There has been a lot of talk about privatizing Chicago’s Animal Care and Control (ACC) over the past year, no doubt due to operational costs. Many cities are divesting what they can in an attempt to trim budgets. ACC’s Director, Cherie Travis, had made it her mission to take ACC no-kill in three to five years, according to a Facebook page. But given this undercover report (video below) from WGN’s Marcella Raymond, I have to ask - do we have another out of control Toronto Humane on our hands here?

There have been rumblings about unhappy staff, volunteers, and too few vets for months. How were they filling the medical void when the long time head Vet got fired for putting a dog down by mistake; other vets had either left or were fired.  Were replacements at the ready? How many vets were on the premises after that? One? None? Hard to keep count and difficult to tease out the truth and sequence of events, but now that some fresh air is blowing through ACC, maybe others will step forward and provide a better picture of what’s been happening there.

We know that budget cuts have been so ridiculous that it was clear ACC would not be equipped to care for animals properly without outside assistance. Then, of course, the absurdity of fingerprinting volunteers inserts itself into this mix, followed on the heels of cutbacks to adoption hours that had volunteers up in arms. But budget cuts cannot be used as a scapegoat when cats and dogs with life-threatening illness are mixed in with the general population, or when cats are left on the loading dock for 72 hours in this heat and humidity. And that’s where management is clearly absent.

There are 25,000 animals that go through ACC annually according to this report. One of my many questions to be answered is how long has this been going on? We know that ACC is a tough place to work, but morale there is worse than it ever has been according to insiders. If you want to let those in power know what you think, you can phone the Mayor’s Office and ask for the complaints division.

A leash by any other name wouldn’t be steeped in the adventurous, sometimes extreme experiences of mountain and rock climbers from all over the world. I thought about the Himalayas, and Patagonia when I opened the package.  Likely with a different leash we also would not enjoy the environmental promise that comes with each handmade recycled Mountain Dog leash.

I was really pleased when the review leash arrived – it came in a recycled envelope and was bound with a simple brown wrapper of recycled paper. 

The black and white leash I chose to review is 65” long including the handle. It’s very comfortable in the hand, and good looking, too – which for some reason I didn’t expect.  The black coloring is a sharp black, not washed out looking, and the white relief is off-white dashes rather than dots of color. It’s a very stylish effect. 

The looped handle was formed from approximately 19″ of rope and is fastened with a one piece molded resin under which there are two fasteners of indeterminate materials used to bind one end of the loop to the leash to form the handle. The snap on clip is manufactured in the USA by the last of these factories operating here.

The leash is made here without sweat-shop labor, repurposing climbing rope keeps one more thing out of landfills, the leash should last 6.73 x longer than others (there’s a study!),  no “carbon intensive recycling process” is involved(they just wash the rope in environmentally sensitive soap), and you’ve got a lifetime guarantee with this product. (Read more about the company built thanks to a Mexican street dog.)  What’s not to like? The only reservation I would have on this leash would be for use with very small dogs – the proportion of the rounded climbing rope  is too big visually for those 10# and under. And the snap-on clip is too big and heavy as well. I know that clips come in different sizes, but I’m thinking climbing rope does not come in a lesser circumference. I could be wrong, and am sure I’ll be corrected if that’s the case:)

There’s no logo on the leash; the only way people will recognize it is if they know the company already, or if you tell them. Word of mouth marketing by customers and a “business on a handshake” dealer philosophy has kept the buzz on this product humming along for the 18 months the company has been in business. The standard 6′ leash is $24.95.

You can check the retail directory on the company website, and if you don’t have a store in your area, you can order online direct from the company.

[This leash was donated to Lake Shore Animal Shelter as I think it's perfect for dogs who pull, and many of them need a lesson or two in leash manners!]

Offered a review of the Mountain Dog leash, unique in its field, I accepted and also asked for an interview to kick it off. I’m glad I did. I learned some unexpected, interesting things about the product and the company’s Mexican street dog, spending a fast-paced hour with Charles Howard, President, Mountain Dog Products.

 1. When did you start your company, how did you get together with your partners and what made you put the idea of used climbing rope together with leashes?  Were you all climbers?

