alive shelter and sanctuary, said shortly after taking 2-year-old mutt Mindy from the Brooklyn shelter, the pooch started bleeding from the nose. Three other rescued dogs then began to vomit blood.
"We put all of our 80 dogs on penicillin twice a day and had to shut our own doors for nine days to avoid infecting the community," said Clare. "This is heartbreaking and a financial disaster for a shelter like us."
AC&C, a nonprofit that operates under a contract with the Health Department, has long struggled with underfunding, overcrowding and staff turnover.
Shelter officials were recently told by the Health Department they would have to cut almost $500,000 from their $8.6 million budget.
lcolangelo@nydailynews.com
******************************************************************************
And, a petition to let dogs ride on the subway is underway. As of 2:30pm EST already had close to 130 signatures. Any opinions on this?
http://www.petitiononline.com/SbwyDogs/petition.html
To: New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority
New York residents are highly dependent on public transportation. City-wide,
over 40% do not own a car--75% in Manhattan. Yet, a specific class of over
one million subway-dependent residents are left stranded for lack of a small
accommodation that is common in many other cities. Well-behaved dogs are
permitted on subways in Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto, London,
Paris, Zurich, Berlin, Munich and others. Why not New York?
We request that the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority allow subway
riders to be accompanied by one licensed, Canine Good Citizen-certified dog,
subject to the same restrictions as riders who bring bicycles
(http://www.mta.info/nyct/safety/bike/index.html). As in other cities, a dog
is subject to adult fare.
animal shelters scramble after strep outbreak kills dogs
Wed Jan 7, 2009 8:48 am (PST)
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/01/07/2009-01-07_new_york_city_animal_shelters_scramble_a.html
New York City animal shelters scramble after strep outbreak kills dogs
BY LISA L. COLANGELO
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, January 7th 2009, 4:00 AM
Adams/News
A dog awaiting adoption rest in her cage within the Brooklyn Animal Care and Control Center.
A rare and potentially deadly illness has wreaked havoc on the city animal shelter system, killing several dogs and leading officials to shut down a Brooklyn facility for almost a week.
At least four dogs - and possibly a dozen more - were killed by an outbreak of Streptoccocus equi subsp. zooepidemicus, also known as Strep Zoo, at Animal Care & Control's Brooklyn shelter.
Worried animal rescuers said the toll might be even greater, fearing additional dogs could have been infected or felled by the dangerous bug before it was discovered.
AC&C officials said the danger to other dogs has passed and reopened the Brooklyn shelter late Monday. The shelter was closed last week to people who wanted to drop off and adopt dogs, but had continued to take in stray and unwanted cats.
Everyone, including police officers and rescuers with stray animals, were redirected to AC&C's Manhattan shelter, which is undergoing renovations.
"We didn't want this to spread. We started isolation with the sick animals," said AC&C spokesman Richard Gentles. "There is no instance of Strep Zoo in any of the other shelters."
Gentles declined to call the incident an "outbreak" and said all the animals were put on penicillin as a precaution.
Animal rescuer Kerry Clare said most of the six dogs her group took in from AC&C last month have fallen ill.
Clare, who helps run the Middletown, N.Y.-based Pets Alive shelter and sanctuary, said shortly after taking 2-year-old mutt Mindy from the Brooklyn shelter, the pooch started bleeding from the nose. Three other rescued dogs then began to vomit blood.
"We put all of our 80 dogs on penicillin twice a day and had to shut our own doors for nine days to avoid infecting the community," said Clare. "This is heartbreaking and a financial disaster for a shelter like us."
AC&C, a nonprofit that operates under a contract with the Health Department, has long struggled with underfunding, overcrowding and staff turnover.
