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GRATITUDE: Pet rescue gets plenty of paper for puppies
October 8, 2023 10:48 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Pets | West Seattle news

Two months ago, we published a call from Jennifer for no-longer-needed newspaper, to help Smidget Dog Rescue handle a plethora of puppies. This week, on behalf of the now-adoptable dogs in her collage (and others), she sent this message of thanks:

A HUGE thank you to readers! Over the last weeks I’ve picked up and delivered an entire shed full of newspapers for the puppies (40+ of them now) to Smidget Rescue! We are so grateful. The oldest ones are ready for applications!

Email for applications: Smidgetrescue@hotmail.com

Thank you for the boost [on the newspaper needs]. It’s a rough time for rescues and this was a big help.

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BIZNOTE: Urban Animal to become nation’s first worker co-op veterinary practice
October 3, 2023 1:30 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | White Center

Urban Animal (WSB sponsor) – with clinics including 17th/Roxbury in White Center – is making history, announcing that it’s becoming “the nation’s first worker cooperative veterinary practice.” Urban Animal has three clinics and 110 employees, who will as a result “share in the governance and profits of the 11-year-old company” as it makes the transition to a “limited cooperative association.” The announcement says our state has more than 30 of those types of co-ops, but nowhere else in the state or country is there one that’s a veterinary practice. . In transitioning to a limited cooperative association (LCA), Urban Animal joins approximately three dozen worker cooperative-based businesses in Washington, yet the first veterinary practice of this kind. Founder Cherri Trusheim plans to “gift a portion of the company to seed it, with a goal over time to become a 100 percent employee-owned worker co-op.” Urban Animal explains that this is another way its business practices run counter to the “unprecedented corporatization” of veterinary care: “This often detracts from employee culture. Corporatization also diminishes the standard of care by upselling and tying veterinary professionals’ compensation to the amount of products and services they sell. Urban Animal is different and does not pay any employee based on production.” Trusheim hopes to set an example for counterparts as wel as attracting employees “who desire a workplace governed by those who provide veterinary care and not a group of nameless shareholders.” Their industry, like so many others, is dealing with a staffing shortage, but this is one way Urban Animal hopes to rise above the competition for workers. They’re working with an organization called The Cooperative Way to make the shift. Trusheim will remain Urban Animal’s CEO and all three clinics will remain open.

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WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: BBQ and ‘pup market’ at West Seattle Thriftway
August 19, 2023 2:07 pm
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: BBQ and ‘pup market’ at West Seattle Thriftway
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Happened onto an event that wasn’t on today’s list but it’s still on until 3 pm – barbecue and “pup market” at West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor) benefiting Seattle Humane.

They’re selling lunch for $7, plus a variety of dog-related merch, and: “For every $20 donation, receive a complimentary Dog is Good tee shirt.” It’s part of the store’s “Dog Days of Summer” events.

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YOU CAN HELP: Got unwanted newspapers?
August 12, 2023 7:31 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle news

If you read one or more hard-copy newspapers, and have some old ones stacked up awaiting recycling (or kindling, or …), those puppies need it! Jennifer emailed us with that photo and this request:

I work with Smidget Dog Rescue and we have 16 puppies right now! We are desperate for newspaper and as many people don’t get the paper anymore it’s been hard to find. I will collect people’s collections. The pups in the pic were born in rescue just last Saturday! We use newspaper, not puppy pads, because the puppies just tear the pads up. Any help spreading the word appreciated! People with paper stashes can text Jennifer at 206-261-3342 and I’ll come pick it up!!!

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WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: Canaries found – are they a pair?
July 28, 2023 2:02 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Pets | West Seattle news

Earlier this week, we heard about a canary sighting, but the bird flew away. Now we’ve found out from wildlife biologist Kersti Muul, who shared the photos, that there were two, both now captured.

Kersti explains: “One was found at Fauntleroy, the other near Jefferson square. Same day, so likely escaped or released pair. Wings aren’t clipped and no bands. One is on Vashon at Haven, the other is still housed in West Seattle awaiting transportation to Vashon to reunite (assuming it’s a pair).”

P.S. We usually include lost/found birds on the WSB Lost/Found Pets page (listings can be emailed to westseattleblog@gmail.com), surfacing unusual situations like this one to the news stream too.