Dirk Schmidt (partner) and I have been friends for many years, and went to business school together. We both had ample experience as employees in the corporate sector, having climbed the corporate ladder in several businesses. We were looking for new business opportunities. I’m also a mountain climber and my wife and I were in Mexico enjoying a climbing vacation.  While we were finishing up one day, a Mexican street dog appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.

He was filthy, had bite marks on him, smelled like skunk and was largely unfamiliar with the ways of humans.  The dog adopted us.  And when it was time to leave the area my wife said simply that the dog was not staying behind…and I needed to get it done. [Hearing this, I was an instant fan!]

I fashioned a leash for the dog out of the climbing rope…we kept it for sentimental reasons.  When we got home, we continued to use the leash and people in dog parks commented, saying it was cool looking – one thing led to another. [Howard said Jefe is lying at his feet. I would bet he's probably listening, feeling proud of himself...wait til he sees the headline!]

As a serious climber and outdoorsman, preserving the environment for future generations is something I take very seriously.  When the business was formed, each step had the environment in mind. The business is a reflection of our values and beliefs.

Oh, and I wanted to say that even though Jefe, which means “boss”, had bite marks, smelled, and lived in the wild probably fighting off coyotes and whatever else, when we got him home he never messed in the house, never chewed on anything, and treats the other rescue dog and cat well  – he went from wild animal to great dog overnight. Jefe is the original Mountain Dog.

 2. What is climbing rope made of? Your leashes are made to last a lifetime, and the marketing says they are smoother than nylon in the hand.

The rope is made of a core engineered to support and catch the weight of a falling person, so the stress test is amazing. It is dragged across rock for miles [and scraped across jagged outcrops, too!].  Sheathed with a type of nylon that is not in everyday use, the rope gets softer to the touch as it’s used.

3. Your site says colors come and go depending on materials purchased, and if someone wants a color that doesn’t look like its available they can contact customer service and request it. Do you make a special order to your rope suppliers? I didn’t see any information about a color process.

Specific length is the usual custom order – police work with search and rescue dogs and want 30 ft ropes, a handle and clip on one end. The other common order is for a 12 ft leash or very short 18 inch leash.

As far as colors go. we have a range at any given time of 12-30-70  colors depending on suppliers. [They don’t  do any dyeing for special orders]

Everything is about recycling—there is no rope deconstruction or manufacturing. We get our rope from many different sources. For instance,  [mountain] guide services gave us 60 meters long ropes cut into lengths.  We also get rope from gyms, where wall climbing means shorter ropes.  We have a great partner with a wonderful recycling plan and we also get factory remnants – no one is looking for 15 ft long climbing rope!

4. What about your marketing, you say it’s generally word of mouth?

We have the best quality climbing rope, all repurposed for dogs.  We made a commitment to provide high quality customer service, and make our product in an environmentally sound way. Each one is handmade.  We take our product out and teach one dealer at a time what we and our product are about and what we stand for.

We guarantee recycled product, and have a lifetime replacement for any chewed leashes, since chewing is the only thing that can destroy it.

Marketing propagates throughout the community – the product goes to a dealer, starts selling, and two weeks later we are getting calls from two or three other dealers saying, “hey, we want to sell your product too.”

We want to continue to grow at a reasonable pace to maintain quality control which is why we decided not to go to the Backer show to keep expansion orderly rather than explosive.  We don’t do business with big box stores.  Our focus is on independently-owned business -  even our hardware supplier is a small independently-owned business. Our snap clips are bought from the last manufacturer remaining in the US.  There are 30 different companies here, but they all import the clips.

And we do not do business with anyone who sells dogs or cats. The public needs to understand why pet shops are a bad thing and how they impact the lives of those dogs and the shelters that often are on the receiving end.

5. What’s new at Mountain Dog?

We had our one-year Anniversary and decided to do something other than offer a discount. Rescue groups were the beneficiaries of this diversion. We partnered with dealers and gave anyone who bought x number of leashes over a defined period of time three free leashes sent to the local charity of their choice.  It was much more fun to celebrate our first-year anniversary this way than by offering a discount. It personalizes the business relationship [and spreads the wealth – bet the recipients were happy]. Mountain Dog also supports many charities here in our own community.

