As first reported last March, Seattle Parks has officially chosen an area on the south side of the West Seattle Stadium grounds to become the site of our area’s second dog park (officially, “off-leash area”). Today, Parks announced the next opportunity for community comment: An “open house” at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market on Sunday, February 23, 10 am-2 pm. That’ll be four months after the previous “engagement event” on the future park site, currently used as an overflow-parking area. Parks’ announcement says its “project team and design consultant will be available to answer questions, present concept design options, and gather valuable community feedback” to help shape the park’s final design. So far, they’re planning that it will include “fencing, seating for pet owners, and an environmentally friendly stormwater bioretention area with thoughtful plantings.” It’s one of two new off-leash areas budgeted together for $3.1 million from the Seattle Park District‘s second “funding cycle,” and construction is currently projected for next year.

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When we talked with Pet Pros West Seattle staff one week ago, they confirmed the Jefferson Square store was closing but said they didn’t know when. The regional chain’s headquarters did not answer our subsequent inquiry, but this morning, tipster Mel told us she had found the sign in her photos on the door, and no one in the store. ‘

We just went over to verify and indeed the store is closed (it would normally have opened for the day at 10 am), and the shelves have been emptied. Pet Pros moved its West Seattle store there two years ago, after 15 years at Westwood Village, which ended when a franchise of Pet Supplies Plus moved to WWV.

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Thanks for the tips. The Pet Pros store in Jefferson Square is closing. That was confirmed by Nina, who we talked to by phone; she told us she’s worked for PP for 14 years and just got word of the closure. She told us she didn’t have details – such as the last day – yet. Pet Pros moved to J-Square two years ago, after 15 years at Westwood Village, a run that ended when national chain Pet Supplies Plus moved to that center. The J-Square space isn’t yet listed for lease on the center’s website yet, but it’s next to two others that are – the temp See’s Candies shop and the former U-Frame It space – plus it’s just a few doors down from the vacant ex-Supercuts. The center is likely to face the wrecking ball if West Seattle light rail stays on the path that Sound Transit‘s board voted to support earlier this year, but construction is at least three years out.

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Thanks for the tip! That sign announces a new business on the way to the former Second Gear Sports space at 6529 California SW in Morgan Junction – Happy Doggy, described as a pet grooming salon and self-serve dog wash, aiming to open in January. We have messages out to the person listed in public records as the owner, hoping to find out more. The signage mentions a specific dog-washing system – here’s the background on that.)

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In case you happened onto that scene on the south side of the AJ Apartments at 42nd/Oregon earlier this afternoon – there’s a happy ending. A cat got out of its harness and managed to get itself stuck in the undercarriage of that car. Concerned helpers covered the car with tarps to contain the cat in case it bolted, and tried to figure out what to do. (That’s one helper on their side on the ground to the left of the car!) A tipster contacted us, and we stopped by but couldn’t hang around to see how it turned out. The tipster just texted us that they managed to get the cat out and all’s well:

“It was wedged in some kind of housing,” the tipster reports. “Cats can do crazy things.”

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Another scene from this almost-holiday-season Saturday – pet photos during today’s West Seattle Nursery open house. Our videographer recorded many of the participating pups posing, or not! (The patient photographer was Tessa Gold.)

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By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Neighbors gathered Wednesday afternoon at the site of West Seattle’s future second off-leash area (OLA) dog park to learn more about the project and to give feedback to the project team.

Members of the public are encouraged to share feedback by taking the online survey, which is open until November 11th.  Project information from Seattle Parks is available online here.

As we previewed here, the “West Seattle Stadium Off-Leash Area outreach event” was held at the proposed site just south of West Seattle Stadium (4432 35th Ave SW), as illustrated in this 2023 image from Seattle Parks:

The location for the site was finalized 6 months ago, and this Seattle Parks visual from yesterday’s event gives a closer look at the overhead view of the site:

The site area is 16,000 square feet (.37 acre) and the team is in the early stages of gathering community feedback. The project charter is to “turn the current unpaved overflow parking lot into an OLA (off-leash area) featuring a fenced area for unleashed dogs, seating, and a planted stormwater bioretention area.”

