Marty
09-23-2005, 07:35 AM
New York, NY -- Back in the hippie days, as Barbara Ryan likes to call those hazy years a few decades back, the Chicago resident had to teach her free-roaming pup to be a fugitive.
The terrier-mix should have been able to meander where she wanted, leash-free, Ryan believed. The law thought otherwise.
"I had her trained to run from the cops. I'd say "Cops" and she'd go sit under a parked car or go hide behind a bush," Ryan remembered, enjoying Montrose Harbor Beach this week with two other pooches.
As it turns out, those days are long gone. Pups are now first class in the Second City, at least according to the country's biggest canine periodical Dog Fancy. In its latest issue, the magazine has christened Chicago "Dogtown USA"--as the pooch friendliest city in the whole dog gone nation. Think Money Magazine's Best Places to Live rankings, but for the four-legged set.
It's enough to have the city's dog lovers howling with joy. Anne Kent, interim executive director of Animal Care and Control, will accept the award on Saturday and said that it shows how Chicago is friendly to everybody.
"We're exceptionally proud. This just enhances our city," Kent said. "By being dog friendly, we're also being people friendly. People want to travel with animals, they want to bring their animals to a lot of locations, to go to dog parks and beaches."
Earlier this year, the magazine--which has about a quarter-million circulation--called on dog lovers to submit their picks for best cities for pooches. Readers submitted 101 towns, and editors winnowed out places that don't have leash laws or do have breed-specific legislation, such as laws that ban pit bulls. A ban on pit bulls was proposed by Chicago Ald. Ginger Rugai (19th) but never acted upon by the City Council. The magazine believes animals should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, said Dog Fancy editor Susan Chaney.
Then they set to looking at numbers, though it's a little like herding cats, Chaney admits. Unlike a census of people, dog data is hard to come by and often is inconsistent from city to city. But they looked at access to emergency health pet care, availability of dog trainers and trends in spay and neuter programs, among other issues.
The November issue gives kudos to Chicago's health care for the estimated 600,000 pooches in the city, including a high vet-to-pet ratio (1 pet to every 368 dogs), more than 100 specialists for all types of pet ailments and strong vaccination rates.
They then factored in the little perks that make a dog's life a day at the beach. Like the life of Macy, a 3-year-old Brittany who spends afternoons at Montrose Harbor beach--better known as the dog beach--waiting for Emily Lindner to toss tennis balls into the water.
Chicago is Macy's kind of town, Lindner said.
"She was born in a farm in Ohio. She had a big backyard. But that's all she ever saw," Lindner explained, sweeping her arm toward Lake Michigan's horizon. "This is better than anything she could get anywhere else."
On a busy errand day, Lindner said she can take her pooch to her dry cleaner, her hair stylist, her bank and take a break sitting outside at a favorite caf.
That's the kind of day dog lovers crave, Chaney said.
"People who love dogs just want to do everything with their dogs," she said. "Animals are an important part of people's lives, and any city that makes it easier to have a dog makes the city more accessible."
Chicago nosed out New York City, and other pup hotspots the magazine cited as top ten cities were as varied as Albuquerque, N.M.; Bellingham, Wash.; and Long Beach, Calif.
The Dog Fancy announcement comes on the heels of a Web site that lists dog-friendly amenities nationwide and named Chicago its top pick. Earlier this summer, www.dogfriendly.com picked Chicago as the best city to visit with a dog.
Chicago boasts a city full of dog-friendly hotels. This summer, the Hotel Monaco Chicago even brought a Lhasa Apso on staff as the director of pet relations.
But one well-known tourist business, the river cruises, decided to go native by inviting dogs on board once a week. The idea began as a way to attract Chicagoans when it seemed the tourist business would falter after Sept. 11, 2001, said Holly Agra, co-owner of Mercury, Chicago Skyline Cruiseline. Since then, the weekly cruise has been a tail-wagging success for dogs, their city and suburban owners and the crew.
But Chicago is also dog friendly in the littlest details. Outside the Engine 55 firehouse in Lincoln Park, firefighters keep a hydrant trickling into a bucket for thirsty hounds passing by and hand out dog biscuits as though the pups are costumed kids at Halloween.
Foster, a yellow Labrador Retriever, gobbled up her offering and made fast friends with firefighters willing to scratch her rump. Foster's owner, Joanne Bonar, also a professional dog walker, said the popularity of dogs means more businesses are opening their doors to well-behaved pooches.
The city is dog friendly overall, but has room for improvement, she said. Many dog-friendly parks are paved, she said, explaining, "If you have a puppy, you shouldn't let it run there. It's too hard on the joints."
Pet expert Steve Dale, an author and WGN radio host of "Pet Central," says Chicago could be dog-friendlier by further encouraging spay and neuter programs, finding homes for unwanted dogs and somehow dealing with bad dog owners who abuse or neglect their pets.
But he also points to a Wednesday night fundraiser called "Mardi Growl: Chicago Lends a Paw," with proceeds benefiting the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and rescue efforts for animals.
The hastily arranged event attended by about 500 people shows that for Chicagoans, Dogtown is also a state of mind.
"It shows the kind of relations that the dog community here has," Dale said. "When something happens, Chicago doesn't have three people that respond. Everyone responds. I don't know that that kind of cooperation could have coalesced so quickly in another town."
