Animal News
Dioji Opens 2nd Location, Baby Otters at the Zoo, Dogs at the Garden, and More
Dioji K-9 Resort & Athletic Club: Four years ago, Jeannie Wendel, Bryce Wendel, and Susan Vasquez opened a cage-free doggie haven in Goleta. This week, Dioji added another daycare facility with the opening of Dioji downtown. “We replicated the grand amenities and superior facility of our Goleta location and brought it to our new Santa Barbara location including our very popular pool,” said co-owner Jeannie. “We provide separate play yards for our four-legged members to better suit their size and preferred style of play, and the entire area is covered in turf grass, proving soft on the paws and clean on the coat.” Dioji S.B. (822 E. Yanonali St., near Milpas St.) is open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For more info, call 845-0500 or visit dioji.com.
Baby Otters at the Zoo: This Spring, a litter of Asian small-clawed otters were born at the S.B. Zoo. At just more than 14 weeks, the wee rascals are now old enough to come out from the “den” and have a look at the public—and vice versa. Half the size of North American river otters, these two-foot-long, 10-pound critters live in freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps throughout Southeast Asia. The otter pups, like many of the animals at the Zoo, can be named by making a donation to the Santa Barbara Zoo. Contact the Zoo’s Development Department for details at 962-5339 or visit sbzoo.org. The zoo (500 Niños Dr.) is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Botanic Garden’s Trails ’n’ Tails: On Saturday, August 27, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., the S.B. Botanic Garden (SBBG) is hosting Trails ’n’ Tails—an invitation to the community to bring their dogs to the garden. This daylong event will feature canine-centric activities such as $2 off admission for visitors with a leashed dog; a photo contest; free doggie snacks; a canine caricature artist; free snow cones; doggie giveaways; prize drawings; docent tours; dog care demonstrations; and dog products for sale. “We wanted to hold this event to draw attention to the fact that the garden is always dog-friendly,” said SBBG Executive Director Dr. Steve Windhager. For more info, call the S.B. Botanic Garden (1212 Mission Canyon Rd.) at 682-4726 or visit sbbg.org.
Bark at the Park: In October, the Miniature American Shepherd Club of the U.S.A. (MASCUSA) will hold a four-day doggie festival called “Bark at the Park.” The events include herding trials, canine demonstrations, dog shows, canine good-citizen testing, and USDAA (U.S. Dog Agility Association) agility trials sponsored by the S.B. Flyers (santabarbaraflyers.com). There will also be a wine-and-beer garden, gourmet food vendors, pumpkin-carving contests, and a farmers’ market. Bark at the Park takes place Thursday-Sunday, October 13-16, at Buellton River View Park (151 Sycamore Dr., Buellton). For more info, visit barkatthepark.net.
