West Seattle, Washington
03 Sunday
That’s Mo, a Chow mix who lives with Cammie Owen — after being rescued from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, plagued by mange but ready to thrive in a new home. You would think the hurricane would have been enough of an ordeal that this dog should have had smooth sailing ever since, but then came a sudden, life-threatening sickness:
That’s Mo just days ago, his belly shaved after an ultrasound, as vets tried frantically to figure out what was wrong with him. Cammie says they believe he ingested rat poison — and she suspects that happened at Westcrest Park, where she has put up warning flyers. And she says he’s not the only dog that runs there that’s gotten sick:Read More
We have been working today on a story about a dog that got very sick after running in Westcrest Off-Leash Area, and its vet and owner suspect rat poison may have been to blame. While we are continuing to work on those details for a longer article you will see here in a little while, we have just received what looks like a followup on the Fauntleroy Park poison concern we posted here two weeks ago. This was forwarded from the Partners for Animal Welfare newsletter, quoting another organization’s bulletin:
This notice just came in via Pasado Safe Haven’s e-mail newsletter the week of January 28th . In looking into this a little more on the web, unfortunately people may be trying to poison the many coyotes that have been spotted in the area, but your dog might very easily pick up the food or treats being left out. Please watch your dogs while at any park in West Seattle!
NEWS ALERT JUST PHONED IN:
Reported Poison in Fauntleroy Park, West SeattleIf you walk your dog in Fauntleroy Park, in West Seattle, please be warned; multiple dogs have ingested poison in the park! Apparently the poison is in dog food, bones, and other dog treats. These enticing treats have been found under bushes and throughout the park. Please be careful and let anyone you know who goes to Fauntleroy, know also. Thank you!
Just as we were reading that e-mail, we got a call back from the Parks Department employee we’d called about Westcrest, Carol Baker. She tells WSB the department is NOT aware of any NEW incident of suspected poison having been found in Fauntleroy Park since this report on Jan. 14. More later on that and also the Westcrest report (we have spoken with the owner of the dog in that incident, which is recovering, but in the short run, if you take your dog to that park, sounds like it would be a good idea to keep very close watch to keep it from ingesting anything).
The West Seattle-based animal helpers at Furry Faces Foundation are working on Spay Day USA events coming up next month, including a special clinic day for feral cats, 
but there’s one thing you can help them with RIGHT NOW – they need donations of clean, used towels. The towels are used to keep the animals warm while they recover; towels donated now will be reused for future events too. Teri Ensley of FFF (aka “F-Cubed”), says the success of spaying/neutering campaigns will help more than just the cats directly involved — it means “less kittens will enter our shelters which will increase the adoption rate of adult cats because they don’t have to compete with the cute little kittens.” (Seen above, two cats we adopted as adults – them and us! – from local shelters.) Take your clean, dry used towels to Pet Elements in Morgan Junction (6701 California Ave SW). And if you have a question about Spay Day USA, e-mail Teri (furryfaces@hotmail.com). There are some other ways you can help – check the WSB Pets page.
Following up on the capture of the suspected serval in West Seattle (sighting first reported here Friday; capture reported here Saturday; photo at left shows a wild serval, haven’t seen one yet of the actual capturee): We just heard back from Don Jordan, director of the Seattle Animal Shelter, who gave WSB the full scoop on what happened, and what will happen next:Read More
ADDED 10:35 PM: Just can’t get enough of tonight’s sunset. For this one, we have Dan E to thank:
ADDED 7:30 PM: And another spectacular sunset shot – this one from SL (thank you!):
ADDED 6:05 PM: One more scenic shot – the Sunset Avenue sunset, from Steve Heck (thank you!):
FROM EARLIER: Thanks to John LaSpina for thid shot of the Olympics in the morning light:
Now, the site notes:
ADOPT A PET! Since debuting the WSB Pets page a couple weeks ago, we’ve continued adding features, including lost/found pets and more photos from the West Seattle Blog Pet Photos group on Flickr, but we don’t mention every update here on the main page, so if you’re interested in pets, check the Pets page from time to time – you never know what you’ll find. Most recently, we have heard from a couple of animal-rescue groups asking if we’ll feature adoptable pets – so we have three links on the Pets page right now for dogs looking for new homes, including Rufus (photo right).
