When New York City won the Pet-Friendly Destination Award last year, a movement must have swept across Washington, D.C. The D.C. natives rallied to get the vote out for the CESAR® Five Dog Bone Destination Award. This year, Animal Fair readers have joined together and unanimously brought the Capital City the attention it deserves. From glamorous pet salons to a forward-thinking adoption agency complete with indoor waterfalls, D.C. has the political know-how to turn even the most distant doggie daydreams into tail-wagging realities.
There's no need to leave your pet behind while you travel to D.C. for some political partying - the city is filled to the brim with hotels that provide as much for their four-legged guests as they do for the bipedal! Just ask Diana Bulger, public relations director for THE FAIRMONT (fairmont.com/washington), a cat-catering D.C. retreat.
"Washington D.C. is becoming more and more pet-friendly. You see people with their dogs all over the place now, at outdoor cafés, absolutely everywhere." For just $189, guests of The Fairmont can pick up the Pet Package, which includes a doggie bowl, homemade dog biscuits from The Fairmont's Executive Pastry Chef, and a paw-print door hanger to keep Fido from surprising the maid. Plus, the hotel provides a letter filled with information about pet-friendly locales around the city. For every Pet Package, the Fairmont donates 5% of the room cost to the Washington Animal Rescue League.
That's not the only pet-friendly hotel in Washington. THE MADISON (loewshotels.com) is Loews Hotels' crown jewel of D.C., and they're taking part in an inauguration celebration package. In the first 100 days of the Obama administration, The Madison joins 16 other Loews Hotels around the nation in offering a special "Presidential Pooch" package. For only $119, pets get a one-night stay for themselves and their human guests, with a special "Stars and Stripes" room service meal (yep, that's room service for the pup), plus a patriotic bandanna that will be the fashion talk of the town. Consider it a new breed of "indoguration"!
Kimpton Hotels owns a number of pet-friendly hotels in the D.C. area, and they're all worth checking out. At the glitzy HOTEL PALOMAR (hotelpalomar-dc.com), pets get star treatment, with tasty treats, food bowls, beds and mats. The hotel even goes as far as providing special tags with contact information for the hotel, just in case your four-legged friend decides to explore the Capital City alone. The Palomar even has a Pet Concierge that can get you more information about pet playtimes, daycare, grooming services, vet hotlines, and even pet massages. The hotel is open to dogs of all sizes, and there are no additional pet fees. Now that's something to bark about!
When it comes to less-fortunate pets, D.C. is definitely for the dogs. The kind folks at the WASHINGTON ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE (warl.org) are on the cutting edge of dog and cat rescue. An one of the most forward-thinking animal agencies in the world, the organization houses over 100 dogs and cats in a peaceful, naturally-lit environment, with an adoption rate close to 100%. According to executive director Gary Weitzman, "The center was built completely from the animal's perspective for what would maximize healing." That means indoor waterfalls, antibiotic Corian plastic, beds for each dog, heated floors, new age music and absolutely no metal bars. Paradise! The shelter also participates in the SHARE program (Shelter Animal Relief Effort), which takes in sick animals from shelters that can't afford to care for them. In the past, the Rescue League has brought in animals from puppy mill closings and floods, making WARL the real heroes in the Washington pet scene. As Weitzman says, "Our hope was that people's previous concept of animal shelters as scary places could be forever vanquished."
In describing the city's dog parks, Weitzman says the sheer number of wagging tails "almost seems like a movie at times." The first official off-leash dog park in D.C. opened this past December, but the city was designed with open green spaces in mind - and all that entails. Drop down to WALTER PIERCE PARK to check out their new dog run. The pet-friendly zone was envisioned by a group of D.C. activists called Adams Morgan Dogs who worked with the city to make the dog run a reality. Great work! If something more historical is up your alley, head over to the CONGRESSIONAL CEMETERY, which offers paved trails, grassy hills and fenced areas for adventurous dog-play. (Just make sure to apply for the required membership first!) Or trek down to the NATIONAL MALL for the purr-fect view of D.C's famous landmarks: the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial - are all within trotting distance!
One of the canine highlights of a trip to D.C. is a night out, and the options are endless. During summer, folks can dine outdoors at a number of locations. Check out the patio at THE BANGKOK BISTRO (bangkokbistrodc.com), DUPONT ITALIAN KITCHEN AND BAR (dupontitaliankitchen.net), or head down to the CANTINA MARINA (cantinamarina.com) doggie happy hour. The Cantina houses a bright, colorful ambiance right on the beautiful Potomac waterfront. Plus, leashed dogs are welcome indoors. During the summer months, dogs also crowd the patio of the UNION PUB (unionpubdc.com) for their "Pooches on the Patio" event. The event takes place on Saturdays, and the pub is conveniently located near Washington Union Station, so head down for some four-legged networking before your train departs.
