Los Angeles Loves Animals
L.A. Ink's Kat Von D with her precious hairless cat, Ludwig. Photos courtesy of L.A. Ink/TLC, Rover Kennels and Chateau Marmutt
Culturally, Los Angeles, California is one of the most diverse areas in the United States. Within the boarders of Los Angeles, people from over 130 countries speak more than 200 languages, which led to the creation of diverse and historical enclaves in the minority-majority city. Chinatown, Koreatown, Little Armenia, Little India, Thai Town, and Little Ethiopia are just some of the ethnic enclaves of Los Angeles, but no area garners more attention to the Los Angeles tourist than Hollywood. Because Los Angeles is home to the Hollywood elite, it is also home to the canine elite, therefore producing a fervent demand in an innovative pet marketplace. Being the home of many privileged pets, Los Angeles offers a ravishing marketplace for the tourist, with a stunning variety of memorable activities for the pet … and its parent. With so many pets in Los Angeles, the city might even see the creation of a new enclave known as Dog Town.
When traveling to Los Angeles, the pet parent does not have to sniff around too long to find the right hotel no matter their budget. The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel (santamonicaloewshotels.com)
has a phenomenal reputation with pets due largely in part to their exclusive Loews Loves Pets program, which states: “we do not only welcome your pets, we love them.” From your initial check-in, Loews Santa Monica “begins with a personal note from the general manager with information on hotel pet services, local dog-walking routes, puppy pagers, and area pet services.” As part of their Pet Room Service, Loews offers ?a veterinarian-approved menu ?of delicious foods that are crafted to “help pets deal with travel stress.” The menu is designed for both dogs and cats and provides exceptional nutrition from the hands of a professional chef. Dogs will drool over their grilled lamb or chicken with rice while cats will be sure to do more than just purring at the hotel’s liver or salmon rice dishes. Loews has even introduced vegetarian pet menu items for the “health-conscious pet,” proving that the hotel keeps up to date with pet demands.
Dogs enjoy the good life with their owners at L.A.'s SkyBark. Photos courtesy of SkyBark
Another beachside hotel in the Los Angeles area is The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Ray (ritzcarlton.com) where the pet and their parent(s) can “enjoy the warmth of the waterfront, as a getaway at the Marina awaits you in sun-drenched southern California”… just make sure you and your pet enjoy being indulged while on vacation. The hotel provides you with your own in-room pet sign, which notifies the staff that you and your pet have arrived. The sign is detailed with the Ritz-Carlton logo as well as a charming “woof” or “meow,” depending on which four-legged friend you brought with you. Inside your room you and your pet will find logoed bowls and a logoed bed, available for purchase in the Ritz-Carlton catalogue. If your pet has a birthday, the hotel will even create a customized birthday cake!
Pets aren’t the only ones having all the fun at this hotel. Lisa Cesaro, Public Relations Manager reminded Animal Fair that not only does the hotel “give an amenity for the dog or cat, but [they will] do an amenity for the adult as well.” While the chef can create tailored-made meals and treats for your pet, he can also create fantastic animal-inspired treats for the parent too. Bite into one of the hotel’s decadent chocolate presentations decorated with paw prints; just be sure not to share it with your pet (dogs shouldn’t eat chocolate). If you happen to travel without your pet, the Ritz-Carlton will get a picture of your dog or cat and put it in your room. Outside the hotel you will find the dog-friendly Admiralty Park, minutes away from the Oceanside walking areas, shopping on Robertson and Rodeo, great pet stores like Venice Pets (ph: 310.305.7370) and welcoming restaurants like Tony P’s Dockside Grill, (tonyps.com), which allows you to dine outdoors with your pet.
Pets and owners alike can enjoy the style and elegance of Chateau Marmont. Photos courtesy of L.A. Ink/TLC, Rover Kennels and Chateau Marmutt.
Other hotels in Los Angeles that welcome pets with open arms include the Hilton (hilton.com), Residence Inn by Marriott (residenceinn.com), the Embassy Suites (embassysuites.com) and the historic Chateau Marmont Hotel & Bungalows (chateaumarmont.com or chateaumarmutt.com). If you happen to have walked into Chateau Marmutt accidentally, don’t be surprised, the pet specialty store is a canine take on the classic West Hollywood hotel, and a great spot to visit with your pet. Chateau Marmutt’s owner Michelle Rivera started the dog day care and boutique, she saw a great need for a premiere dog hangout where dogs could socialize with one another. Rivera told Animal Fair that she followed the policy “if you build it, they will come,” and that policy has worked famously. Chateau Marmutt’s clientele list looks like that of any exclusive Hollywood hotel. Britney Spears, Halle Berry, Beyonce and Mark McGrath are just some of the celebrities that let their animals loose at Marmutt. Rivera believes in exemplary customer service, telling Animal Fair, “anything that you want we’ll get. If you don’t see it here, I’ll find it for you.” So if your pet wants to schmooze with Los Angeles celebridogs, Chateau Marmutt is the place to be, Rivera just asks “no paw-o-graphs please.”
