Choose Charleston

I stopped by the John Ancrum SPCA off of Leeds Avenue today to browse around. There are oodles of adoptable cats, kittens, dogs, puppies, bunnies, and even a guinea pig available.

Today, I was looking for a kitten, male, robust enough to handle himself around our two older male cats. Sure there will be a bit of hissing in the beginning - territory and dominance establishing behavior, all that good stuff - but the hope is that within a few weeks they will all be buddies.

I noticed while I was there that the SPCA is having a benefit on August 24, 6-9 p.m. “A Furry Affair” art show and auction, packed with appearances by local celebrities, at the City Gallery.

Cool! Sounds like it will be an evening to remember, the cat’s pajamas even.

It’s early Monday morning, coffee is brewing, and the cats are at the window, watching light wash into the world outside. I spent half the weekend in the world of muggles (mowing the lawn, trimming the edges, and resolving an attack of climbing weeds around an old-growth gardenia) and the other half lost in the land of Harry Potter.

Today, it’s back to the salt mines!

Today is also the day for the cats to have their annual check-up at the vet, which makes today’s choice for free & local easy enough.

Locals have been sending their Boykins to fetch Lowcountry Dog from the shelves for the last three years. With distribution points from Beaufort all the way up to Pawley’s Island, it is fast becoming a solid fixture of area veterinarian offices, pet supply stores, grooming salons, and even regular people places.

This is a snazzy looking glossy featuring high quality photography from some of the top names in the regional shutter trade and oodles of information on all things canine.

We just returned from a new adventure, and it was awesome.

I’m afraid our dog, Noah, doesn’t have much of a social life. The only time he ever gets to meet other dogs is when we take a trip and he stays at the kennel. That’s really a shame, because he’s a very social animal and believes that everyone should love him.

Recently, we discovered a new park in Charleston, strictly for our four legged friends. Designed by the Charleston Parks Department, Ackerman Dog Park is a joyful place to be. Dog owners can socialize while their pets run around off-leash. We finally got off our lazy behinds and took Noah to the park. It was one of the best decisions we’ve made in a long time.

We were a little nervous at first, because Noah is a big dog and so friendly that he sometimes scares little dogs, as well as some humans. I was very pleasantly surprised when he behaved like a gentleman… most of the time. There were a couple of minor incidents when I had to direct him away from another dog he was showing too much interest in, so to speak. However, overall, it was a great experience.

Now, I’m inspired.

Ackerman Dog Park is West Ashley, on Sycamore Avenue, behind Ryan’s Steakhouse.

There are other off-leash parks in the area, and I plan to see how Noah handles these as well.

Downtown Charleston is the home of Hampton Park, which has a fairly new off-leash dog park. It is located on the corner of Rutledge and Grove.

Also, while most of the Charleston County Parks are pet-friendly, James Island County Park features the first official off-leash area. It is located behind the overflow parking area and adjacent to the lake. CCPRC says there are plans in the works to expand this offering to some of the other county park facilities.