New signs exhort dog owners to "scoop the poop" in Bethesda

The ongoing war against dog waste in downtown Bethesda has been joined by new signs erected in the Woodmont Triangle. "Scoop the poop," they remind insensitive dog owners who don't always do that. Logos for Montgomery County, Bethesda Urban Partnership, Bethesda Green, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust are emblazoned on the signs, which so far can be found at the corner of Norfolk and Cordell Avenues, and at Veterans Park. 

Dog waste bag dispensers are located beneath the signs. Beyond being disgusting and a public health hazard, dog waste also attracts rats. As if the disease-spreading rodent vermin weren't utterly revolting enough already, in recent years they've wanted to make it widely known that they also literally eat dog feces. "Get 'em the hell out."

Montgomery County Animal Services shelter reaches critical capacity for large dogs

The Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center (MCASAC) is issuing an urgent appeal for community support as the shelter faces an unprecedented space crisis. In a span of just three days—from March 4 to March 6—the facility took in 29 dogs, pushing the total canine population over 100 and exceeding the shelter’s capacity for care. The situation has reached a tipping point, threatening the shelter's long-standing commitment to animal welfare, and avoidance of euthanasia based solely on space limitations.

With dogs arriving faster than staff and volunteers can safely place them, available kennels have become extremely limited. MCASAC is calling on residents who are able to adopt a large dog to visit the shelter as soon as possible. Adoptions are completed on a first-come, first-served basis, and interested individuals should be prepared to take their new pet home the same day. Visitors are asked to bring a leash and collar to facilitate the process.

If you can take a big dog in for a short stay until the crisis is over, residents can join the MCASAC temporary foster program at no cost. The shelter provides all necessary supplies to those willing to open their homes to a large dog temporarily.

Visiting hours at the shelter are 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM Tuesday through Friday, and 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The shelter is closed on Mondays. MCASAC is located at 7315 Muncaster Mill Road in Derwood.

Operated by the Office of Animal Services, MCASAC is Montgomery County’s only open-admission municipal shelter. It provides 24-hour emergency response and promotes responsible pet care through education and outreach. For more information on the adoption process or to view available animals, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices.

Livewell Animal Hospital opens in Bethesda

Livewell Animal Hospital is now open at 7000 Wisconsin Avenue, in the ground floor of The Camille apartments in Bethesda. Walk-in appointments are welcomed at the facility, which is a full-service animal hospital. However, it is not open 24 hours a day, so Friendship Animal Hospital at 4105 Brandywine Street NW is still going to be your best bet for after-hours emergencies. Operating hours at Livewell are 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays.

Signage installed at Livewell Animal Hospital in Bethesda

Permanent signage has been installed at Livewell Animal Hospital, opening soon at 7000 Wisconsin Avenue in The Camille apartments in Bethesda. They've also got a QR code and Instagram account posted in the front window. Walk-in appointments will be welcomed at the facility, which will be a full-service animal hospital, although it will not be open 24 hours a day. Operating hours will be 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays. Livewell is expected to open before the end of the year.

Bark Social closes at Pike & Rose

Have we passed peak "pet parent" in Montgomery County? The demise of Bark Social at 935 Prose Street at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda may require us to ponder this question for the first time. Bark Social has filed for bankruptcy after an expected round of new financing fell through, the company announced as it - in its own words - "abruptly" closed all of its locations Thursday. 

A cross between a dog park and a bar, with a border-crossing-checkpoint design aesthetic, Bark Social appeared as if it could do no wrong when it opened in 2021. Pandemic-weary Americans were eager to embrace any new outdoor venues, and dog owners in the many apartment buildings around Bark Social had limited exercise options for their pets to take advantage of. The steady decline of alcoholic beverage sales was also briefly reversed, as lockdowns, pandemic restrictions, and a botched rollout of vaccines led some to turn to adult beverages to pass the empty hours.

Investors apparently have since turned (Karelian) Bearish on the concept. Have cats overtaken the dogs? Has inflation made expensive dog ownership too much of a luxury expense at this point? This is the time for all "plant parents" to seize the zeitgeist!

Livewell Animal Hospital "coming soon" to Bethesda

Livewell Animal Hospital is "coming soon" to downtown Bethesda, according to signage posted at its future home in the ground floor of The Camille apartments at 7000 Wisconsin Avenue. As I reported this past May, the space was leased by the Southern Veterinary Partners network of animal hospitals, and they have chosen to go with the Livewell brand at this location. The hospital is scheduled to open before the end of 2024. 