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Where will West Seattle’s second dog park be? Your next chance to unleash an opinion
July 13, 2023 4:20 pm
|      70 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

As first reported here one month ago, Seattle Parks is proposing two site options for a new dog park (aka Off-Leash Area) in West Seattle: Upper Lincoln Park or just south of West Seattle Stadium.

Your next chance to tell Parks which you prefer has just been announced – a pop-up 10 am-2 pm Sunday, July 23rd, at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska). They’re also continuing the online survey through the end of this month – find the link, and more information about the city’s proposals, by going here.

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HELPING: Student’s roadside pet-food drive in West Seattle
June 14, 2023 4:30 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle news

That’s Helena, a 12-year-old Madison Middle School student, and we just found out from her dad Patrick that she’s collecting pet food until 6:30 pm today at 50th/Stevens. Her dad says she’ll be accepting donations tomorrow too (we’re checking on the hours). The pet food she collects will go to Seattle Humane.

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Where will West Seattle’s second dog park be? 2 sites identified as potential off-leash areas
June 9, 2023 11:18 am
|      121 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

11:18 AM: Seattle Parks has unveiled its whittled-down list of potential sites for new dog parks around the city. They have funding to design and build two – and to design a third; funding stipulates that one of the two has to be in West Seattle, which has only one off-leash area, at Westcrest Park in the southeast corner of the peninsula. The citywide list was presented last night to the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners. We watched the meeting, which was held at Parks HQ downtown and streamed online. This item started at about 1:20 into the meeting:

The Parks project team explained that the nine “preferred” sites citywide were from the original list of 30. One of the criteria to make the final cut: They needed to be sites already owned by the city. Here are the two in West Seattle:

Upper Lincoln Park – This site is a grassy area south of the sports field. Parks staff noted that the grass is worn in the area and that suggests to them that the area is already being used as an unofficial dog park. Here’s what was shown at the meeting:

West Seattle Stadium – This site is actually south of the stadium, west of the golf course, and downhill/east of Rotary Viewpoint Park. Parks staff noted that one big challenge would be parking, as the stadium/golf course lot fills up during event times. Here’s what was shown at the meeting:

(More than a decade ago, at least part of that site was proposed for a driving range, ultimately scrapped.)

As noted on the Parks website, the department also studied proposed sites at Me-Kwa-Mooks, Hamilton Viewpoint, and Delridge Community Center (we first reported the study sites in March; most had been suggested by community members). The briefing was relatively short, as they went quickly through the full list of nine sites. Next step is an online survey that’s supposed to start today – we’ll add the link here when available.

11:51 AM: Here’s the survey link.

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YOU CAN HELP: Get involved with Watershed Woof! – starting with West Seattle event this afternoon
June 4, 2023 12:56 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Pets | West Seattle news

Speaking of clean water … if you share your life with a dog, there’s easy action you can take. A local student is teaming up with West Seattle-based Poogooder for a new initiative that includes a community event today. Just out of the WSB inbox:

Watershed Woof! is a local community engagement initiative to help raise awareness of stormwater pollution and simple ways we can all help keep our waters cleaner and healthier, such as reducing the amount of wayward dog poo left on the ground. It’s a collaboration between Lori Kothe from Poogooder and Mac Callahan, a West Seattle resident and Maritime High School student who is focusing his freshman end-of-year project on preventing dog-poo pollution in our Duwamish River Watershed. Includes an informative web page with videos by Mac and others (watershedwoof.com), a fun event today (June 4) from 3-6 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), and a Poogooder prize drawing with goodies from Poogooder, Pawsitively Kleen, and Good Dog Daycare (enter on the website by June 5). We ask everyone to visit the Watershed Woof! page and share what they learn with others for a happier, healthier community and planet.

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WEEKEND SCENE: Helping West Seattle Food Bank keep pets fed
March 25, 2023 11:11 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle news | Westwood

Did you know the West Seattle Food Bank helps pets as well as people? That’s why WSFB development director Breanna Bushaw is hoping people will fill that barrel (and more!) today, as Pet Supplies Plus in Westwood Village has a pet-food drive happening right now, until 2 pm. Bring food to donate, or buy some at the store. They’ll accept bags of kitty litter, too, for the WSFB’s Pet Pantry. P.S. You can help WSFB any time with monetary donations, too.

