February 6, 2010.  BUY TICKETS TODAY! For more information, please visit our ticket page.

So you can imagine my anxiety when I was awaken from my Saturday nap and quickly transported over the Bay Bridge (past that pesky S-Curve) to San Francisco.  Our destination, Union Square, for some serious day after Black Friday shopping.

The city was hectic, streets lined with shoppers, travelers, vendors galore.  Not many places I could walk without being accidentally stepped on because of my diminutive size.

I was able to make it a couple blocks until I arrived at the front of Macy’s department store.  SF/SPCA volunteers were in front selling $5 chocolate tins  to raise money for the organization.  Macy’s also donated prime window real estate for the SPCA to decorate and show off animals for adoption.  “So”, my dad proclaimed, “does Macy’s actually allow dogs inside the store?”  The volunteer replied, “I think so, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a dog in there before.”

Riding up the elevators... well more like being carried up

A large group of people crowded the entrance, awaiting their turn to take the elevators up to the Cheesecake Factory.   I, instead, scampered quickly through the doors, past the doorwoman without notice.  No words of  “hey you with the dog” or ” sorry no dogs allowed inside” were uttered, so first step accomplished.  It still didn’t help my uneasiness, since sneaking in wouldn’t help with all the suits with Macy’s badges walking around.  But this was at least better than many other failed attempts to sneak me into other places (i.e. Costco).

After heading up six or seven escalators, I arrived in the furniture department.  Luckily, the floors were mostly made of tiles and hardwood, but the occasional carpet or decorative chair lined the showroom.  I walked on-leash around all the furniture pieces which included sectional couches, beds, chairs and sofas.

A salesman saw me  sniffing various furniture exhibits and mannequinns wearing red sweaters and Santa hats, and stopped to observe with a puzzled brow,  “Can I help you with anything?”  “Yes, we’re here to look at couches,” my dad responded.  “Sure thing, right this way,” he said.

Taking a breather while I wait for mom to finish shopping

The salesman, John, proceeded to show us a dozen floor models.  Each time my parents took a seat, I also got to sit, sniff and feel each piece.  John looked up and smiled, “It’s good you’ve brought the most important person making the decision to buy today”, he said petting me on the head.

As we looked over piece by piece,  John patiently observed and answered all the questions my dad had.  “By the way John, do many people bring their dogs in here to shop, as I don’t see any in here today?”

“All the time”, he responded.  “Most people are very good about bringing only well behaved and mild mannered dogs here, so we don’t normally have a problem and we welcome that.”

Check out time and applying for a Macy's card to get 15% off my first order.

After seeing a few more samples, I finally sniffed out the one that I liked.  A leather sectional made of 6 pieces that is easy to clear of pet hair.  “Would you like purchase the ‘worrynomore’ clean guarantee that protects against accidental damage or spills to your furniture?” John asked.

Q: “Does it cover if Obi scratches it up or happens to use it as a toilet?”

A: “Unfortunately, it won’t cover damage caused by scratching or tearing from a bird, cat or dog, but other soiled damage can be claimed in the event such an unfortunate instance occurs.”

After finalizing the purchase price, and declining the clean guarantee, John handed us our receipt and scheduled delivery of our new furniture within 5 business days.  “Obi will be very happy with this purchase, I can tell”, John said as he opened his drawer to show us a picture of his English Bulldog.

After completing the transaction and thanking John for his friendly service, we headed to the 4th floor in the woman’s department where mom went off to look at dresses.  I received a fair share of “oohs and aahs” and “look at that hot dog”, as well as a few puzzled stares from other shoppers probably confused why there was a dog inside.  After about 30 minutes of waiting along side dad in the “waiting room chairs”, we found  mom and headed for the exit, where I passed the same doorwoman who I snuck by earlier.  She saw me this time and smiled.  “Oh what a cute dog” she said as I walked back out onto the streets of San Francisco.  It was a fitting end to my first adventure in the human world.

Macy’s – Union Square, 170 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

New proposal may allow for dogs in rental units throughout SF.

The same issue was brought up in 2006 which attempted to enact a mandate allowing landlords to charge tenants more rent as a motivation to have more pet-friendly housing, however it was rejected by the Board of Supervisors.

Since then, several of those members were not reappointed and the debate is open to discussion yet again.  Currently, only 50% of San Francisco rental property allow pets, according to a commission member.  According to one dog owner, “[t]he demand for apartments in San Francisco is so high, landlords know they can ban pets and still find tenants”.  The hope is a mandate will be one big step in helping to stop the killing of stray animal.

Several groups representing landlords were present at Thursday’s meeting to oppose the mandate.

I've conquered humans of all sizes, now I am ready to take down SF landlords!

While many said they encourage building owners to allow pets and would be open to incentives , including a rent increase, however they felt a mandate was not the way to go since some pets can be dangerous and be a hazard to the building (in the form of damage to property) and other tenants (i.e. allergic reactions), causing unavoidable conflict.

Ignoring the Golden Gate views in sunny San Francisco

1. San Francisco – Luxurious hotels. Plenty of pet-friendly patio dining. Many off-leash beaches and areas. Ride the cable car, walk the Golden Gate.
2. Austin – Dine in outdoor cafes.  Visit the Zilker Botanical Gardens. See the Congress Street Bats. Many off-leash parks.
3. Boston – Tour Boston harbor by boat. Walk the Freedom Trail and explore many National Historical Sites. Your leashed dog is welcome on the subway.
4. Northern Virginia – Enjoy a yappy hour or dine in dog-friendly Alexandria. Take the Canine Cruise. Visit outdoor monuments and nearby Washington.
5. Portland (OR)- Enjoy off-leash areas and the famous Rose Gardens. Visit the Saturday Outdoor Market. Have a drink at the Lucky Lab.
6. Charleston (SC) – Take a ghost tour or walking tour. See the grounds of the Magnolia and Boone Hall Plantations. Visit the beach.
7. Chicago – Visit Navy Pier. Ride the Canine Cruise. See Buckingham Fountain, take a walk in Oak Park. Many dog-friendly patio restaurants.
8. San Diego – Visit fabulous dog beaches. Shop at dog-friendly Otay Ranch with its dog park. Dine outdoors and hike many parks.
9. New York - Stay in a fine hotel. Take a walking tour of lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. Shop at Time Warner Center. See the Balto Statue and Central Park.
10. Ann Arbor (MI) - Visit Nichols Arboretum, rent a dog-friendly canoe. Visit nearby gardens and farms. Visit many local parks.

Honorable mention include Dallas, Madison (WI), Minneapolis, Salt Lake and Seattle.

However, not all dog owners agreed with the results:

• One pit bull owner proclaimed “[t]ake Boston off your list…  look at Understand-A-Bull.com. Boston is listed as one of the most UNfriendly cities for dogs.”
• “I was very surprised to find Chicago in the top ten. There aren’t many places to take your dog other than the lakefront. .. Chicago’s a city but it’s still the Midwest–there is the feeling that dogs should be at home and not out and about.”
• “In Austin we like to think we are dog friendly, and we have some great spaces for dogs to roam and channel their inner dog. As well, we have a dog-waste problem. Unfortunately being a dog friendly city comes at a price… Come visit Austin, bring your dog, and pick up the turd.”
• “I’ve lived all over the country, including Northern Virginia and San Francisco, and San Diego is definitely (sic) the most dog friendly place I’ve set roots.”

Well, you can’t please everyone

We’d like to find other dog-friendly in the U.S. and throughout the world.  Let us know if your city should make the cut!!