But that's Dogtown for you.
The terrier-mix should have been able to meander where she wanted, leash-free, Ryan believed. The law thought otherwise.
"I had her trained to run from the cops. I'd say "Cops" and she'd go sit under a parked car or go hide behind a bush," Ryan remembered, enjoying Montrose Harbor Beach this week with two other pooches.
As it turns out, those days are long gone. Pups are now first class in the Second City, at least according to the country's biggest canine periodical Dog Fancy. In its latest issue, the magazine has christened Chicago "Dogtown USA"--as the pooch friendliest city in the whole dog gone nation. Think Money Magazine's Best Places to Live rankings, but for the four-legged set.
It's enough to have the city's dog lovers howling with joy. Anne Kent, interim executive director of Animal Care and Control, will accept the award on Saturday and said that it shows how Chicago is friendly to everybody.
"We're exceptionally proud. This just enhances our city," Kent said. "By being dog friendly, we're also being people friendly. People want to travel with animals, they want to bring their animals to a lot of locations, to go to dog parks and beaches."
Earlier this year, the magazine--which has about a quarter-million circulation--called on dog lovers to submit their picks for best cities for pooches. Readers submitted 101 towns, and editors winnowed out places that don't have leash laws or do have breed-specific legislation, such as laws that ban pit bulls. A ban on pit bulls was proposed by Chicago Ald. Ginger Rugai (19th) but never acted upon by the City Council. The magazine believes animals should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, said Dog Fancy editor Susan Chaney.
Then they set to looking at numbers, though it's a little like herding cats, Chaney admits. Unlike a census of people, dog data is hard to come by and often is inconsistent from city to city. But they looked at access to emergency health pet care, availability of dog trainers and trends in spay and neuter programs, among other issues.
The November issue gives kudos to Chicago's health care for the estimated 600,000 pooches in the city, including a high vet-to-pet ratio (1 pet to every 368 dogs), more than 100 specialists for all types of pet ailments and strong vaccination rates.
They then factored in the little perks that make a dog's life a day at the beach. Like the life of Macy, a 3-year-old Brittany who spends afternoons at Montrose Harbor beach--better known as the dog beach--waiting for Emily Lindner to toss tennis balls into the water.
Chicago is Macy's kind of town, Lindner said.
"She was born in a farm in Ohio. She had a big backyard. But that's all she ever saw," Lindner explained, sweeping her arm toward Lake Michigan's horizon. "This is better than anything she could get anywhere else."
On a busy errand day, Lindner said she can take her pooch to her dry cleaner, her hair stylist, her bank and take a break sitting outside at a favorite caf.
That's the kind of day dog lovers crave, Chaney said.
"People who love dogs just want to do everything with their dogs," she said. "Animals are an important part of people's lives, and any city that makes it easier to have a dog makes the city more accessible."
Chicago nosed out New York City, and other pup hotspots the magazine cited as top ten cities were as varied as Albuquerque, N.M.; Bellingham, Wash.; and Long Beach, Calif.
The Dog Fancy announcement comes on the heels of a Web site that lists dog-friendly amenities nationwide and named Chicago its top pick. Earlier this summer, www.dogfriendly.com picked Chicago as the best city to visit with a dog.
Chicago boasts a city full of dog-friendly hotels. This summer, the Hotel Monaco Chicago even brought a Lhasa Apso on staff as the director of pet relations.
But one well-known tourist business, the river cruises, decided to go native by inviting dogs on board once a week. The idea began as a way to attract Chicagoans when it seemed the tourist business would falter after Sept. 11, 2001, said Holly Agra, co-owner of Mercury, Chicago Skyline Cruiseline. Since then, the weekly cruise has been a tail-wagging success for dogs, their city and suburban owners and the crew.
But Chicago is also dog friendly in the littlest details. Outside the Engine 55 firehouse in Lincoln Park, firefighters keep a hydrant trickling into a bucket for thirsty hounds passing by and hand out dog biscuits as though the pups are costumed kids at Halloween.
Foster, a yellow Labrador Retriever, gobbled up her offering and made fast friends with firefighters willing to scratch her rump. Foster's owner, Joanne Bonar, also a professional dog walker, said the popularity of dogs means more businesses are opening their doors to well-behaved pooches.
The city is dog friendly overall, but has room for improvement, she said. Many dog-friendly parks are paved, she said, explaining, "If you have a puppy, you shouldn't let it run there. It's too hard on the joints."
Pet expert Steve Dale, an author and WGN radio host of "Pet Central," says Chicago could be dog-friendlier by further encouraging spay and neuter programs, finding homes for unwanted dogs and somehow dealing with bad dog owners who abuse or neglect their pets.
But he also points to a Wednesday night fundraiser called "Mardi Growl: Chicago Lends a Paw," with proceeds benefiting the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and rescue efforts for animals.
The hastily arranged event attended by about 500 people shows that for Chicagoans, Dogtown is also a state of mind.
"It shows the kind of relations that the dog community here has," Dale said. "When something happens, Chicago doesn't have three people that respond. Everyone responds. I don't know that that kind of cooperation could have coalesced so quickly in another town."
But that's Dogtown for you.