Two other stops on your Los Angeles pet itinerary should include two different daycare facilities, each offering their own take on A-list pet treatment. Hollywood Hounds (hollywoodhounds.com), located on the Sunset Strip, is a place where parents can take their dogs for a flashy five star treatment. While they offer grooming, boarding, and day care, their specialty seems to be their canine couture, which allows pets to look and feel like the star that they are. After receiving a full grooming package and selecting a couture outfit for your pet, Hollywood Hounds can set you up with a photographer to take memorable photos (or press shots) for your dog. Hollywood Hounds is the hottest spot for the pet-set to be seen here in Tinseltown.
Chef Ehrler prepares some gourmet dog meals at Loews Santa Monica. Photo courtesy of Leows Hotels
If you and your pet enjoy a more private, relaxing, quiet environment, than you would want to stop by ROVER Kennels (roverkennels.com) in Culver City, where they are “making the world a better place, one pet at a time.” At first glance, ROVER Kennels may look like another chic human hotel, but when one walks inside they will realize ROVER Kennels is a cutting-edge, state of the art boarding, grooming and day care facility for pets and their parents. The ROVER Kennels facilities have “several large play areas, private deluxe suites, day spa, multi-media movie room, and lodging areas for overnight guests,” all designed with an emphasis on “modern aesthetics, natural light, and the extensive use of wood for a pleasing, soothing environment.” While the facilities were designed for the pet, ROVER Kennels also offer an espresso bar for parents as well as different art exhibits featuring the artwork of local artists. ROVER Kennels is not just a place for dogs, it offers cat boarding and day care with facilities that play cat-friendly feature programs on their high definition televisions, while also releasing tantalizing cat pheromones into the air. Me-ow!
Need a break from the beachside and urban environments, Runyon Canyon (runyon-canyon.com) is the perfect (off-leash) oasis for you and your pet. Located off Hollywood Boulevard, nestled at the foot of the Santa Monica Mountains, Runyon Canyon is described as an “urban wilderness.” The park stretches 160 acres, 90 of which are off-leash acres, and because of its Hollywood location, it yields a rich celebridog turnout with their celebrity parents alongside them. You and your dog can hike midway up to the park’s highest point to an outlook called Cloud’s Rest where, on a good day you can see Catalina Island. While enjoying gorgeous sights and breathtaking citywide views in Runyon Canyon, do not be surprised if you run into Orlando Bloom or Laurence Fishbourne’s dogs. One tip while visiting the park, however, is to be cautious of the park’s signs, for you never know when a rattlesnake might spring out at you. Other leash-free dog parks in the Los Angeles area include Laurel Canyon Park, Silverlake Dog Park, Herman Park Dog Park, and Griffith Park Dog Park ?(laparks.org.)
Guests socialize with their four legged best friends, thanks to SkyBark's patented PETaPOTTY. Photos courtesy of SkyBark
Los Angeles is a city that’s full of charisma, which contains some of the most exceptional and unique people, places, and things. At High Voltage Tattoos (highvoltagetattoo.com) in West Hollywood you will meet the friendly cast of TLC’s hit show L.A. Ink. When Animal ?Fair sat down for an interview with High Voltage’s staff, they had a ton to say about animals … and tattoos. Corey and Pixie are fans of Pit Bulls and each have two of their own. When we asked shop manager Pixie why she chose Pit Bulls as her favourite breed of choice, she responded, “They’re just my favorite. They get a bad rap. They’re like us. They get a bad rap.” So what does the animal loving staff say about Kat’s cat, Ludwig, when she’s not around? Corey, who’s allergic to cats told us, “If you meet Kat’s cat, it’s bald – if you’ve seen a hairless cat before it looks like ?an alien.”
People aren’t the only ones these artists are tattooing in this shop, Corey has been known to give his dogs a touch of his talent. After his dog Zefra had been operated on, and was completely sedated, he asked the vet if the unconscious pet could be tattooed, and the vet okayed the procedure. Since then he has tattooed other dogs including Zefra’s aunt, Coco, who was “completely unsedated and sat there and watched [him] do [the tattoo], and was cool with it.” When the show is not featuring dogs, they feature customers who want dog tattoos to solidify a loving bond. “I remember once I did a canine partner on someone who was a K9 Cop. He got his partner dog on him. This was his most significant relationship he ever had,” Hannah told ?Animal Fair.
Dogs dine in with Pet Room Service at Loews Santa Monica. Photo courtesy of Leows Hotels
Other great attractions to visit with your pet can be as easy as a walk down Hollywood Boulevard. Pets are welcome (as long as they are good in crowds) to strut down the Hollywood Walk of Fame where almost 15 blocks of sidewalk are dedicated to stars. If you want to hit the town with your dog, check out SkyBark (SkyBark.com), “the pet’s place to chill,” a unique bar is all about pet nightlife and offers a 360 degree view of Los Angeles. At SkyBark, you can “have some drinks, relax and not worry about Fifi and Fido back at home.” SkyBark is equipped with PETaPOTTY (petapotty.com) technology allowing your pet “ample potty space” while you can relax worry-free at the bar. For the devoted pet lover, there is no better hotspot in LA than SkyBark, just be aware that the “doggie dress code” is “strictly enforced.”
Los Angeles is an outstanding pet vacation spot where you and your pet are sure to have a fantastic time. You never know, if your pet is in the right place at the right time, a pet talent agency like Hollywood Paws (hollywoodpaws.com) might discover your pet and make them a big movie star!
– Wendy Diamond
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