After the survey closes on November 11th, the team will work on design options to bring back to the public for feedback in February/March 2025, and then more detailed construction designs will be created. Actual construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2026 and be completed in fall 2026.  Seattle Parks is providing $3.1 mm for the planning, design, and construction of two OLAs, including this one at West Seattle Stadium as well as one at Othello Playground (4351 S Othello St.)

Team members on-hand Wednesday included project planner Colin Campbell from Seattle Parks, landscape architect Steve Nowaczyk from HBB Landscape Architects who will work on the site designs, and Alec Rodenhauser the chair of COLA (Citizens for Off-Leash Areas) who work with Parks and do local advocacy for OLA projects.

Team members said there was a steady stream of people (as well as 4-legged canine citizens) stopping by on Wednesday afternoon, some who intentionally made the trip, and others who were walking through the area and happened across the event (which project planner Campbell said is “encouraging” and “tells us we’ve got the right spot.”)

Attendees provided their feedback verbally, via note cards as well as sticky notes and stickers, regarding desired features and preferred usage of the OLA:

Project signage is also posted at the site:

The West Seattle area’s only current OLA is further south at Westcrest Park (9000 8th Ave. SW).

For questions about the West Seattle Stadium off-leash project, visit the project website or contact project planner Colin Campbell at 206-790-6642 or Colin.Campbell@seattle.gov.

Also, not far from West Seattle, the project team will also be at Othello Playground (4351 S Othello St, southwest corner of the park) today, Thursday, October 24th, from 4-6 pm to gather community feedback about a similar off-leash project that’s planned for that location.

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Half a year after finalizing the location for West Seattle’s second off-leash area, Seattle Parks is inviting you to a “community engagement event” to find out more about it and offer comments. It’s set for 4-6 pm Wednesday, October 23, at West Seattle Stadium (where the new off-leash area will be created in the “unpaved overflow parking lot” south of the stadium). Parks’ announcement of the event says, “SPR’s project team and design consultant will be available to answer questions, present design concepts, and gather valuable community feedback (to) help shape the final design.” The announcement adds, “Attendees are also encouraged to bring their dogs on-leash in costume for a fun treat. SPR will be accepting pet food donations to benefit the Seattle Animal Shelter at the event or you can visit seattle.gov/animal-shelter/get-involved/donate to donate.” Parks says the off-leash area “will include fencing, seating for pet owners, and an environmentally friendly stormwater bioretention area with thoughtful plantings.” The project page says Parks is currently aiming to build the new West Seattle off-leash area in 2026.

P.S. We asked Parks two followup questions about the October 23 event – where exactly at the stadium, and is it strictly “drop-in”? Spokesperson Rachel Schulkin replied, “The gravel overflow parking lot that is usually chained/blocked off. Take the turn off of 35th Ave SW down the driveway toward the stadium/golf course and it will be immediately on the right. We’ll be the first thing people see when they pull into the stadium/golf course driveway so it should be easy to find as if they use the address for the stadium/golf course. And yes, this will be a drop-in event.”

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(Photo courtesy All The Best Pet Care: Volunteers from Dog Gone Seattle picking up Nulo donations from the 2023 food drive)

Many people are seeking ways to make sure their donation dollars are maximized and used wisely. Those who wish to help local animal shelters and rescues can double their donation at All The Best Pet Care. For the entire month of October, any Nulo or Weruva dog or cat food purchased for donating at an All The Best Pet Care stores will be matched, pound for pound. Customers who buy Nulo or Weruva products for their own cats and dogs will also have a matching amount donated. Customers purchasing these items receive 10% off all month.

The donation recipients will include Alley Cat Project, Ballard Food Bank, Bella’s Voice, Dog Gone Seattle, Homeward Pet, MEOW Cat Rescue, Motley Zoo, Pawsitive Alliance Seattle Area Feline Rescue, Seattle Veterinary Outreach, Resilient Hearts Animal Sanctuary, Washington Health Outreach, and White Center Food Bank.