FORUMS GONE WILD: Well, maybe “wild” is a bit strong. But more than 250 people are now participating in the relatively new WSB Forums – which is where you can post a request for Reader Recommendations, or answer somebody else’s request – or you can get discussion going on a topic of your choice, such as the hottest one this weekend, The Seattle Freeze. (Our newest forum area is all about West Seattle schools – the forum is here; our new list of links to all WS schools, public and private, is here.)
Just in from TC (thank you!), re: the cat sighting from yesterday:
The exotic cat that someone saw on 1/18/08 was just captured by the Humane Animal shelter at about 4:30 and is being taken to a rescue shelter. We were up jogging on the Madison Middle School track when some boys pointed out a larger than domestic size spotted cat on the banks. We called the Humane Society 386-4258 and they came out and captured it. They said it was a serval, a wild cat from Africa and that it is the second one picked up in West Seattle.
We’ve seen servals … in zoos. Will look up a usable photo shortly to add here. ADDED 7:18 PM: Here’s one. Again, NOT the WS capturee, just one found roaming online:
Earlier today, we got this note and posted it to the Pets page:
I just saw a very exotic cat wandering around 48th and Lander. It almost looked like a zoo kitty and not a domestic cat (looked like a small leopard). I will go see if I can get its picture, but just in case someone is looking for this cat. It did not look comfortable outside.
We just got a phone call — apparently it’s still out there in that area somewhere (the caller said it looks like an ocelot?) and neighbors are a little spooked, but the person who called us said Animal Control wasn’t interested in coming out. This cat sound familiar to anyone?
Added this as a PS, hours after the announcement of our fledgling Pets page over the weekend, so in case you missed it: We created a Flickr group you can use to upload your most insanely adorable/heartwarming pet pix, for potential featuring on the WSB Pets page. You can find the West Seattle Blog Pet Photos group here. (There’s a couple of cuddly cat pix there so far, one from us.)
For the first time in a while, a “lost pet” e-mail landed in the WSB inbox this morning, reminding us we had been meaning to add a West Seattle Pets section. As with everything else, this page is starting small, with room to grow (room for pet fun and pet info as well as lost/found). Please go there to see “Nico” the lost kitty in case he turns up at your house. 11 PM UPDATE: “Nico” is back home safe; we’re continuing to add features to the pet page, including a link to the WSB Pet Photos group on Flickr that we just set up in case you want to upload pet pix for potential showcasing (we started with a pic of our 2 cats).
WSB dropped in for a quick soundbite as the retirement celebration began this morning for Lien Animal Clinic‘s Dr. Larry King. We asked what he’s going to do now:
The clinic, of course, will keep going strong. Read more about it and its staff at the Lien website.
Out of the inbox, from Robyn, who wanted to share a warning for other dog owners:
I went to the Alki bonfire/Christmas ships event Saturday night, December 8. I’m a long-time Alki resident and have two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels who are family members and function as service dogs. For 9 years my dogs have greeted visitors to Alki from all over the world, spreading peace and love and community. On Saturday night a woman greeted my dogs, and then came back under cover of the music and tried to steal my eldest dog. My dogs were leashed and standing quietly beside me. This woman, who smelled of alcohol, first grabbed my dog’s leash and demanded I give her my dog, then grabbed the leash with both hands and started yanking. I was with a friend, who helped me protect both my dogs and fend off the thief. A warning to West Seattleites—all small dogs need to be protected, even when they are right beside you. Do not leave small dogs and children unprotected for even a minute. Do not tie your small dogs up at coffee shops or grocery stores, particularly gregarious breeds like Cavaliers! Alki residents—be vigilant, wacko criminals are everywhere!