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MORE DOG PARKS? City announces new study of potential off-leash areas (updated Tuesday)
March 6, 2023 3:00 pm
|      68 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB file photo, Westcrest Off-Leash Area)

ORIGINAL MONDAY REPORT: Almost seven years ago, Seattle Parks and Recreation announced a plan that could lead to gradual addition of new off-leash areas. Now it’s announced a new plan – to study 30 sites around the city “that may have the potential to become future OLAs”:

Seattle Parks and Recreation is set to launch an Off-Leash Area study, which will be led by department subject matter experts. The study will look at 30 sites across the city that may have the potential to become future OLAs. Staff will examine each site from an environmental, engineering, geographic, equity, and dog behavioral perspectives. At the conclusion of this study, SPR will be able to present to the community a list of sites that we believe are feasible and most suited for future OLAs. The Seattle Park District provides funding for 2 new OLAs; from there the department will need to request additional funding to construct and maintain any additional OLAs.

West Seattle, as people with dogs know, has one city-run off-leash area, at Westcrest Park. A community coalition had been working on other potential sites, as reported here last year. The new city announcement did not include the list of potential sites to be studied, so we’re requesting that on followup.

ADDED TUESDAY: Parks says five West Seattle sites are on the list to be studied. They are at:

Lincoln Park
Me-Kwa-Mooks Park
Hamilton Viewpoint Park
West Seattle Stadium
Delridge Playfield

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YOU CAN HELP: Student-led donation drive collecting pet food (updated)
January 13, 2023 9:40 am
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP: Student-led donation drive collecting pet food (updated)
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

If you’re shopping for pet food this weekend, consider buying extra for this upcoming donation drive: National Honor Society students at West Seattle High School are hosting a pet food donation drive for Seattle Humane. They will have two dropoff dates – 3 to 5 pm (updated – one date only) January 25th, at the north entrance of WSHS (3000 California SW). Organizers say they’re especially interested in dry or canned cat food, “but we’ll accept it for any pets!”

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GRATITUDE: Rescued dog’s owner says thanks
December 18, 2022 3:55 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news

We’ve had the only all-West Seattle lost/found pets webpage here for 15 years, but sometimes a lost pet gets found before either owners or finders ever have to post about it, thanks to helpful people. Whitney sent us one such story this afternoon, wanting to publicly offer words of gratitude:

THANK YOU to the Admiral community near Aegis? We are dog-watching my sister’s dog and he got out our front gate (and we live on Admiral Way- eek!). Good news – we FOUND HIM but if it hadn’t been for the help of so many kind neighbors I don’t know that we would have found him as quickly as we did!

People were yelling from their cars telling us (as we were running around the neighborhood) which direction he went. I eventually ended up getting into a car with strangers who took me to him (and coincidentally my husband had just found him seconds before, hiding in a carport of someone’s house). We are just super grateful for this community of dog lovers helping each other out!

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WEST SEATTLE HOLIDAYS: Want to get a photo of your pet with Santa?
November 13, 2022 11:50 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | Pets | West Seattle news

We’re continuing to assemble the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and just got the first “pet photos with Santa” announcement of the season:

It’s happening one week from today, 2-6 pm Sunday, November 20, at Dough Joy Donuts in The Junction (4310 SW Oregon). Forgotten Dogs Rescue, which is led by a West Seattle resident, says “We will have Erika Smith Photography with us! For a $25 donation, everyone will receive at least one digital photo file (able to be printed), a 5″x7″ print, and their dog’s photo on our Facebook page.”

P.S. Thanks to everyone who’s sent holiday events already, and if you have one planned – from Santa photos to bazaars to concerts to donation drives and beyond – please email us the info at westseattleblog@gmail.com as soon as you can.

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WEEKEND SCENE: Paws & Paint Karaoke with Furry Faces Foundation
August 28, 2022 4:39 pm
|    Comments Off on WEEKEND SCENE: Paws & Paint Karaoke with Furry Faces Foundation
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle news

If you’re anywhere near Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW), you have until 6 pm to go paint and sing with Furry Faces Foundation and your furry friend(s) – we got late word that today was the rescheduled date for the fun(draiser):

Get to Beveridge Place Pub to sing your heart out and paint with your pups suring Furry Faces Foundation’s Paws ‘n Paint Karaoke event from until 6 pm.

