Gallery Of Travel

In the five or so years that Vancouver dog boutique bow wow haus has been catering to their canine clients, they’ve proven time and time again how committed they are to being a leader in their community. With locations on W. 4th in Kitsilano and on Davie Street in the West End, I would guess that they probably have a larger than average share of tiny canine clients, too. Not to mention people who love dogs of that dimension. So it’s no surprise, really, that bow wow haus not only understands the really little guys, but also thrive on putting little ones in need together with big-hearted new owners.

All of this is leading up to both kudos for bow wow haus and an invitation for you to attend a fundraising event they’ll be hosting on February 10th at their West End location. They’re out to raise money for a special chihuahua named Lucky who they are supporting from a high-kill shelter in California. “Lucky has some special health care needs (including the need for a custom-made front wheel cart!) and we are throwing a ’do to help raise some $ as well as awareness about adoptable dogs.” From a recent release:

We are sometimes asked why we support dogs being rescued from California rather than focusing on dogs in need in BC -- but the reality is, few small breed dogs come into rescue in Canada and the interest in adopting small dogs is high. Not so in many parts of the US -- in L.A. alone over 3,000 animals are euthanized every month. When small dogs are brought to Vancouver, many of the little ones find loving homes fairly quickly. The availability of small dogs for adoption also decreases the demand for puppy mill pups -- so we think it's a win-win situation!

The February 10th event is one of several small fundraising initiatives bow wow haus is supporting to help contribute to Lucky’s care and transport. “We are asking some of our friends in the doggie biz to help us spread the word about our event amongst your circles.”

You can read more about Lucky and his special needs on the bow wow haus blog here.

Do Old Dogs Dream? by Harold J. Creel (Thornton Press) is a tender and humorous must-have book for any dog lover. This collection of poems, photos and pictures all about the canine geriatric set celebrates all dogs lucky enough to reach old age. The baby boomer generation is aging, right alongside our favorite old dogs. Our aging lives are enriched by their grace and candor. The author is donating ALL profits from the sale of this book to the rescue and care of old dogs. See interviews and more on the author’s Facebook page.

Merle’s Door: Lessons From a Free-Thinking Dog by Ted Kerasote (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). This national bestseller explores the bond between humans and their dogs and is truly a wonderful read.

Both of these books are wonderfully written and will make you laugh and cry. Plus they will make you truly appreciate every day with your own dog and all the lessons we unwittingly learn from our very best canine friends.

Happy reading...