Pets

Byers junior high to go from unofficial dog park to DSST charter school

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Marijuana and dogs: Vets warn (again) that you shouldn't give pot to pets

Back in 2010, we published a story in which a veterinarian warned that dogs shouldn't be given marijuana. Shortly thereafter, Fox31 did a lurid version of the same story, complete with imagery straight out of a '60s-era psychedelic flick. Then, last year, CBS4 reported about a vet who'd conducted a ... More >>

Dog Days of Winter

Anthony Ortolani wants dog he left on a mountain to go to one of her rescuers

Last month, Anthony Ortolani insisted he wanted to retain custody of Missy, a dog he left on a mountain to die -- a prospect that spurred Facebook outcry and a petition to stop that from happening. Now, however, he's done an about-face, saying at a news conference that he wants Missy to stay with o ... More >>

Pit bull saved after petition drive has previous bite record, police say

Yesterday, we told you the story of Dre, a pit bull reunited with his family in Brighton months after he was threatened with euthanizing following an incident in which he reportedly showed aggression but didn't bite anyone; more than 68,000 people signed a petition demanding that he be saved. We've ... More >>

Pit bull mix bites don't convince Larimer Humane Society to target breeds

Denver's continuing pit bull ban remains a controversy lightning rod, with lovers of the breed putting blame for problems on owners even as critics see this type of dog as inherently dangerous. Now, two biting incidents involving pit-bull mixes in Larimer County (one dog is seen here) have revved up ... More >>

Contest: Fattest dog wins free workout from dog trainer and former kindergarten teacher

Fat dog doesn't care that its fat.​Dogs are like babies in one respect above all others: They don't know they're fat (or drooling half the time, for that matter). But unlike dogs, babies grow up, get skinny, then fat again. Canines go down another road, one of constant eating and as much sleep ... More >>

Frosting and Felines

Poop Fairies watch over Jefferson County hiking trails: Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario

​ Jefferson County officials should not be encouraging pet owners to believe that "There Is No Poop Fairy." As the illustration above indicates, scat scofflaws won't respond to any poop-pickup commandments unless they are being watched over by real, live poop fairies...

Pit bull attack victim says owners should know their dog could kill someone (VIDEO)

Video below.​Pit bull bans in Denver and Colorado cities like Aurora have stirred controversy among activists, who insist that bad owners, not the breed, are to blame when the dogs attack. But while Nederland's Michael O'Neill, who was recently injured by a pit bull, doesn't back a ban, he say ... More >>

Pit bulls: Denver's decision to allow their use as service dogs won't stop lawsuit, attorney says

​Denver's quiet policy change to allow pit bulls to be used as service dogs might seem to end a class-action lawsuit demanding just such a change. But no: Jennifer Edwards, the Animal Law Center attorney behind the court action, says the fight will go on due to several factors, including a po ... More >>

Pit bull service-dog rules go into effect as Aurora looks to adjust its "bully breeds" ban

​New federal guidelines tightening the traditionally loosey-goosey definition "service animals" go into effect today. From now on only dogs (and, um, in some cases, miniature horses) that have been "individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disabi ... More >>

Pit bull service-dog ban in Aurora set to fall, but councilman favors other restrictions on breed

​In December, Denver City Council rejected a service-dog exemption to its longtime pit bull ban, despite a lawsuit claiming the rule breaks federal law. Aurora faced a similar dilemma, and while the city council is on the cusp of creating the same kind of exemption Denver rejected, one member ... More >>

Jeff Fortin's tale of dog breeding woes makes him our Shmuck of the Week

​Jeff Fortin surrendered his dog breeding license last week -- much to the delight of animal lovers, who have been complaining about him for years. But he didn't do so before euthanizing 1,200 dogs at his Oberlin, Kansas puppy breeding business, where an outbreak of distemper in December kept ... More >>

Pit bull protest photo gallery: Could service-dog rule put a bite in Denver's ban?