Shelter officials were recently told by the Health Department they would have to cut almost $500,000 from their $8.6 million budget.
lcolangelo@nydailynews.com
******************************************************************************
And, a petition to let dogs ride on the subway is underway. As of 2:30pm EST already had close to 130 signatures. Any opinions on this?
http://www.petitiononline.com/SbwyDogs/petition.html
To: New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority
New York residents are highly dependent on public transportation. City-wide,
over 40% do not own a car--75% in Manhattan. Yet, a specific class of over
one million subway-dependent residents are left stranded for lack of a small
accommodation that is common in many other cities. Well-behaved dogs are
permitted on subways in Boston, Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto, London,
Paris, Zurich, Berlin, Munich and others. Why not New York?
We request that the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority allow subway
riders to be accompanied by one licensed, Canine Good Citizen-certified dog,
subject to the same restrictions as riders who bring bicycles
(http://www.mta.info/nyct/safety/bike/index.html). As in other cities, a dog
is subject to adult fare.
animal shelters scramble after strep outbreak kills dogs
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Much A-Doo_
Yes, and in at least one case I mean that quite literally.
But, don't have time to go into detail about it right now, so will just give little "caps":
First, the good news: New York Tails Magazine was in the New York Times! This is why I, Mistress Chilli Chinchilla, write this blog--because Diane is often criticized as being much too quiet and shy about her own accomplishments. But she is very proud of New York Tails magazine, and, especially, the people who run it (she is just the secretary) as evidenced here:
Tales of Pampered Pets and Humans on a Leash --
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/nyregion/28dogs.html
Okay, I'm not crazy about the title, but reporter Lily Koppel was very generous with her time and of course in the article, for which we thank her! Lily has a lot of sh*t going on in her life, too -- the paperback version of her runaway book, "The Red Leather Diary" comes out Jan. 20th and then its off on a nationwide book tour after that. Check it out--it's the intriguing, true story of a dumpster, a diary, and the dreams of a young woman in the 1930s.
Now for some real sh*t:
--I'm not kidding; one of the most buzzed-about pet books on the street right now is
New York's Poop Scoop Law: Dogs, Dirt, and Due Process by Michael Brandow. Mr. Brandow first starting pooping, er, popping up on dog chat boards and here and there in New York, and suddenly he was on national television and this week is a guest columnist in the New York Times' "The City" section. The discussion, to which you can contribute to and ask questions, is quite spirited indeed. Check it out here:
New York's Poop Scoop Law (History of, Controvery Over, etc.)
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/ask-about-new-yorks-dog-scooping-law/#comment-231875
It is everything you wanted to know (and in several cases didn't want to know) about dog poop on the streets of New York. Some of it gets very...descriptive, shall we say.
--Dogs on a Train--NOT: The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has always been a little vague as to whether one can transport pets on the subways and buses. The general rule seems to be that so long as the animal is securely contained in a carrier, or, if a service dog, on a leash, it's all good. Now when I say 'service dog' you automatically thought of a guide dog, didn't you? Aye, there's the rub with this one. Woman says she is disabled, but not visibly so, and claims she and her very large dog were kicked off a train (and a bus before that) very rudely:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/01/04/2009-01-04_woman_sues_for_10m_for_being_denied_subw.html
This does raise a number of interesting points. First, it may compel the transit authority to outline what/when/etc. a dog, cat, or otherwise can be transported on a public bus or subway. Again, usually if it's a little Chihuahua or Yorkie ('pocket pooch' they are sometimes called) in someone's carrier and they happen to pop their head out, no prob. Same with a cat. But this is a big dog, and not a seeing eye dog.
The conundrum: Who is to tell this lady she is not disabled and could not function in daily life without this dog's escort? (Certainly not me.) On the other hand, there is the real potential (it's already starting) for everyone to start calling their dog/cat/etc. a 'service animal', which then puts them under Federal protection in the Disabilities Act, and an unintended consequence is discrimination against the disabled by landlords when trying to rent an apartment, etc. (Of course they won't say it's because they are disabled, but rather, don't want everyone to use the disabled clause in order to have a pet. Hey, this is New York -- we all go to psychiatrists!)