There are a couple of new products coming up: a slip lead and The Amazing Versatile Dog Leash which is our take on the European six-in-one leash.  [Okay, I want to see this one!]

Many thanks to Charles Howard, President of Mountain Dog, for being generous with his time for Dancing Dog Blog.

Be The Change for Pets project is designed to make it easy for bloggers and readers to get involved in helping pets live better lives; it has grown since the first mention here in the Weekend Edition of May 29.  An outcome of the first blogger’s conference BlogPaws East  The project is a reference to Ghandi’s quote “Be the change you want to see in the world.” A nice thought to start each day.

Here are a few programs that may interest you, most of which require no money to participate (refreshing!) and those that do ask for donations offer alternatives, like sharing with your Facebook friends.

1,  Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver: Don’t miss your chance to be counted! Check Maggie Marton’s page for links to the postcard template ready and waiting for you to complete telling the Mayor of Denver what you think about his law that you oppose breed specific legislation. There are also some great free graphics ready for your use that will help your card stand out. For more information contact operationdenver@gmail.com  

2. Freekibble.com has partnered with Tails Magazine and Halo to ask President Obama to make April 30th “National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day” There’s a pre-written electronic letter. Shelter pets will have one meal donated for each email sent up to 50,000 meals!

3. Never Shock A Puppy campaign begins September 1 for a full 8 weeks of humane dog training options, prizes, and more. During this time, $2500 will be raised to replace 165 dog collars with humane collars or harnesses for Boulder’s Humane Society’s No Choke Challenge in November. People who turn in their shock collars, choke chains, and pinch collars will get them replaced. Roxanne Hawn of Champion of My Heart blog is heading the coalition of groups involved. K9 Cuisine and Company of Animals are sponsors.

4. Dawg Business a dog health blog by Jana Rade has taken up the cause of spreading the word about  Syringomyella in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels in general, and helping one dog, Ella, in particular. It’s estimated that 33 - 50% of that breed are affected by this disease borne of poor breeding practices. You may recall the explosive BBC documentary on Crufts and  Kennel Club standards doing severe harm to the health of several breeds through inbreeding.

You might spend a few minutes signing on to do one or more things listed here, or think of something you’d like to do yourself! What’s going on in your neighborhood? Are you doing something for animals?  Do you walk dogs for the local shelter? How about a local pet food pantry-anyone working or helping out one of those organizations? If you have a project coming up, let us know where and when!

(Hat tip to Rod, Amy and Kim of Be The Change for Animals for the FreeKibble lead, and Marton’s email!)

The regular red rubber Kong is one of my dog’s favorite toys, and I don’t even stuff them with anything!  Tashi looks at it as if it were prey; when I toss it down the hall and  it bounces, he pounces, when it rolls, he attacks.  When I had the opportunity to test the the Kong Wobbler I knew it was not for my 14.7 lb lightweight, but I enlisted my friend Steve’s dog, Shadow, to test it.  At 38lbs (or so) I figured he’d be a match for it.

The Kong Wobbler is a hard plastic toy with a weighted bottom that creates much the same kind of action you might remember from the inflatable clown toys that were used as punching bags years ago–except with a tasty treat twist.  The bottom unscrews and you put treats or kibble inside. The dog can smell the aroma through the Kong-shaped keyhole  in the center.  He either uses his nose or paw to move the toy around until some little treat finds its way out and gets scarfed. The nose push +/- paw smack = reward lesson is learned quickly. Well…by most dogs. Shadow is a dog who lived through a death-defying bout of distemper.  This was a good test for him.  I had to force the interaction by hitting the toy myself, several times, and Shadow was happy to engage then as you see here:

As you can see, he made it clear that unless I was going to play too, he could wait it out.  It looks like it will take another dog to create the interaction that Shadow seems to need to have some fun with this toy.  He enjoyed the tasty baked IQ Treats that came with the Kong Wobbler, as evidenced by the lip-licking at the end of the clip.  Grain free with no fillers or additives, the made in Denmark salmon Kong stuffers work in any of the Kong treat-dispensing toys.

The Kong Wobbler is easy to clean, dishwasher safe(top rack only), and is US made. This product is useful for dogs who wolf their food down, forcing them to work for just a few pieces at a time, and for those high energy dogs who get in trouble when they are left to their own devices.