Walk-in appointments will be welcomed at the facility, which will be a full-service animal hospital, although it will not be open 24 hours a day. Operating hours will be 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays.

The Camille leases up retail space with animal hospital in downtown Bethesda

The ground floor retail space at The Camille at 7000 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda now has a tenant. Southern Veterinary Partners, a vet-owned network of animal hospitals across America, has leased the 5894-square-foot retail unit. The Alabama-based firm was founded in 2014 by Dr. Jay Price. Construction is just getting underway inside the space.

Small Door Veterinary opens in Bethesda

Small Door Veterinary, a "tech-enabled" veterinary practice, has opened at 10253 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, at the Wildwood Shopping Center. This is Small Door's first clinic in Maryland, and the company says it will be the first of several to open in the future at other Federal Realty-owned properties. Leading the practice here will be Dr. Heidi Heller, and Senior Veterinarian Dr. Penny Coder. 

A Small Door membership costs $169 per pet, per year. That fee gives your pet one free exam, same or next-day appointments, 24/7 telemedicine, and state-of-the-art medical facilities equipped with the latest technology. “When our pets are healthy, comfortable and fit, they keep us healthy, active and fit too,” Dr. Heller said in a statement. “As a native of the DMV area, it’s personally gratifying to be helping foster a healthier community here in Bethesda.”

For more information, or to join or make an appointment, visit Small Door's website.

Signage installed at expanded Bone Jour in Bethesda (Photos)

Signage has been installed outside the new storefront of the expanded Bone Jour at 4923 Cordell Avenue in downtown Bethesda. The doggie daycare and boarding facility is in the process of doubling in size. Its front reception desk will switch from the existing 4922 Del Ray Avenue side of the business over to this side. The awning signage includes the Bone Jour website address, but - so far - no lighted signage like the Del Ray side has.

Bone Jour expanding in Bethesda

Bone Jour, a doggie daycare and pet boutique at 4922 Del Ray Avenue in downtown Bethesda, is about to double in size. It is expanding into the former Dryclean Club building directly behind it at 4923 Cordell Avenue. Workers there have been converting the interior for several months, including installing the noise reduction measures Montgomery County requires of dog training and boarding facilities. 

The reception desk will flip over to the Cordell side when the work is completed. Kennels will be located in both buildings, and there will now be more daycare roaming room for each size of dog. Bone Jour has been in business since 1986.

The Dog Coop to replace Paul's Wine & Spirits in Friendship Heights

The Dog Coop, a doggie daycare business, will open in the former Paul's Wine & Spirits space at 5205 Wisconsin Avenue NW in Friendship Heights. Founded by Judi Clayton, The Dog Coop will offer daycare, dog walking, training, grooming, and overnight boarding. There will also be a retail area inside with an emphasis on healthy and organic products, and promoting offerings from local vendors as much as possible. The Dog Coop will also contribute to local animal-related charitable causes, and maintain two boarding suites at all times for dog owners in emergency situations, such as a sudden illness or a victim fleeing domestic violence.

Paul's closed in early 2022, citing "issues" with the Voight Office Building ownership as the cause of its demise, according to Fox 5. In operation in Washington, D.C. for over 65 years, Paul's was at this location for the last 38. Its window is still in place over the front door.

Small Door Veterinary opening clinic in Bethesda

Small Door Veterinary is opening a clinic in Bethesda. It will be at 10253 Old Georgetown Road, in the Wildwood Shopping Center. Small Door Veterinary touts convenient appointments and access to doctors, a stress-free physical environment in its facilities, transparency in fees, and ease of management of your pet's medical records. It is a Certified B corporation and a Public Benefit Corporation.

Atlas Doghouse opening tonight in Bethesda

Bethesda's newest doggie daycare, training and boarding facility Atlas Doghouse will officially open at 4937 Bethesda Avenue tonight, May 19, 2023. A grand opening celebration will be held from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Free adult beverages will be served. Atlas Doghouse says to "Bring your dog" - not only will it be a chance to scope out the facility, but an artist will be drawing pet caricatures for free.

Sign of life at Atlas Doghouse in Bethesda

It was eleven months ago that Atlas Doghouse announced it would be opening a Bethesda location at 4937 Bethesda Avenue in the summer of 2022. That never happened. But a permanent sign has just been installed over the storefront, and last night it was already lit up. Atlas Doghouse is a doggie daycare and boarding center with an existing location on H Street NE in the District.