If you'd like to go out for an evening of dining and dancing but can't bear parting with poochie, check out any number of D.C.s great dog-friendly diners and bars. When the weather's hot, drop into the HELIX LOUNGE (loungedc.com) Wednesdays from 5-8 p.m. for The Dog Days of Summer Happy Hour, where you can enjoy cocktails like the Pet Peeve or Pooch Hooch ($7 each), Mutt Mix for the dog, and copious canine company in the Helix's cozy outdoor patio. Plus, $1 from every sale goes to the Washington Humane Society.
If you decide to hit the Beltway for human-only activities (do those exist?), but you don't want to coop up the pooch, check out DOG-MA DAYCARE AND BOARDING FOR DOGS (dog-ma.com).
The facility offers boarding, training services, and 24-hour care. Plus, there's no need to run in circles anymore (it's not as if that will stop your pet!); Dog-Ma has a 7,000 square foot indoor and outdoor play area. According to Rebecca Bisgyer, the center's founder, "We were the first, and we're still and always will be the only facility that is allowed to do outdoor and indoor play in Washington." When the city created its laws governing dog care facilities in 2005, it permanently named Dog-Ma Daycare - the one and only center to allow outdoor play - and boy is there plenty of it. "D.C. has a very big dog culture ...
I hear about more and more hotels, retail, and restaurants that allow you to take dogs in." On any given day, Dog-Ma cares for about 50 dogs. Good thing their commitment to safety is unparalleled; all dogs are screened for health requirements and temperament before joining their barking buddies. When asked if she can spill the beans on the politicians who have been in, Bisgyer says "We promised not to do that! But we're only 8 blocks from the capital, so we have a lot of political people and professionals that come to Dog-Ma for boarding and day-care."
When you're visiting D.C., it's hard to ignore the political history - the city's been the nation's capital since 1790, but you might not know that politicians' pets have made an impact of their own. Nowhere is the history as visible as it is at CHICHIE'S CANINE DESIGN (chichiescaninedesign.com), in the Georgetown district, where presidential pets and senatorial Schnauzers have been getting their fur trimmed for forty years. Just check out Chichie's wall of photos for a who's who of political pets. As Chichie herself says, "Everybody's been through here." The "master of pet design" has done do's for Ted Kennedy's Portuguese Water Dog Splash, George Bush Sr's Cocker Spaniel, and Bob Dole's Schnauzer Leader. As Chichie says, "This is not like any other grooming shop in the world. Our grooming is highly specialized."
Shopping for pet-themed, animal-print goodies in the Georgetown district is as easy as dropping into the GEORGETOWN PET GALLERY. You can have a talk with owner Woody Nelson and his champion Sheep Dog Zorba, although Zorba doesn't talk back (in English)! And nowhere in Georgetown is more pet-friendly than in his gallery, which hosts a number of hand-made pieces. "I have bronzes of dogs. Some of them are limited editions. Some of the art I have, like these mirrors, are one-of-a-kind." The shop even boasts hand-painted pieces like cookie jars. If your pet requires a little more glamour, a few gorgeous animal-themed chandeliers ($700-$1200) are available too.
If your pooch is hungry (what's new) and since your pooch is hungry, consider heading near Dupont Circle to the DOGGIE STYLE BAKERY BOUTIQUE & PET SPA (doggiestylebakery.com). It's a feast for the senses (and stomach). The bakery makes many of its own treats, so grab a bite of everything from birthday cakes and doggie ice cream (called Mutt Licks) to marrow bones and cookies. Doggie Style specializes in locally-made products from privately-owned, ethically sound and chemical-free companies, and they also feature a pet spa. If your walks and wanderings take you past Capitol Hill, think about dropping into CHATEAU ANIMAUX (chateau-animaux. com), which offers pet supplies, treats, toys and other gift items.
Magnifique! And if you can't make it to D.C., the shop is also a high-traffic online re-tail-er.
A quick note for those of you who are planning on legging it: according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, "The only animals that are permitted on Metrorail are service animals that assist people with disabilities." If you have to take an animal on the Metro, the WMATA requires that you crate your pet. No problem! Hop aboard a pet taxi thanks to D.C. DOGS & CATS (dedog-walking.com) to make a pet-friendly trip to wherever you need to go!