Map the Distance of Your Dog Walk

I'm forever getting stern lectures from my dog's veterinarian about how many lbs. she has packed on, largely due to her less-than-active lifestyle living in the city. (A friend once told me she looks like a stuffed sausage. Nice. It's really just that she has a few bad angles.) Every time I have to load her chunky little body onto the scale I break into a sweat, knowing he's clearly judging my dog-parenting skills. As a result, I've started taking her on hardcore walks in Central Park to drop her winter weight, and I got to wondering how far we were actually going. (She stops to sniff things so often that trying to gauge distance based on time is just ridiculous.)

A friend pointed me to this website where you can map your route and figure out the approximate distance travelled. It can be a little tricky getting it just right, but it's pretty cool. Our record so far is just under eight miles.

Virtual Volunteering

This past winter, I sponsored dogs at Best Friends Animal Society as Christmas presents for my family. Best Friends is featured on the National Geographic Channel show, Dogtown, on Friday nights. (They’re actually responsible for rescuing many of the Michael Vick pit bulls.) Ever since my donation, I’ve been getting their bimonthly magazine, and I saw this article in their latest issue on virtual volunteering.

AP Photo

I don’t know about you, but especially living in a city, I don’t have the space or resources to adopt another dog. But the article talks about how you can volunteer your time to help animals in need with just a few clicks. It discusses the power of virtual networking as well as the emotional benefits of volunteering. Check it out if you have a chance!

Holy Crap!

As of this month, the New York City Parks Department has raised its fine for not picking up your dog’s poop from $100 to $250.

It’s a good thing, too. According to the New York Post, there were 909 violations issued in the city for unattended doo-doo between July 2007 and June 2008.

I fully support fines for this type of shit (sorry, couldn’t resist). I mean, seriously, who really wants their shoe—whether it’s a stiletto, sneaker, or ballet flat—soiled with feces? The streets of New York are smelly enough in the warm summer months. You certainly don’t need to trip on a turd to make your day any worse.

An automatic dog-washing machine? WTF.

According to today’s New York Post, an entrepreneurial Frenchman named Romain Jarry has created an automatic dog-washing machine. How it works: You put in your pooch, shut the door, and in 30 minutes or so…voila!

Um, yeah, I’m sure I’m not alone thinking this is just wrong. And the picture is, in a word, scarring. Right about now, this little guy is:

a) Thinking, “This bitch is crazy. I better get an extra 50 treats for this BS.”
b) Regretting his decision to chew up that stiletto.
c) Plotting his revenge. “You put me in this, I poop on your bed. It’s only fair.”
d) All of the above.