Wag N' Wash replaces Loyal Companion in Bethesda

All is not lost for pet owners who were relying on Loyal Companion, the pet store that recently closed at 6900 Arlington Road in Bethesda. Wag N' Wash has moved into their space at the end of the Bradley Shopping Center. Wag N' Wash carries food and supplies for dogs and cats, offers grooming services as well as a self-serve pet washing station, and features a "gourmet" pet deli and bakery.

Wag N' Wash was founded in 1999 by Jef Strauss and Dan Remus. Each location is independently owned and operated by local businesspeople. Wag N' Wash was acquired last year by Pet Supplies Plus, but Strauss and Remus are staying on-board until spring next year, to ensure a smooth transition and that the brand maintains the standards they've set for more than two decades.

"Both Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N' Wash believe in community, local retail and a fun experience in our stores," Strauss said in a statement. "With strong infrastructure behind them, passionate owners can build local relationships and deliver the ultimate experiential retail experience." Wag N' Wash currently also has two other stores in Maryland, which are located in Rockville and California (in St. Mary's County).

Bethesda ES grounds are "not a dog park," principal reminds community

Bethesda Elementary School Principal Lisa Seymour sent a message to the community via the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center yesterday, reminding residents that it is illegal for dogs to be on the grounds of the school when it is in session, and to pick up waste their animals leave behind on the property. The school grounds are "not a dog park," Seymour wrote in a memo. Uncollected dog waste is a disruption and health hazard for students using the playground during lunch, recess, and gym classes.

The memo cited and quoted Montgomery County laws regarding both matters, as well as the applicable fines for breaking them. Seymour also advised that dogs brought onto the property outside of school hours must be leashed at all times. Dog waste must be picked up, bagged, and disposed of properly. "Kindly please leave the area as you found it and dispose of all trash for the safety and well-being of our students," Seymour requested in the memo.

Loyal Companion to close in Bethesda

Loyal Companion, a national-chain pet wellness store at 6900 Arlington Road in downtown Bethesda, is closing. The store has been open a little over three years. But this is one of the rare closings we can't blame on the hostile business climate of Montgomery County. Especially when you consider the booming growth in dog and cat ownership in Bethesda over the last two decades, which has attracted many pet-related businesses to the area.

Loyal Companion's parent company, Independent Pet Partners, made big news at the time the Bethesda store opened when it acquired several pet store chains across the country. These included Loyal Companion, Kriser's, Especially For Pets, Bark! Dogma – Life, With Your Pet, Pet Source, Pet Life and Whole Pet Central. Pets+ reports that many of these IPP chain stores have announced they are closing by the end of this month.

This is a tough blow for the Bradley Shopping Center, where Bradley Care Drugs occupied this space for over 60 years. But it's a prime location that should be attractive to many businessses, And the center still has its other longtime draws like Strosniders Hardware, Bradley Food & Beverage, Bradley Party & Variety, and even a new - albeit smaller - drugstore in Walgreens.

Bond Vet opens at Bethesda Row

Bond Vet is now open at 7025 Arlington Road at Bethesda Row. The primary and urgent care veterinary clinic offers a full examination for new pet patients for $25. Telehealth and surgical services are also available. Not many people are aware they have opened yet, so a glance at the website shows appointments available all day today. Bond Vet also accepts walk-ins, and is open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily.

PetWellClinic opens at Pike & Rose

PetWellClinic has opened at 11802-D Rockville Pike, at the Pike & Rose development. Look for it in the one-level structure that also houses Chipotle and Kung Fu Tea, at the southeast corner of the Federal Realty-owned property. This is the first of an expected 25 locations for the veterinary clinic chain in the D.C. region. 

The chief veterinarian at the clinic is Dr. Margeaux Malone, and she is assisted by Dr. Leigh Pusateri. PetWellClinic is open Monday-Friday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and on weekends from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Signage installed at Bond Vet in Bethesda

The sign is up at Bond Vet at 7025 Arlington Road at Bethesda Row. "A new kind of pet clinic and animal hospital," the New York-based veterinary practice is now expanding into the Washington, D.C. region. Bond Vet will also offer telehealth and surgical services for pets. There's no opening date announced yet, but it is expected to open this fall.