Pet Causes

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The Lapdog of Luxury

The Lapdog of Luxury: High-End Puppy Palaces Make Pet Ownership Easy Peasy

Maggie Morrissey’s day usually starts quite early. She eats a quick breakfast in the West End Avenue apartment that she shares with Bebe Morrissey and her boyfriend. Then Bebe chauffeurs Maggie to The Spot Experience, a place on West 72nd Street where she spends most of weekdays and an occasional weekend.

Arriving no later than 7 a.m., Maggie is invariably received with delight by the staff, who describe her as “the sweetest.” Bebe, who does not enjoy the same life of leisure as Maggie, continues on to her job as a literacy consultant.

At Spot, Maggie’s days are devoted to socializing, sunning, napping and going for long walks in Central Park. She is never alone, but almost always surrounded by a coterie of friends, trainers, handlers, groomers and people who not only ensure her physical health and safety, but are constantly attentive to her moods and mental state.

In spite of her lifestyle, Maggie remains extremely down to earth, and not only in the metaphoric sense: Maggie’s slender belly floats mere inches from the earth. She has the classic dachshund build, low-slung and long with improbably stubby legs, oversized feet and enormous silky ears that nearly graze the ground.

Years ago, a dog like Maggie might have spent her days bored and alone, sleeping fitfully, pacing an empty apartment, with the brief respite of an afternoon walk. The vast majority of dogs still spend their days in this way, of course. But now professionals of means have options. Read More

It's a dog's life

More than a walk: New York's wealthy dog owners are increasingly drawn to more full-service and one-on-one dog care.

See Spot Everywhere: Demand For Dog Concierges Grows

Keeping dogs in the city has always been something of a complicated prospect—besides sharing close quarters with a furry creature, most New Yorkers lack both yards and the time to take their dogs on the requisite 2-3 walks a day.

Dog walkers have long ambled the halls  of New York apartment buildings, multiple leashes in hand, but as New Yorker’s spare time diminishes and luxury buildings look for new ways to draw tenants, a new breed of pet care has become increasingly popular—the full-service dog concierge. Read More