A Little Birdie Told Me
There's still trouble a'brewing at the Animal Medical Center on East 62nd and East End Avenue. Right before the New Year's holiday the hospital abruptly shut the doors to it's exotics department--one of only a few places in the city, nay, the tri-state area, where one could bring their parrot, ferret, and, of course, Chinchilla. (Hence there is a vested interest in this for Mistress Chilli.) The head of the department, Dr. Katherine Quesenberry, left a message on her machine just before New Year's saying the Exotic department would be no more and those that were concerned should write to the CEO, etc. She's since changed her message (likely told to change her message) to simply the Exotic department has been "dissolved as of January 2nd" and to call the main switchboard occasionally to see where she herself has landed, most likely at another vet practice in Manhattan. Those looking for their pet's medical records should call the main switchboard at 212.838-8100 and ask for Medical Records.
However, AMC is loathe (really loathe) to admit the exotic department is gone. Yours truly called their communications department, again, to ask what was up. All we keep getting told is the hospital is 'very hopeful that [we] can continue to give exotic services here' but exotics were now only seen on an emergency basis. When asked where people should go in the interim, we were given a brisk 'yes, there are other exotic animal doctors in the city' but were again told "they hope to continue...yada yada yada." Disturbing to me is their reluctance to give the names of some of the exotic vets in the area; I can understand not wanting to support your competition, but hey, if I'm (Mistress Chilli) is sick, there are not a lot of doctors qualified to see me.
Luckily, I have been going to the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine on Columbus Avenue and the 80s on the Upper West Side for several years now. and they are fabulous. From Nurse Lorelei Tibbetts to Dr. Linda Pesek, to the always courteous and professional staff, to the bunnies up for adoption in the front and the aviary in the window--I can't say enough about them. They took care of my late husband, Speedy, who lived to the ripe old age of 14, with such gentle care and gave him at least another year to live. And when he passed they sent me the most wonderful, hand-written condolence card. The tops. So if you're in a pinch and need a bird, ferret, chinchilla, reptile, etc. doctor (especially birds) I highly recommend CAEM based on my own experiences.
Another doctor in the area people swear by is Dr. Anthony Pilny, who used to work at CAEM until some involved drama that I never could quite get to the bottom of couple years back. He's now practicing at Veterinary Internal Medicine and Allergy Specialists on the Upper East Side a couple of days a week and at the Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers which is in lower Westchester, just above the Bronx border. There are also several excellent vets on the Island and elsewhere in Westchester, so not leaving those out on purpose, but those are the two I can suggest to you off the top of my head.
From City To State
New York City's League of Humane Voters is now going statewide, focusing on broader state-wide animal issues and legislation. Director John Phillips made the official announcement today but it's been an open secret since at least November when the LOHV had it's annual Gala (which raises big bucks for the organization each year.) Gossip on the street had been that all was not well in the state of the LOHV, with power struggles, upheavals and accusations of monetary mismanagement afoot. I asked John about it but he just chalked it up to growing pains, ie, when you grow you'll have your supporters and your detractors, that it's a strong organization with many successful people, etc., etc. I asked my "critical" source to be a bit more specific so let's see the answer I get, if any. (I should disclose that Mistress Chilli has been a member of the LOHVs for some time now and is regularly a part of the "Host Committee" (read: I help sell tickets) of the annual Gala.)
Good Girl -- Very Good Girl
Also wanted to acknowledge on this day (Tuesday, January 6th) the memory of someone who was very special and instrumental to many in the NYC dog world, Robin Kovary. Several had suggested she'd like nothing better than a donation to an adoption group in her name; sounds like a good way to start off the New Year. Hope you've met your friends at the Rainbow Bridge and are enjoying eternity with them, Robin. I didn't know you personally but have heard of the legend.
Okay, if you've made it this far (whew--I congratulate you--because I almost didn't) then you deserve to go out on a high note with a little treat. Veterinary Pet Insurance just came out with the 'Top Dog and Cat Names of 2008'. Interesting side note, according to them, is that some of the very same names are tops among human baby names on file with the Social Security department! (Humanizing our pets much?) (Just set you up for a debate for another day.)
