Dogs and Downtown L.A.’s Gentrification

I found this interesting article on the positive effect dogs are having on downtown L.A. What was once a mainly commercial zone is now becoming a residential neighborhood with dogs and their people leading the way. The presence of people and their dogs is creating a community, helping the police fight crime, and leading to the reopening of greenspaces. I know that it is often the case that when an off-leash area opens in a park, crime in the park decreases due to the regular presence and lengthy stays of people and their dogs.

Honda Dog Car

Honda has a dog-friendly car for the Japanese market called the W.O.W. (Wonderful Open-hearted Wagon). It has a small dog crate for a glove box, a back seat that can be made into a larger pen, removable and washable seat cushions, and a wood floor that can be removed and cleaned. There’s also a translated version of the Japanese Honda site to give you a good overview of its features.

Lockable Leash

RuffWear has introduced a lockable leash to keep your dog safe on the sidewalk while you’re inside a store shopping. In addition to the lock, the leash has two steel cables running through it so the leash can’t just be cut. It looks and works like an ordinary leash until you use the clever locking system.

I’ve been reluctant to leave my dog, Saffron, tied up outside stores while I pop in to shop because it would kill me if someone took her. And that’s not that far fetched–I’m not the only one who thinks Saffron’s the most beautiful, obedient, sweetest, wonderful dog–she gets a ton of attention when we’re out. Plus, I’ve seen news stories where people have had their dog stolen while they were inside a store. I’d feel safer leaving her for a short time outside a store using this leash.