Dogs rule
Sometimes I think New Yorkers are barking mad. In much of the world a dog may be seen as man's best friend, but in New York it is the man (and woman) who is the dog's best friend. This is a city with 1.6 million children and 1.7 million dogs, and often it seems that the four-legged residents get treated better than the two-legged variety. And it doesn't cost them a thing.
Here is what dogs can do in New York in 2006: for health, they can take nutrition counselling, nerve therapies or even acupuncture. For appearance, they have hair salons, pedicures and fashion designers.
When they're hungry, the traditional idea of bones and meat scraps is so yesterday. Organic doggie food is increasingly popular. For sports and entertainment, there are dog costumed swimming and yoga lessons, massage, parties and festivals. And the world's first Pet Fashion Week took place in New York last month.
But New York's pooches aren't just pampered: they seem to be getting so many rights that they might as well run the place. Dogs are forcing their way into the city's posh cafes and restaurants - even in places where they're banned. All it takes is for their owner to carry a doctor's letter stating that the creature is an 'emotional-service dog', and, therefore a vital, mental-health lifeline.
Last week, a New York court issued the first protection order for a dog. The five-year-old Bichon Frise named Bebe belongs to a gay man who left the animal in the care of his partner for a few days. When the couple had a massive falling out over the phone, Bebe became a target. He was beaten badly by his doggie-sitter, and Bebe's owner sought the court's protection for himself and the animal. The man accused of the assault now has to stay 100 metres away from his ex-partner and the dog.
Indeed, dogs are the latest focus for the legal profession, creating a new speciality within some law firms. The so-called dog lawyers help prospective tenants get their dogs into no-pet apartments, or pass a deceased owner's property to his inheriting dog. The fees for these legal services are comparable to those for humans.
And now the dogs seem to be poised for another victory - this time against a community organisation that has sued the city for not enforcing a rule that dogs should be leashed in public parks. According to the New York City health code, dogs in public should be leashed on a lead no longer than six feet. But in the past two decades, police have been encouraged to look the other way from 9pm to 9am in parks where there are no dog runs. The community group, though, argued that unleashed dogs are dangerous, accusing the city of violating its own rules.
Instead of bending, city officials have vowed to change the rule for the dogs' convenience - they will codify the free-roaming hours. If it's a dog's life, I've decided I want to be one.
