Pet of the Week

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Meet Atticus, a rescue cat who found a new home in Arlington after Hurricane Katrina.

Here is what Atticus’s owner had to say on his behalf:

They say a cat has nine lives, but I think it’s really more about being lucky.

Fifteen years ago, when I was a kitten, I got lucky and rode out Hurricane Katrina on a boat in Louisiana. After the storm, things got so bad that they transferred me to an emergency animal shelter in Mississippi with thousands of other homeless critters. There, I got lucky again when the Animal Welfare League of Arlington rescued me along with some of my other friends before we made the long journey north.

A few weeks later after overcoming a nasty respiratory infection, I got lucky yet again and found my forever home with Tom and Todd. They gave me my forever name: Atticus, after the hero in Too Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a mighty big name for an exceedingly small Southern cat, but I wear it very well because I’m brave, compassionate and respectful to all.

Some of my other names include Atticus Rex when I’m in attack mode, Atticus the Catticus when I shape shift and put on my Egyptian face or my old-man look, and Atty Atty Atty Catty when it’s dinner time or I’m hiding.

Not only am I incredibly sweet and spunky, but I’ve also got bunny-soft fur and often act more like a dog than a cat. It’s great when visitors come by the house, especially my friend Donna who’s my favorite pet sitter. I immediately run right up to everyone and ask for a pet.

Moreover, I am exceptionally good at chasing the fishing pole and reflected light on floors and walls. I’ll wait patiently for hours for a mouse to appear. And I have an innate ability to instantly levitate myself onto any surface no matter how high. I’m also infatuated with rubbing my nose against Tom’s nose and my chin against Todd’s whiskers. These are a few of my favorite things!

For the last 10 years, there’s been another pal in my life, my best friend Updike who also has black-and-white fur. Although he’s more than twice my weight, I can still take him down in a wrestling match. I also love to have Updike groom me, and I like to snuggle up with him for an afternoon nap.

Lately, things have been a bit tough. I’ve lost a bunch of weight because of some digestive issues, and I recently overcame a stroke. But with the help of the great doctors at the Cherrydale Veterinary Clinic, I wasn’t down for long. That’s because life is about being lucky, and I am one luck guy!

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Meet Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week, Walter, a 3 year old Bernese Mountain Dog who just moved to Arlington.

Here is what Walter had to say about his new life here in Arlington:

What’s up Arlington?! My name is Walter. I recently moved to Virginia from Michigan. My humans brought me here because of their jobs. As a Bernese Mountain Dog, I really miss the colder weather back in the mitten state. When it would snow, I would dig a hole and stay outside for hours. I also really miss my grandparents and cousins back in Michigan. Otherwise, I’m very happy with our move.

Arlington is so dog friendly. I go everywhere with my humans. I love how all of the restaurants and bars allow me to sit on their patios. We live near Circa and Bracket Room in Clarendon, so you can find me at one of those places most weekends. They treat me like a king by giving lots of pets and great food. Dennis at Bracket Room is the best because he sneaks me bacon. Everyone I’ve met in Arlington is so nice. The only complaint I have is that most people ask me how much I weigh. I’m not sure why. Just so everyone knows, I am 130 lbs. of pure muscle.

Here are some other fun facts for you: When my forever family got me, I was 10 weeks old and 10 lbs. Although I am huge, I think I’m a lapdog. I just turned 3 years old. People say I’m the happiest dog they’ve ever met. I like to smile. My favorite food is bacon. My favorite thing to do is to get pets from strangers. I love the dog park in Clarendon. I’m obsessed with tiny dogs. I hate ducks. I don’t chase any other animals besides ducks. I’m a momma’s boy. I don’t like swimming. I love sunsets. I have very good manners. And my Instagram page is This.Is.Walters.World. Look me up! Also, if you ever see me out, please say hi, and make sure there aren’t any ducks around!

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Meet Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week, Franco, a rescue cat who enjoys sleeping and snacks.