Salmon Paws sent their new “value pak” version of the salmon omega stix treats, and I was impressed. These dog (and cat) treats are 100% Wild Alaskan Salmon with no bones, fillers, are handmade of human grade salmon and baked with a little sea salt according to the manufacturer.  

The jerky sticks were soft, and it was easy for my dog to bite off pieces. And he’s missing his canines! The aroma was heady, in a good way. So much so that when I opened the package and said “salmon!” my dog awoke with a start, stood up, and seemed to say: “where, where!” Part of the whole salmon connoiseur thing he’s been cultivating. 

What was weirdly funny was that I had not read the testimonial page until I started writing. Apparently company owners used the word “salmon” to stop their dog Zoey (the Beagle) from doing something ill-advised as a puppy. Food drive can be a very useful thing!  In fact a trainer offered in a testimonial that this was the only product he used in his training sessions, and I can see why. I liked the salmon stix especially because they were not greasy to handle as some salmon products are.

Salmon Paws jerky treats comes in a vacuum sealed bag of 9 one-ounce sticks.  They have several other styles of salmon available, flat portions and also ground for cats. There is one version with organic broccoli added and another with organic wheatgrass. A new “Daily Meal Topper” will be available soon for dogs that you can sprinkle on their food that includes sweet potatoes, broccoli, and carrots – fine dining!

While the minimum order from the website is $35, there is a handy store locator that will point you to the nearest retail store so you can try these treats for much less:) The company has been manufacturing salmon products for 15 years and if you missed the interview with Salmon Paws owner Debbie Wakabayashi, check out the link.

I connected with Debbie Wakabayashi, President of Salmon Paws Doggy Treats, via email and she was good enough to answer a few questions about her business. I continue to be amazed at how many small businesses have been born during this economic crisis.

l. What motivated you to start your company? 
 
My inspiration for my business comes from my own dogs, Zoey and Hudson. I wanted to give them an all natural treat that didn’t have any fillers and preservatives in them which a lot of pet treats have these days.

My first dog, Zoey, had gotten violently sick on chicken treats. So I said, “No more chicken”. I saw how Zoey reacted to the scent of salmon whenever I would prepare salmon in my kitchen for my husband and I to eat. And I thought why not a salmon treat!
 
- Our love for our own dogs is put into every bag of SALMON PAWS!
 
2.  Why salmon and how did that happen?
 
Our family processing plant where the products are made: Bellingham, WA. My brother in law has been making human grade salmon products for 20 plus years in an F.D.A. approved facility. I decided to start the Salmon Jerky dog treats after we got our first dog, Zoey. We are family owned and operated.
 
3. How long have you been in business?

Started business in 2008.
 

4. Would you share an innovative marketing idea you had that worked well and helped your company get through the last couple of years?
 
It’s all about customer service, I include a personally hand-written note to all my Internet orders.  Another thing that has helped is the following: In this   economy, it was hard to consider starting the business selling ‘higher end pricier treats’. So I decided to offer “30 Day Trials- No Risk”. They did not have to buy upfront. I told them to just try the product and let it speak and sell for itself. Once customers would buy  SALMON PAWS, they would go back to the retailers and tell them how their dog loved it so much and would go nuts for it.
 
LOTS OF WAGGING TAIL STORIES!
 
Most of the stores would call back and be so excited about ordering more. Salmon Paws is more costly, but knowing you are giving them an all natural, human grade, nutritious treat every day to benefit their health and lives is so worth it! These are my 4- legged kids and they are worth it!
 
5.  Tell readers a little about your association with the no-kill shelter you donate to and how that came about?
 
I just didn’t start my business to make money, I wanted to make a healthy treat for my dogs. I had been searching for over a month to find an organization that I wanted to give back to. Finally my heart connected with an organization. While watching tv I saw a segment on Gillian Lange and the Lange Foundation on “The Oprah Show”. Right then and there I knew Gillian Lange’s foundation was the one I wanted to give back to.

Ten percent of all internet purchases goes to the Lange Foundation in LA You can check out Salmon Paws website here. DDB will have a review coming up! (Tashi is *very* excited!)  Many thanks to Debbie Wakabayashi for sharing her story with us!