Kassy Rodriguez’s plan for turning the months-old dog park at T.C. Jester Park in Oak Forest into a “dog Astroworld”? Create gravel walkways, put kennels next to the restrooms so your doggie won’t have to watch you pee, embiggen the play areas, add ponds with gentle sandy banks, and build some sort of zip line owners can attach fake furry critters to, so tennis-ball-shy canines can have something to chase after. But the most important part of her plan: Turning up the volume on the Texas twang in her contest-entry video (screen capture shown above), so some dog-food company will pay for all the improvements. It’s succeeding so far: Rodriguez and her dog Dora have reached the finals in Purina’s Beneful WagWorld Dream Dog Park contest. Voting is open to the public, but it ends tomorrow. The top vote-getter wins $500,000 for local dog-park improvements, a small cash prize, and a year’s worth of chow.
- Finalist: Kassy R. & Dora [Beneful WagWorld Dream Dog Park Contest]
- Dreaming a little doggie’s dream [Houston Chronicle]
Uh, in that Chronicle piece linked above, she said she and her dog go to “dog friendly restaurants” together.
What’s a dog friendly restaurant? I thought dogs were not allowed in eating places (except service dogs) per health department.
Still, it would be good if her video wins. That dog park looks pretty dreary as it is. I voted for her.
PYEWACKET2, I believe that is a city ordinance you are referring to. Maybe she lives/eats in the ‘burbs?
she sounds ridiculous, i’m tempted to vote for the other entries just because of her accent!
I pass by this park every day on my to and from work and it is in serious need of a make-over. I’m glad to see she’s made the finals and hope everyone will vote, not for her, but for the park, cheesy accent or not.
Totally agree about the accent…”idears”??!! However, thats a dog park my hubby & I take our dog to, in Oak Forest, so I voted for her. You can’t take your dog inside any restaurant in Houston, though a few restaurant/bars will let you have dogs out on their decks (eg, Stagshead at Shepherd & SW Frwy). Try dogfriendly.com for a list.
Embiggen: it’s a perfectly cromulent word.
Although I was disappointed she didn’t say “cee-ment pond” I still voted for her.
I assure you, her accent is fake. It’s a joke, spoof, etc.
The biggest upgrade needed at that dog park is dog owners who pick up after their dogs. Blech. Dogs are perfectly happy with a patch of grass and dirt to run around in, however.
More power to her, though.
Prior to the ordinance, many restaurants in Houston allowed dogs. The ordinance is ridiculous. Let the restaurant decide whether a dog should be allowed. If customers don’t like the dogs there, they don’t have to eat there. If enough don’t eat there, the owner will change his rules.
Also, restaurants and bars that allow dogs on their decks and outdoor areas are still in violation of the ordinance. They are breaking the ordinance in defiance.
Yeah, to hell with the city health code! I say if restaurants want roaches let them have those too. And slime in the ice machine? Let the free market decide on that one too.
Yes, because eating outside makes that food on your place the paradigm of purity. Please.
Most restaurants prior to the ordinance didn’t allow dogs (or any pet) anyway except for service animals. It was a handful of restaurants that specifically allowed it. So yes, the free market worked perfectly for handling of animals in a restaurant.
Just because of one or two customers wanted the one restaurant they like to change their policy of letting a dog in the place, a whole ordinance was written. For the record, those few customers were not allowed in that restaurant again because they pissed off the owner and many of the other customers that ate there.
Yuck
Ridiculing someone for the way they speak, wtf? The dog park is in serious need of a makeover? Umm, it was just built last year and isn’t finished, wake up! Do you refuse to eat or drink in a friend’s home because they have pets? Dogs belong on the deck, yes, kudos to the establishments who welcome this.
Maybe instead of spending five minutes judging and ridiculing people on a website, some of the posters on this topic will instead decide to do a good deed today. It takes more effort but is much more rewarding.