Robin’s note to WSB also expressed concern that she didn’t see any police at the event; she acknowledges that friends have since urged her to report what happened, and we would echo that for everyone who experiences a crime or attempted crime – be sure to call 911 — even if you don’t think something can be done about it, or if you are sure the culprit(s) are long gone, police need to have a record to track what’s happening in the community, to assign resources and follow trends.
We patrol Craigslist every day or two to keep an eye out for anything unusual that’s West Seattle-related. Nothing’s really jumped out for a while – till the pug saga. Apparently there’s a missing pug out there somewhere. The latest ad seems gentle and desperate — talking about a lost pug and a heartbroken child. But it’s the same dog featured in this extremely gruff ad from five days earlier, directly addressing a suspected thief and snarling, “We are closing in on where you live, pal … Give him up, you bastard!” Then, between those two postings, was the appeal to the heartstrings, featuring baby pictures of the dog in question. Certainly desperation can be the parent of creativity; good luck finding the pug.
First, there’s the Kitten Holiday Party (listed on the West Seattle Weekend Lineup) at Pet Elements south of Morgan Junction:
That’s where we found this new kitten owner adopting what she referred to as “Elliott’s new friend.” (Elliott being the cat who will be surprised and hopefully pleased to meet his new pal.)
Also today and tomorrow, noon-4 pm (and those hours Thursday-Sunday every week), an exhibit at the Log House Museum with a unique take on Seattle history, and it’s only there a few more weeks – here’s what the LHM folks have written up about it:Read More
“TOAST TO THE ANIMALS” TONIGHT AT BEVERIDGE PLACE PUB: This puts the “fun” in “fundraiser” — a benefit for Furry Faces Foundation. Their announcement is livelier than any rewrite we could do:
“Raise your glasses and ring in the Holiday Cheer for rescued animals,” say Terri and Gary, owners of the Beveridge Place Pub, “as we are delighted to announce another Wine Tasting Fun-Raiser, benefiting Furry Faces Foundation, a.k.a., F3. And, if you like a particular wine (s), you may purchase a bottle or two or more … right then and there.” “For a mere $15 you get to taste 4-6 lovely wines, savor light appetizers, mingle with your neighbors, and help defray the cost of spaying ‘n’ neutering rescued animals,” raves Lora Vickrey, F3 treasurer and Hotwire Coffeehouse owner [also WSB sponsor], “plus, we will be previewing our soon to be infamous, nefarious game of kismet, called …. Box-a-Rama! Be there, or be square.”
That’s 4:30 pm-7 pm tonight (here’s a map to Beveridge Place Pub).
GET YOUR DOG GROOMED ON TURKEY DAY: Across California Ave from Beveridge Place and a bit north, The Wash Dog is taking appointments for grooming on Thanksgiving morning. We heard from Wash Dog owner Bernadette Cassidy after our post seeking info on West Seattle businesses open Thanksgiving. We’re building that list now; meanwhile, you can call Bernadette to snag one of those holiday appointments at 206-935-4546.
YOGA WITH YOUR DOG? Wendy Hughes-Jelen from the High Point K9 Club is trying to organize a “yoga with your dog” class or workshop. Wendy had a great time taking a class in Bellevue that’s taught by an instructor who lives in West Seattle, Brenda Bryan. Wendy is working with Brenda and the High Point Community Center to get West Seattle dog yoga going, but she needs at least 4 people/dog pairs to rev this up; e-mail her at wendyhj (at) greenspacesrealestate.com if you want to get in on it. (Read more about “yoga with your dog” at Brenda’s website.)
From the inbox this afternoon, Deborah writes:
I picked up a very big, very sweet black lab last night at Waite and 50th in West Seattle. He had no collar so I brought him to the W Seattle Animal Hospital. They scanned him and he also had no chip. He was picked up by the Humane Society today, and if anyone is looking for him, they can call the Humane Society at 206-386-7387. He was the sweetest thing, so I hope that you can post this and try to reunite him with his family!
If you can’t quite place 50th/Waite, here’s a map.
