Dog Days of Summer Health Tips

Health tips for your pets during the dog days of summer. Keep them hydrated and use common sense but here are some great tips.

Chicago Dog Run For Their Lives to help PAWS

Join us on Sunday, September. 28, 2008 at 9 a.m. at Montrose Beach (a designated DFA) for the 8th Annual Run For Their Lives 8K Run/4K Walk.

Raise money to support PAWS Chicago by running or walking for homeless animals. Pets are allowed in the 4K walk or test your skills in the 8K run.

Great pooches, great people, great cause, great setting.

It's pretty much all around great.

Know your DFA's: Dog Friendly Areas

I remember walking my dogs on Foster beach a few years back and being told by a fellow dog-lover that the cops were giving out tickets if your dogs weren't on a leash. I couldn't believe it had sunk that low.

They were actually following me as I walked out of the park! Now that same area is NOT a designated area where dogs are allowed and I could be ticketed for another reason even if I am in what they refer to as a DFA. What is a DFA?

A DFA is how the city refers to their officiallly permitted" dog friendly areas (DFA's). Why would you care about a DFA? Because you can be fined if you don't follow their rules which are summarized here:

The Chicago Park District will require that people escorting dogs into DFAs shall have obtained from licensed veterinarians permits and registration tags for all dogs issued pursuant to the requirements in Regulation VIII. People bringing dogs into a DFA must have both a permit with them and a registration tag for each dog. The registration tag, Cook County Rabies Tag must be on the dog’s collar or harness.

Bottom line: enjoy the dog friendly areas in the city BUT make sure your dog is properly licensed and that you have the registration on you at all times.

You never know when the 'DFA police' will find you!