Big pics below.​At a rally Friday against Denver's ban on pit bulls, the lone city council member in favor of the overturning the measure told a cheering crowd of about a hundred people that an upcoming federal lawsuit focusing on a loophole established by the Americans with Disabilities Act c ... More >>

Rescue dogs now top grads with jobs in service industry

Teka, Class of '10.​In these dark economic times, it's a relief to learn that at least some hard-working students are moving straight from graduation to immediate and steady employment in a booming industry. Qualifications: Four legs, good communication skills, familiarity with the demands of ... More >>

Denver gets a second new dog park near East High -- along with an urban garden

railyarddogs.orgRailyard Dog Park construction.​Students returning to East High School today can look forward to a lesson in community involvement over the next two years, courtesy of Denver's parks department. By the end of September, the city plans to demolish the former Safeway/Church in t ... More >>

Tom Cat Condoms: Don't try putting them on your pussy

Full-sized photos below.​Putting on a condom can be tricky, what with all the strategic placement and careful unrolling at a time when your mind is on other things. So imagine how difficult it would be to put one on your cat. He can't do it himself, since the love glove could get punctured by ... More >>

Denver's Most Dogged: Kenny Be knows dog-lovers and what they want

​In this week's Westword, Kenny Be draws "Denver's Most Dogged" -- a breakdown of the city's rabid dog-lovers. After dividing the dog-lovers into six types -- from Petrosexuals to Dogvocates -- he outlines their every desire. Click through to see where you and your dog fit in ...

A North City Park resident says his dogs' accuser is barking up the wrong tree

From the week of November 26, 2009

From the week of October 22, 2009

Wondering how to give your dog mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? Here's your chance to learn

A Flickr photoOpen wide...​A new Associated Press-Petside.com poll reveals that 63 percent of dog owners and 53 percent of cat owners surveyed would be at least "somewhat likely" to perform CPR on their pets in the event of an emergency. But undoubtedly the number of people who'd actually know ... More >>

Denver's pit-bull ban snares more than pit bulls

Incognito and on the run: an American Staffordshire Terrier.​He was in our front yard and a little hard to miss. About as inconspicuous as a Hummer in a rose garden. And my wife, Lisa, wanted to rescue him. Maybe it's because of all the old houses and flimsy fences, maybe it's the proximity t ... More >>

The Denver Post's bulldog is dead

Photo courtesy of Flickr. In newspaper parlance, a bulldog is an early edition -- most commonly a version of the Sunday paper sold on Saturdays. Since time immemorial, the Denver Post has published such a product, but no more. Jim Nolan, spokesman for the Denver Newspaper Agency, confirms that the ... More >>

When coyotes attack: A dog's revenge

"Not feeling so wiley now, are you?" Shortly after posting "TV Stations, Newspapers See Coyote-Attack Story Very Differently," about coverage of a woman who was recently swarmed by coyotes while walking her dog, I received a note from Alek Komarnitsky, whose website, Komar.org, features images of h ... More >>

Dog Day of Winter

Learn everything you ever wanted to know about skijoring.

Denver Metro Young Republicans come up with best campaign ads ever

Pet Cemetery

Shmucks of the Week: dog abusers

Vlog the Impaler: Puppies=Pussy

Animal Instincts

Biologist Marc Bekoff discusses the latest scientific findings.

Canine Capers

Lost and Found

It's a dog-eat-dog world.

Oh, the Humane-ity

Help the Colorado Humane Society celebrate its birthday.

Puppy Love

John Cusack is another endearing mutt in Must Love Dogs.

Best Cattery

Animal Rescue and Adoption Society

Best Place to Take Your Dog for a Dip

City Bark

Best Four-Legged Radio Talk-Show Team

Dan Caplis and Craig Silverman
KHOW

Off Limits

Comic relief

Fourth-Best Question Called In to the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

No Kill Bill

Denver animal shelters want to let sleeping dogs lie.

Best Place to Rest Weary Feet -- and Paws

Loews Denver Hotel

Best Place to Rent a Dog

Maxfund Animal Shelter

Off Limits

Roll over and play dead.

Letters

Dog Days

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE