“It’s definitely a market that isn’t saturated yet,” said Cody Osborne of Camp Bow Wow, which opened a franchise on Austell Place a little over a year ago.
Steve Neagus, Bow Wow’s owner, and Luis Martinez, who runs City Dog Lounge on Vernon Boulevard, both said the two facilities that opened in the last four months near the waterfront haven’t drawn customers away.
Most attribute the success of pet-care facilities to the Queens West development, which has brought several skyscrapers to LIC in recent years. As the new waterfront apartments fill up, the dog population is burgeoning, causing some to dub the neighborhood “Dog Island City.”
There are an estimated 1,000 canines in the Queens West complex alone, and developers are going out of their way to welcome more. AvalonBay, the company that runs the Avalon Riverview tower, set aside a prime piece of real estate — a corner unit with sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline — for a pet-care facility and signed a 10-year contract with an entrepreneur named Bruce Barlin.
Barlin, who previously ran a pet-care business in Jackson Heights, opened Pooches Sport & Spa in late 2009 and said the new facility is a big draw for prospective residents.
“[Avalon] realized they had to get dog-friendly in order to be competitive,” he said.
Daycare costs can add up quickly — the going neighborhood rate is $25 or more per day — but that isn’t dissuading people from sending their pups to the sitter.
Those who run the centers say the service is popular because people want their dogs to socialize and exercise.
“Dogs come home exhausted,” Barlin said — which means their humans can come home at night and relax.
The daycare centers in LIC all feature cage-less “playpens,” where dogs can romp about together. Dog Island City, which opened four months ago on 50th Avenue, even has a miniature treadmill for dogs.
“They know the concept: You have to run, and the more you run, the more cookies you get,” said owner Lidia Lozovsky.
Fran Cimino, who has lived in the City Lights building for four years, said she has noticed a change in her dog, Bodhi, since he started going to daycare.
“For the first couple of years, I would just have him walked,” Cimino said. “Now he’s much more sociable. For his 11 years, he acts pretty spry.”
Some pet owners also say their dogs suffer from separation anxiety, which is eased by being around other canines and people.
In case personalized care and all-day stimulation isn’t enough to draw customers, LIC’s dog facilities seem to be one-upping each other when it comes to fancy amenities.
Camp Bow Wow has webcams situated around the doggie playpens, so owners can watch their pals from the office or the Caribbean. And for dogs who spend the night, the lights are turned down low and classical music is played.
Pooches, in contrast, claims fame with its “Pet-a-potty” — a fake fire hydrant atop a patch of artificial turf, which drains directly into the sewer. Read Entire Article

Each adopted dog will go home with a year supply of dog food and a Mini PETaPOTTY

Multimedia Artist Rachel Schmeidler Presents “Hollywood Least Wanted 3D,” this Saturday on November 21. Los Angeles artist Rachel Schmeidler will host the charity event “Hollywood Least Wanted 3D” at the Rivera & Rivera Art Gallery downtown. The theme of the evening is helping unwanted and abandoned animals in need. Actor Zachary Quinto, star of the television program Heroes and the actor who portrayed the young Spock on the hit movie Star Trek, will be in attendance as an honored guest with his dog, Noah.

“Hollywood Least Wanted 3D” will highlight the cause of abandoned animals by using one of Hollywood’s hottest artistic trends—3D. The exhibit will feature anaglyphic 3D photographs of dogs “behind bars” in effort to raise public awareness and support for the animals. One hundred percent of raffle ticket sales/donations and 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale of artwork will go towards the participating rescue charity, the City of Los Angeles’ Animal Services division (http://www.laanimalservices.com/). Each adopted dog will go home with a year supply of dog food and a Mini PETaPOTTY.

The mission of that organization — to save as many animals as it could from having to enter shelters and face euthanasia — is still very much the same, but the size and scope of its impact have come a long ways, to say the least, in the 25 years Best Friends has been in business.

Just how far the organization has come since those card table days was made rather evident at the 16th annual Lint Roller Party, held Saturday night, Oct. 3, at the iconic Hollywood Palladium to benefit the work of Best Friends’ Los Angeles Programs.

Live and silent auctions, an award ceremony, video presentations, vegetarian buffet catered by Wolfgang Puck, psychic readings, a wheel of fortune, caricature drawings, a rocking live performance by the Bangles and a bevy of other attractions and fundraising events drew a sweeping array of supporters, members, and benefactors from all over the country to the party. Approximately 600 people attended the event.

“We are celebrating 25 years of saving lives,” said Best Friends co-founder and interim CEO Gregory Castle in his opening remarks to the evening’s presentations. “With your help, we’re saving lives all over the country…. It wouldn’t have been possible without the support you’ve given us.”

Among those in the audience were a host of celebrities, including Lisa Edelstein from the television series “House.” Edelstein delivered the anniversary toast.

“A million thanks to all the founders of Best Friends,” Edelstein said. “We love you and appreciate you, and we’re so happy to be here.”

Other celebrities to walk the red carpet and pay tribute to Best Friends included Phyllis Smith from “The Office,” Monty Python’s Eric Idle, Amy Smart from the film “Mirrors,” Rachelle Lefevre from the film “Twilight,” Anna Faris from the “Scary Movie” series, M.A.S.H.’s Loretta Swit, film and television legend Robert Culp, as well as veteran actor and newly elected president of the Screen Actors Guild, Ken Howard.

Also there to pay tribute to Best Friends, especially to our work in Los Angeles, was the city’s mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa.

The anniversary celebration wasn’t just about looking backwards, but also of looking forward in anticipation of what the next 25 years will bring,” she says. “I think people [at the party] were inspired not just about the work we’ve done, but about the work we’ll continue to do in the future.”
What can you do to help? Give the Gift of a Best Friends membership to family and friends.

“Dead Or Alive” PETaPOTTY’s dog sod Last’s the full season of Fantasy Factory. PETaPOTTY made two custom PETaPOTTY’s for Rob and his dog’s. They were seen in nearly every episode. We hope to change out their grass by next season? However, It’s good to see our grass be used for so long. Only in a PETAPOTTY! The Pet’s Place Of Business Watch this episode where Rob and Drama pop of a shot in the Playpen PETaPOTTY Thrill Of A Lifetime for free on MTV.com.

Rob reminisces about the rally car jump and looks at the finest moments with Meaty and Beefy.

Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory | Ep. 11 | ‘Best Of And Behind The Scenes’

MTV Rob Dyrdek poses in front of his PETaPOTTY POO GARDENS

The gears just keep spinning in the minds of the engineers behind PETaPOTTY. Our latest innovation, the PETaPOTTY 3-Sided Playpen, is designed for pets and pet owners that want easy access to the playpen. The PETaPOTTY 3-Sided Playpen makes it possible to use a door or wall as the fence’s mobile fourth side. Pet owners can devote their patio, veranda, or porch to their pet, use their door as the playpen’s gate, and save their grass, wood and furniture from pet waste. Brilliant, eh? Customers have even built dog doors that access our 3-Sided Playpen, giving their dog a safe, isolated space to go outside and easily return. Others have simply need a partition separating their space from their pets, but not a fully enclosed pen. The 3-Sided Playpen is the answer to plenty of unique situations. It can be customized and is available in a number of sizes. Open the door to your pet’s domain with the PETaPOTTY 3-Sided Playpen.

Like always, the PETaPOTTY crew has more than a few tricks up our sleeves. Recently, we were invited to collaborate with MTV personality Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory on an episode of his new TV series. All we can say is keep your eyes peeled for PETaPOTTY’s on the MTV Show. We had a blast hamming it up for the production. We got to show the world that the folks behind PETaPOTTY aren’t just potty experts; we are also pretty decent skateboarders (not to toot our own horns or anything). Andy landed a backside 180 for the camera and went home a happy man. The series picked up 2 brand new, custom 3 sided PETaPOTTY Pens with all the trimmings. With PETaPOTTY everybody wins.

Watch the Shows: http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/fantasy_factory/series.jhtml