While here, take the time to meet Drew Bensen, owner of Close To Home Pet Services.

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WEST SEATTLE PETS: Bernese Mountain Dog in your household?
July 21, 2022 9:04 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news

That’s Obi Wan the Bernese Mountain Dog, whose people have noticed more like him around the peninsula, so they’re organizing a meetup. Here’s the announcement:

Calling all West Seattle Bernese Mountain Dogs – Meetup!

PLEASE JOIN US!
DATE: Saturday, July 30, 2022
TIME: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
LOCATION: Westcrest Dog Park
BRING: Yourself and your doggo

We are West Seattle residents, and the proud new owners of a Bernese Mountain Dog (Obi Wan – now 1 year old). We are noticing a lot of Berners when we go for walks! We would like to form a West Seattle BMD group for playdates and perhaps other events.

Hope to see you there!
Obi (and family)

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WEST SEATTLE PETS: Cheech the Lowman Beach cat is headed home
July 20, 2022 11:18 am
|      45 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news

This is not your average lost/found pet story. In the photo is a cat called Cheech, known and loved in the Lowman Beach area. One of his fans, Barbara, sent us the photo last week with a note explaining that Cheech – and his house, accessories, and food/water bowls, set out at the Murray Wet Weather Facility across from the beach – had suddenly vanished. Over the ensuing days, Cheech’s person, Amber, who lives neqrby and has cared for him for 13 years, explained on social media that Cheech always came home to snuggle at night, even though otherwise he had kind of become the neighborhood cat in recent months. She theorized that maybe someone had catnapped him thinking he was abandoned, which he most certainly was not. Cheech’s fans started leaving (chalked) messages of support:

And now, a happy ending: Today, Barbara tells us, there’s word that Cheech turned up at the Seattle Animal Shelter; Amber was headed there to pick him up and bring him back to the beach. So you just might see him on your next visit to Lowman.

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@ WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST: Meet Beloveds Animal Rescue Relief Foundation
July 16, 2022 9:40 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle news

In addition to businesses and artists, booths at West Seattle Summer Fest include local nonprofits there to meet you and explain what they do.

(WSB photos)

Among them this year, a new local nonprofit, Beloveds Animal Rescue Relief Foundation. In an email exchange, founder Rachael Morris told us what Beloveds is about:

Beloveds Animal Rescue Relief Foundation is a West Seattle-based nonprofit that collects donated pet supplies and distributes them to local nonprofit pet organizations based on need and specialty of service. Our motto is “There is always something we can do to help.” We officially became a business in February of this year but I’ve been doing something similar, periodically through COVID as a donation drive and then gave it to some rescues I knew. I realized the need was greater than anticipated and decided to make it a nonprofit, starting at the beginning of the year.

We have distributed at least $150,000 worth of items this year already, all donated from the community, businesses, and distributors. We take literally anything cat- or dog-related, including open bags of food and some broken items (cat trees, wheelchairs) as we have an upcycle component to what we do as well. Rescues get creative when finding cheap solutions to problems so while I don’t take rusty wire cages, I can take cat trees because components can be used in catios. Wheelchairs can be broken down and built new to order through a really amazing resource, stuff like that.

The goal is to have separate chapters in other states within 5 years, either as an extension of what we do or we (I) teach them how to build a version in their state. So, kind of like a nonprofit franchise with the sole intention being to support local nonprofit pet organizations so that they can focus on the care/adoption of animals and spend their money on medical care, transportation, and other needs, not food, beds, medicine, etc.

Right now, we are pending our 501c3 application and hope to have that done by late fall but this process takes anywhere from 4 months to a year so we are working to garner sponsorships and donations to pay for our start up costs through the public. We have a raffle set up to help collect donated funds, which is effective throughout July.

We have several items available including light-up shadow boxes, gift baskets with donated items from Dog Baby Collection (BIPOC women -owned WS based online retailer) and other local service providers. We are at West Seattle Summer Fest, sharing a booth with Dog Baby. And we JUST landed an arrangement with Junction 47, to have a donation box set up in the apartment building for Beloveds! This is part of our pilot program to collect donations in apartment buildings, as most buildings are pet friendly but folks in these buildings might not have storage for their unused pet supplies, cars to drive them to a donation location, etc so we are working to come to these pet parents and collect donations!