Top Dog and Cat Names 2008 per Veterinary Pet Insurance Group
Dogs Cats
1. Max 1. Max
2. Bailey 2. Chloe
3. Bella 3. Tigger
4. Molly 4. Tiger
5. Lucy 5. Lucy
6. Buddy 6. Smokey
7. Maggie 7. Oliver
8. Daisy 8. Bella
9. Sophie 9. Shadow
10. Chloe 10. Charlie
But, don't have time to go into detail about it right now, so will just give little "caps":
First, the good news: New York Tails Magazine was in the New York Times! This is why I, Mistress Chilli Chinchilla, write this blog--because Diane is often criticized as being much too quiet and shy about her own accomplishments. But she is very proud of New York Tails magazine, and, especially, the people who run it (she is just the secretary) as evidenced here:
Tales of Pampered Pets and Humans on a Leash --
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/nyregion/28dogs.html
Okay, I'm not crazy about the title, but reporter Lily Koppel was very generous with her time and of course in the article, for which we thank her! Lily has a lot of sh*t going on in her life, too -- the paperback version of her runaway book, "The Red Leather Diary" comes out Jan. 20th and then its off on a nationwide book tour after that. Check it out--it's the intriguing, true story of a dumpster, a diary, and the dreams of a young woman in the 1930s.
Now for some real sh*t:
--I'm not kidding; one of the most buzzed-about pet books on the street right now is
New York's Poop Scoop Law: Dogs, Dirt, and Due Process by Michael Brandow. Mr. Brandow first starting pooping, er, popping up on dog chat boards and here and there in New York, and suddenly he was on national television and this week is a guest columnist in the New York Times' "The City" section. The discussion, to which you can contribute to and ask questions, is quite spirited indeed. Check it out here:
New York's Poop Scoop Law (History of, Controvery Over, etc.)
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/ask-about-new-yorks-dog-scooping-law/#comment-231875
It is everything you wanted to know (and in several cases didn't want to know) about dog poop on the streets of New York. Some of it gets very...descriptive, shall we say.
--Dogs on a Train--NOT: The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has always been a little vague as to whether one can transport pets on the subways and buses. The general rule seems to be that so long as the animal is securely contained in a carrier, or, if a service dog, on a leash, it's all good. Now when I say 'service dog' you automatically thought of a guide dog, didn't you? Aye, there's the rub with this one. Woman says she is disabled, but not visibly so, and claims she and her very large dog were kicked off a train (and a bus before that) very rudely:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/01/04/2009-01-04_woman_sues_for_10m_for_being_denied_subw.html
This does raise a number of interesting points. First, it may compel the transit authority to outline what/when/etc. a dog, cat, or otherwise can be transported on a public bus or subway. Again, usually if it's a little Chihuahua or Yorkie ('pocket pooch' they are sometimes called) in someone's carrier and they happen to pop their head out, no prob. Same with a cat. But this is a big dog, and not a seeing eye dog.
The conundrum: Who is to tell this lady she is not disabled and could not function in daily life without this dog's escort? (Certainly not me.) On the other hand, there is the real potential (it's already starting) for everyone to start calling their dog/cat/etc. a 'service animal', which then puts them under Federal protection in the Disabilities Act, and an unintended consequence is discrimination against the disabled by landlords when trying to rent an apartment, etc. (Of course they won't say it's because they are disabled, but rather, don't want everyone to use the disabled clause in order to have a pet. Hey, this is New York -- we all go to psychiatrists!)
A Little Birdie Told Me
There's still trouble a'brewing at the Animal Medical Center on East 62nd and East End Avenue. Right before the New Year's holiday the hospital abruptly shut the doors to it's exotics department--one of only a few places in the city, nay, the tri-state area, where one could bring their parrot, ferret, and, of course, Chinchilla. (Hence there is a vested interest in this for Mistress Chilli.) The head of the department, Dr. Katherine Quesenberry, left a message on her machine just before New Year's saying the Exotic department would be no more and those that were concerned should write to the CEO, etc. She's since changed her message (likely told to change her message) to simply the Exotic department has been "dissolved as of January 2nd" and to call the main switchboard occasionally to see where she herself has landed, most likely at another vet practice in Manhattan. Those looking for their pet's medical records should call the main switchboard at 212.838-8100 and ask for Medical Records.
