Sunday scenery, and site notes
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.)
Reader report: Exotic cat captured
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:
Speaking of wildlife — unusual cat on the loose
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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?
West Seattle crime watch: Dognapping attempt
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.
The pug saga
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.
Two more fun things happening the rest of the day
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
Pet projects: 3 notes for those who love ’em
“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.)
Dog found – sound familiar?
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.
Thursday night notes
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.
Pet protection, plus a pair of pleas
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.
Anybody missing a poodle?
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!
Canine mystery at Fauntleroy ferry dock
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.
One more pitch to watch for Flint
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
Pet rescuer’s surprise “rescue”
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.
Let’s make it 2 for 2 in October
Days after WSB readers helped bring Max back home, are you ready to help reunite another lost cat with its owner? At right, you see Flint the cat, whose owners write:
We were having our roof replaced this week and our cat got spooked and ran away from home. We’ve waited 4 days for him and have done the normal walking the neighborhoods, putting up posters and such. Now we’re asking for additional eyes to help us.
Flint is a grey and white male cat – 3yo. He’s gray with a white chest and white paws – very distinctive. He is microchipped. He is on regular medicine and is need of treatment. Please help us find him.
Flint disappeared at 26th & Holden (map below). You can reach his owners at 206-355-8965.
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Happy homecoming
We promised you an update once it was confirmed: The cat pictured at right, found at 35th/Thistle and taken care of for more than a week before its finder e-mailed us for help, is now home. His name is Max; his owner saw Max’s photo on WSB just before catching a plane out of town but managed to get a housesitting friend to go retrieve Max and bring him home. Gotta love a happy ending.
Saturday haps
Many fine things to do in West Seattle today, and the WS Weekend Lineup lists a ton of them. But as the day begins, we want to single out a few:
ONE RACE/ONE VILLAGE: First-ever 5K run for the Agathos Foundation. Registration starts at 8 am at the Bathhouse (we believe the website means “Alki Ave” where it says “Beach Drive”).
KITTEN ADOPT-A-THON: Just found out about this last night, walking past All the Best Pet Care on Alki and spotting flyers on the windows. 11 am-3 pm, at the store (next to Cactus).
ME-KWA-MOOKS SIGN CELEBRATION: 10:30 this morning at the park that’s a lot bigger than it looks from Beach Drive. A volunteer organizer says the event is “to celebrate the installation of an interpretive sign that will tell you where a mansion once stood, what the park’s name really means, and why the trail through the woods gets better every year. Coffee, pastries, and unforgettable historical insight are all on the house!”
And if you have to leave West Seattle this morning, remember The Viaduct is closed 7 am-11 am for the Heart Walk.
Found in south West Seattle neighborhoods: 1 dog, 1 cat
(THURSDAY 10/4 UPDATE: Looks like these are both closed cases. See the comments for the dog update; cat update will be on the home page soon when happy reunion is confirmed.) We haven’t launched a separate pets page yet since we haven’t been swamped with pet alerts since our last flurry of activity — but today, we’ve received separate notes about a found dog and found cat, so in hopes of finding their owners, here goes. E-mail us if you have any idea about either pet’s ownership, or leave a comment. First, the dog:
We just found a dog out wandering SW Barton and 18th SW. She’s black and looks like a lab mix. She’s got a choke collar on but no tags. We’ve got her in our front yard right now to keep her off of the street but we’d love for her to find her home!
Next, the cat. This one turned up at 35th/Thistle more than a week ago and its finder has taken it in, but would like to find its real owner (or, failing that, a new adoptive owner). it’s a neutered male, 9-10 years old, no collar, affectionate. Here’s a pic:
Again, e-mail us if you know anything about either of these pets, and we’ll put you in touch with the people who contacted WSB.
Added this as a PS, hours after 
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