Our claim to fame will be our online inventory available to the nonprofits. This inventory will be the live inventory representing all of our storage locations, and will allow the nonprofit pet organizations to review, reserve and schedule pick up or delivery of donations. They can also submit special requests for things that we will either buy ourselves through Beloveds or try to source through the community. This inventory system will allow us to have predictive reporting, ensure our donations are being spread fairly amongst organizations and ensure that we can do our best to provide needed supplies to those groups that are in the greatest need.

Morris is applying her skills as a business analyst specializing in IT to work on that aspect. You can find out more about Beloveds and enter their raffle – plus meet the crew from Dog Baby – on the east side of the south block of Summer Fest, between Alaska and Edmunds. If you don’t meet them at the festival, here’s how to contact Beloveds.

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FOURTH OF JULY: WSB West Seattle Lost/Found Pets page reminder
July 4, 2022 7:50 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | Pets | West Seattle news

Just a reminder before nightfall that if you lose or find a pet amid tonight’s likely fireworks noise (or any other time), WSB has had a West Seattle Lost/Found Pets page for almost 15 years. Just send the info – with a photo if you have one – including a contact #, and the area in which you lost/found the pet, to westseattleblog@gmail.com. If you don’t have access to email, you can also text the info to our 24/7 hotline, 206-293-6302. (At right is a wholehearted supporter of this message, our newest WSB “shop cat,” Sullivan, a 4-year-old rescue tuxedo cat.)

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SUNDAY: You and your dog(s) are invited to join a parade!
June 11, 2022 8:20 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Pets | The Kenney | West Seattle news

It’s parade season, and you’re invited to be part of one tomorrow – if you have a dog to bring along. The Kenney invites dogs and their people to bring joy to residents by parading around the senior-living complex’s grounds. Just be at the main entrance (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW) by 3 pm Sunday; the parade is expected to last until about 3:45 pm.

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REOPENING DAY: Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area ready for use, city says
June 10, 2022 2:31 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Pets

(Seattle Parks photo)

After seven month of work, West Seattle’s only off-leash area is reopening today. Seattle Parks announced early this afternoon that the Westcrest Park OLA would reopen by the end of the day – if it’s not open already (we won’t get to go look for a few hours). The drainage work that has had the area closed since November is detailed here. Today’s announcement says some work remains, however:

There are a few work items that will be completed after reopening due to shipment delays and construction sequence:

-Installation of (1) new accessible picnic table. The contractor will close off individual areas to install the benches once they arrive.

-Restoration of the temporary off-leash area near p-patch. Fencing around this area will stay up for the contractor to restore this area with soil amendment, hydroseed and allow for lawn establishment.

We have also kept temporary fencing around two newly seeded lawn areas in the main off-leash area for lawn establishment. Fencing will be taken down once the lawn has established vigorous growth.

As noted here earlier this week, another Westcrest project – play-structure replacement – isn’t expected until fall.

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Can you help this little lost bunny find its way home?
April 5, 2022 4:28 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

If this was a flesh-and-blood bunny, we’d put it on the WSB West Seattle Lost/Found Pets page. If it was found in a park or at a playground (etc.), we’d point the finder to the WSB Lost/Found Non-Pets section of our Community Forums. But this one somehow showed up at the West Seattle UPS Store in Jefferson Square, amid documents left late last month for shredding. The store staff doesn’t think the bunny was intended for the shredder, so they’re trying to figure out who lost it. Laurie at the shop says, “We will hold onto it in our lost and found drawer just in case its owner comes along.”

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Alki Point’s unofficial ‘dog park’ locked, again
March 15, 2022 1:03 pm
|      33 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news

The photo is from Karen, one of multiple readers who emailed this past week to wonder why that patch of public land on Alki Point was suddenly locked and inaccessible, as it’s been used, they say, as an unofficial “dog park.” It’s part of the grounds of the Alki stormwater treatment plant, a facility managed by the King County Wastewater Treatment Division. So we asked KCWTD spokesperson Marie Fiore about it. She says the site was never intended to be a “dog park,” or any other kind of park, but people continue to “cut the lock off” – so the lock was replaced. She says public access is prohibited “for safety and liability.”

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