However, AMC is loathe (really loathe) to admit the exotic department is gone. Yours truly called their communications department, again, to ask what was up. All we keep getting told is the hospital is 'very hopeful that [we] can continue to give exotic services here' but exotics were now only seen on an emergency basis. When asked where people should go in the interim, we were given a brisk 'yes, there are other exotic animal doctors in the city' but were again told "they hope to continue...yada yada yada." Disturbing to me is their reluctance to give the names of some of the exotic vets in the area; I can understand not wanting to support your competition, but hey, if I'm (Mistress Chilli) is sick, there are not a lot of doctors qualified to see me.
Luckily, I have been going to the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine on Columbus Avenue and the 80s on the Upper West Side for several years now. and they are fabulous. From Nurse Lorelei Tibbetts to Dr. Linda Pesek, to the always courteous and professional staff, to the bunnies up for adoption in the front and the aviary in the window--I can't say enough about them. They took care of my late husband, Speedy, who lived to the ripe old age of 14, with such gentle care and gave him at least another year to live. And when he passed they sent me the most wonderful, hand-written condolence card. The tops. So if you're in a pinch and need a bird, ferret, chinchilla, reptile, etc. doctor (especially birds) I highly recommend CAEM based on my own experiences.
Another doctor in the area people swear by is Dr. Anthony Pilny, who used to work at CAEM until some involved drama that I never could quite get to the bottom of couple years back. He's now practicing at Veterinary Internal Medicine and Allergy Specialists on the Upper East Side a couple of days a week and at the Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers which is in lower Westchester, just above the Bronx border. There are also several excellent vets on the Island and elsewhere in Westchester, so not leaving those out on purpose, but those are the two I can suggest to you off the top of my head.
From City To State
New York City's League of Humane Voters is now going statewide, focusing on broader state-wide animal issues and legislation. Director John Phillips made the official announcement today but it's been an open secret since at least November when the LOHV had it's annual Gala (which raises big bucks for the organization each year.) Gossip on the street had been that all was not well in the state of the LOHV, with power struggles, upheavals and accusations of monetary mismanagement afoot. I asked John about it but he just chalked it up to growing pains, ie, when you grow you'll have your supporters and your detractors, that it's a strong organization with many successful people, etc., etc. I asked my "critical" source to be a bit more specific so let's see the answer I get, if any. (I should disclose that Mistress Chilli has been a member of the LOHVs for some time now and is regularly a part of the "Host Committee" (read: I help sell tickets) of the annual Gala.)
Good Girl -- Very Good Girl
Also wanted to acknowledge on this day (Tuesday, January 6th) the memory of someone who was very special and instrumental to many in the NYC dog world, Robin Kovary. Several had suggested she'd like nothing better than a donation to an adoption group in her name; sounds like a good way to start off the New Year. Hope you've met your friends at the Rainbow Bridge and are enjoying eternity with them, Robin. I didn't know you personally but have heard of the legend.
Okay, if you've made it this far (whew--I congratulate you--because I almost didn't) then you deserve to go out on a high note with a little treat. Veterinary Pet Insurance just came out with the 'Top Dog and Cat Names of 2008'. Interesting side note, according to them, is that some of the very same names are tops among human baby names on file with the Social Security department! (Humanizing our pets much?) (Just set you up for a debate for another day.)
Top Dog and Cat Names 2008 per Veterinary Pet Insurance Group
Dogs Cats
1. Max 1. Max
2. Bailey 2. Chloe
3. Bella 3. Tigger
4. Molly 4. Tiger
5. Lucy 5. Lucy
6. Buddy 6. Smokey
7. Maggie 7. Oliver
8. Daisy 8. Bella
9. Sophie 9. Shadow
10. Chloe 10. Charlie
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