“Our goal is to donate 24,000 pounds of premium quality cat and dog food to our many deserving animal shelters and rescue groups, which is about equal to a $60,000 donation. We’re excited about this opportunity to make a huge impact on needy dogs and cats in our community,” said Josh Moss, co-CEO of All The Best Pet Care.

The West Seattle All The Best Pet Care store‘s hours are 9:30 am-7:30 pm Mondays-Saturdays, 10 am-7 pm Sundays.

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When we first heard one year ago about the Guinea Fowl (no, they’re not turkeys) roaming north of The Junction, there were four. Most of the sightings and photos we’ve received since then were of just two. Then this week, we started hearing from people about sightings of three – and today, we finally received a photo (thanks, Mariya!). To recap, the birds are reported to have a home, but they roam during the day and have often been seen on the east side of the Junction business district – sometimes in the street. The Seattle Animal Shelter told us last spring they had tried to capture them, but were not successful.

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This afternoon just before 2 pm I came across a dog that had been hit by a car at the top of Olson Place where it turns into Roxbury. I took it in a towel to Urban Animal (in White Center) and while it was still soft and warm, it was definitely deceased. Its face was significantly harmed so we did not take photos.

Here are the best details we have on the sweet dog:

Female
Not Spayed
No chip or collar
Approximately 20 lbs
Grey and soft / curly coat
Possible Poodle / terrier mix

Urban Animal will keep the body for one week.

Super sad, but happy to know she is not getting further run over by cars.

If this dog might be yours, the number for Urban Animal (9610 17th SW; WSB sponsor) is 206-257-1524.

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Two weeks after our previous update on West Seattle’s wandering guinea fowl, we’ve received two new photos today – and since they’re still meandering into streets, we’re warning you again to be mindful. Above, a texter saw them early this morning northeast of The Junction, reporting, “The two famous fowls slowed down my morning commute”; below, Spenser saw them later near West Seattle Bowl, a favorite spot of theirs:

If you’ve missed previous reports, they’re not lost, they are reported to have a home from which they roam. We first mentioned them last September (when they numbered at least four).

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Ten months after we first mentioned West Seattle’s roaming guinea fowl – when there were at least four of them – this pair is still drawing attention. The photo is from Robert Livingston at HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, which got a visit from the guinea fowl about a week and a half ago. We’re writing about them again today because we’re still getting relatively frequent reports, often from people who think they’re turkeys – such as the reader who emailed us after seeing them near 39th/Oregon about an hour ago. They’re still most often seen on the east/northeast side of The Junction. As we’ve noted before, they do apparently have a home. Fun fact from this infopage: They can be “an effective means of pest control.”

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That photo is from Jordan, who’s organizing a community cleanup at West Seattle’s only official dog park – Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area [map] – this Saturday (June 29). We’re mentioning it here in case you haven’t seen it in our Event Calendar or seen the sign-up sheets at the park. Jordan says advance sign-up is NOT necessary – just show up on Saturday, between 10 am and 2 pm: “We’re looking for volunteers to help clean up the park via trimming bushes, filling holes, moving rocks, cleaning the bulletin board, and picking up trash/poop. We ask that people bring some shovels, racks, clippers, and buckets if they have them but some are available to use at the park. Otherwise, donuts/ muffins/ baked goods and coffee will be available to snack on, and whoever would like to show up is more than welcome to!”

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Every day we’re continuing to get reports about the pair of birds we’ve dubbed the wandering guinea fowl of West Seattle, including people who haven’t seen our previous stories and/or who mistake them for turkeys. So we’ve been meaning to mention them again, and today’s the day, because we received a call from someone who saw them near the bridge entrance at 35th/Fauntleroy and was worried the birds were in danger of wandering into traffic. That, they’ve done, in other parts of The Triangle and The Junction, so the concern is not necessarily unmerited. In short, we first mentioned them last year; they have a home northeast of The Junction but they are allowed to roam, and seem to do so avidly. Because of that, the Seattle Animal Shelter told us last month, they’ve attempted to capture the guinea fowl, but haven’t had any luck with that. So what would happen if they did capture these birds? SAS spokesperson Melissa Mixon told us, “If they were in our custody, they would go on a stray hold. If no one reclaimed them, they could be placed for adoption.”

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