The keyboard kitty is Sacha, who escaped from his house in the 6700 block of 25th SW (map here; that’s near Home Depot) this past Thursday. He’s a 2-year-old neutered Russian Blue. If you’ve seen him, click here to e-mail his owners. We have a couple of potential pet sightings to pass along too:Read More
DOG OWNERS, TAKE HEED: A post on the Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area Yahoo! group says Animal Control officers were at the park this week citing owners of license-less dogs. (The crackdown’s been under way citywide all year.)
BEACH DRIVE RESIDENTS ON ALERT: Beach Drive Blog shares a warning about car prowlers.
END OF AN ERA: We didn’t realize how sad we are going to be on Election Day until we saw the phrase in “print” in the online version of the newsletter for Fauntleroy Church, which plans a bake sale and bazaar for visiting voters (and others) that day and begins its pitch for volunteers this way: “For this last in-person election ever in King County …” BWAAAA! Seriously, we’re sad. We’ve voted in person every election, every place we’ve ever lived, since the very first elections for which we were eligible after turning 18, and as you have probably figured out by now, that wasn’t exactly yesterday. For some, trying to carve out time to get to “the polls” may have been a hassle, but for us we always found a way to make it a wonderful ritual and a time to remember how lucky we are. Sitting at the cluttered table marking up the ballot at our leisure just won’t be the same.
The city is offering pet owners this advice on Halloween pet safety. Meantime, two missing cats to be on the lookout for — e-mail WSB if you have information on either one, and we will put you in touch with the owners:
The photo at left shows Tigger, an 11-year-old indoor cat missing since Saturday 10/20; his owners think the wind blew open their patio door, and out Tigger went. He should be wearing a black collar with identifying information and his license tag. He’s a silver/gray Maine Coon Tabby. … The photo at right shows Sage, also an indoor cat, but her owner says Sage’s escape this past Saturday night is a mystery. They live in the Sylvan Ridge development on the west edge of the High Point area. Sage is bluish-gray with a white belly.
Sandi writes to say she found a “small female white poodle in the Genesee area” today. We’ll put you in touch if it’s yours. 6:55 PM UPDATE: Reunited. Yay!
Reader Stacy says the two black Labradors shown below — one un-neutered male and one female she says looks to have given birth recently — turned up today at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. They found an animal-control officer to scan them; one dog had a microchip, but — “with outdated info based in Redmond,” says Stacy. Any ideas who they belong to? Let us know and we’ll get you in touch with Stacy.
He’s the only pet mentioned here recently who’s not reunited with his people yet … but with several hundred more people joining us all here since we first mentioned him, it’s worth one more try:Read More
The folks who run Kitty Harbor, a new addition to the east side of Harbor Ave by ActivSpace, welcomed a WSB visit this past weekend for this video feature. Kitty Harbor is operated by Delyn Kosbab, founder of the rescue organization Animal Safe Haven Association. As you will see her explain in the second clip (with the help of a playful pal), this is NOT a place to drop by and just gawk at cute cats; they are extremely serious about finding the best home for the dozens of rescued cats and kittens they are trying to place. Like these, who couldn’t resist trying to play with a volunteer helping clean cages:
In this clip, founder Delyn Kosbab explains Kitty Harbor and its guidelines, adoption fees, etc.
You can find out more about Kitty Harbor at its new website. As you’ll see on the site, it’s open Friday-Sunday or by appointment.
Teri from the rescue group Furry Faces Foundation has suddenly found herself in a bit of a rescue situation – a lost cat turned up in her yard yesterday. Teri describes the cat as gray, no collar, looking confused (“maybe an indoor cat that got out, or new to the neighborhood?” Teri muses); if you’ve lost a gray cat in West Seattle, call her and describe your cat’s physical features, “unique personality,” and the area where your cat’s missing (no, she says, it isn’t Flint) — in the meantime, she’s taking the cat to a vet later to scan for a possible ID chip. You can reach Teri at funkietoo@hotmail.com or 206-932-1652.
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