Welcome back to PAW PRINTS!

Summer is upon us and what a great opportunity to spend some quality time with your doggy this summer. Chicago is one of the most dog friendly cities. You can take your dog for a swim at one of the dog beaches or bring him/her to the park to make some friends and play play play! To find out more information about the dog parks and dog beaches in Chicago go to the Chicago Park District website.

A favorite is “Wigglyfield” located at 2645 N. Sheffield. A permit and dog tags are required to use the dog parks in Chicago. You can obtain these at most of the veterinary offices. The cost is $5 for spayed/neutered dogs and $50 for other. FYI: It is a $500 fine if you don’t have a permit. Some other suggestions for using the dog parks are: bring plastic bags to clean up after your dog; bring lots of water; and test the “waters” with other dogs. Just like people some dogs just don’t get along. Some of the more popular dog beaches are Montrose Dog Beach which is fenced in and Evanston’s Dawes Park dog beach at Sheridan and Church.

If you are taking a trip with you pooch check out Dogparkusa.com to find the dog parks throughout Illinois. Speaking of traveling…If you take your pooch on a road trip… make sure you have plenty of water, toys, food, treats and of course the incredible “COOL PAD”. Keep your pooch cool and comfortable in the car. ORDER ONE NOW!!!! Just go back to the website and when purchasing the cool pad make sure you type the in the code, htail. The cool pad comes in all sizes, never has to be refrigerated….lasts forever….and keeps your pooch cool and happy!!! A happy dog…Happy you!!

Here are some more fun ways to spend the summer with your dog!! Not only will your dog make friends but you can too. PAWS Beach Party: Thursday July 22nd 6 pm at Castaways 1603 N. Lake Shore Drive. This is a wonderful fundraising event. For more info: call 773-843-4884, 773-843-4884 or go to beachpary.pawschicago.org

Have a new puppy and want to have him/her blessed contact Donna Ruby a Licensed Practitioner and Animal Minister. See contact info below.

Taking a vacation and leaving Fido at home. No worries; HairyTales Pet sitting service creates a fun-filled vacation for your pooch in her/his own home. Contact Donna at htail2004@yahoo.com or call 312-213-3647 (dogs)

The picture is of my dad’s great golden’s; Kendra, Diva, and Mason. They love to swim and hang out at the beach in New Buffalo Michigan.



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Welcome Animal Lovers!

Hello! Welcome to the first Paw Prints post . My name is Donna Ruby and this is my blog. Let me tell you a little about myself. I am 51 years old. I was born in Chicago. I graduated from University of Colorado in Boulder Co. I have spent most of my career life working in social services. I currently work as a case manager for people with brain injuries.

Although this kind of work has inspired and served me and others well, my true passion in life is really animals. When I was a child our family had two cocker spaniels named Pokey and Cinder. Cinder was my best friend. When going through some difficult times as a child Cinder stood by my side giving me the comfort that a human could not give me at the time. She was my angel. This experience of unconditional love and true friendship is where my deep connection with dogs stems from. Don’t get me wrong, I love cats too. I remember bringing home 3 kittens and hiding them in our basement. They were being given away at the horse stables where I used to ride. I didn’t know my mom was allergic to cats and she discovered there were 3 kitties somewhere in the home so I had to confess and was put to the task of finding them each a home. I went door to door until I found a home for all of three kitties.

These first experiences were the inspiration and foundation that led me to becoming involved with animals. Today, I am dedicated to helping people and their pets as the leader of the Bodhi Spiritual Center Animal Ministry in Chicago Illinois. Our ministry is dedicated to supporting animal causes in various capacities. We are committed to supporting people and their pets in times of celebration through pet blessings and other events as well as in times of difficulty when a pet transitions or becomes ill. We offer support through prayer and host a yearly pet memorial. For more information about the Animal Ministry go to: Bodhispiritualcenter.org and then “ministries”.

Pets have become a phenomenon!! The are as important in some families as the children. Studies show that people live longer and healthier when they live with a pet. The pet business has become a billion dollar business. Chicago is sourced with as many doggy daycare centers as child care centers. There are pet boutiques, pet hotels, groomers, wellness centers, dog camps, bakeries, massage therapists, chiropractors, and many more services and various luxuries for your pet. People will sometimes spend more on their pet then themselves including thousands of dollars on medical bills. I understand this and anyone who has a family dog, cat, bird, turtle or pet of any kind also understands.

Chicago is also the hub for pet rescue. With a global mission to close down puppy mills many are being shut down. This is great but where do the dogs go? The shelters are doing their best to help as much as they can. The puppy mill in Tennesse was recently closed and they sent 200 dogs to the Anti-Cruely Society in Chicago because of the reputation Chicago has for their rescue programs. The picture above is of myself and Romeo Ruby. He lives with Ron, Christine, Mikey and Matt. I am his Auntie. Romeo’s favorite toy is a bunny and he loves to cuddle. He loves to spend his vacation at his Auntie Donna’s home in the City.

I am also blessed with having Chloe, Kendra, Mason and Diva in the family. Creating this blog is to connect with you, the animal lover! It is here to give you resources and information about events for you and your pet in the Chicago area. It is to share stories with you about myself and my experiences with animals. It is to offer support for anyone going through the loss of a loved pet or for any other support that is needed.

I look forward to connecting with you again so stay tuned in June!!