Here is what Franco’s owner had to say about his life here in Arlington:

Franco, named after James Franco by our now-living-in-Brooklyn daughter, is a huge, obnoxious, grouchy – but extremely handsome – ginger cat. (Some may ascribe some of those same traits to the actor, but…) He is a a rescue cat who, according to his microchip info, is originally from Dade County Florida (which explains a lot). When the people at PetSmart said this kitten was “a biter,” we thought meh, he’s just a kitten, he’s just playing. Ahem. Personality-wise, he is basically every cat meme on Facebook. Extremely lazy, aloof, bossy, patronizing and bullying (he is Christmas Story’s Skut Farkus to our small female tiger cat’s Ralphie – and she may yet let loose on Franco the same way Ralphie did; we are waiting…). His favorite pastimes include sleeping, eating, naps, snacks, having a resting grumpy face and…occasionally…inexplicably…jumping in your lap at odd times and purring. When this happens you’re so overjoyed you begin petting him and cooing at him, which basically makes him jump down after rolling his eyes. He also enjoys hiding out behind doors patiently waiting to leap out at the aforementioned small female tiger cat and making her jump a mile in the air in fright.

He is basically a handsome male model and knows it.  He has little patience and is completely annoyed with being hugged, kissed and petted on the regular by the female resident of the household and the daughter-from-Brooklyn when she comes for a visit. He has been known to inflict scar-making wounds on these ladies, who never seem know when to quit. In his defense, he usually gives out a weird guttural meow when he has had enough, indicating that you must stop what you are doing and back away. These warnings are frequently ignored. (“Please LOVE me” goes the popular meme of a female holding a cat who has unmercifully scratched her).

Oddly, given his disdain for humans, he seems to hang around whenever we have friends over, but this has been attributed to his knowing these social occasions frequently involve unattended food. His other adorable trait is  incessantly sharpening his claws on all the furniture, so that the decor resembles shredded cheese. It is obvious why we love this cat, who we’ve had for….no one remembers how many years. Seems like he’s always been here – spoiled, lazy, rotten but oh-so-lovable.

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Meet Kimber, a 6 year old Husky who loves long hikes.

Here is what Kimber’s owner had to say on her behalf:

Kimber – who also goes by Kimmy, Kim, and Kimbo – is a 6 year old husky who currently lives with her adopted sister (8 year old husky, Nikita) in Arlington. True to her breed, Kimber is rambunctious, energetic, wily, and a total sweetheart. Kimber used to be an escape artist – dashing out the front door any chance she got. However, with some serious training she has curbed that impulse and now gets her exercise walking around Arlington, hiking on the weekends, and getting chased by other dogs.

Kimber’s ideal day involves waking up at 6am, chasing squirrels, eating a large bowl of kibbles, going on an 8 mile hike, sleeping in the human bed, eating another bowl of kibbles, and chasing more squirrels. Kimber’s endless energy level keeps her parents active and constantly exploring new hiking/walking spots around northern Virginia. Lucky for them, Kimber also enjoys hitting up a local brewery after a long hike and chilling out with a well deserved bowl of ice water.

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Meet Arlington’s Pet of the Week, Reggie, a 3 year old French Bulldog who loves to chase squirrels.

Here is what Reggie had to say about his life here in Arlington:

Hello humans, my name is Reggie and I am a French Bulldog. Some people call me a Frenchie but I’m not sure why because I was born in Florida not France. Oh well. Three years ago, my daddies flew down to Tampa to pick me up when I was only 12 weeks old and I got to fly back first class to my new home on Arlington Ridge. The flight attendants were so cool, they even let me stretch my little legs in the galley but don’t tell the pilots.

At home, I guard the house and bark at every little thing. When those rectangular papers fly through the slot in the front door I make sure my daddies know and when I get there first I make sure to tear them into little pieces. My daddy is always happy I do that. When I am not at puppy camp with my buddies, I love to take walks, chase squirrels and nap in my favorite sun beam. Actually I will nap anywhere as much as I can. I love my naps and my daddies very very much.

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Meet the newest Arlington Pet of the Week, Bumble, a clumsy Sapsali who loves to play with other dogs.

Here is what Bumble’s owner had to say about his life here in Arlington:

Much like Santa’s Little Helper from “The Simpson’s”, Bumble arrived as a surprise for the winter holidays, and after charming our family with his lovably klutzy ways, he wound up staying. Discovered as a stray under a farmer’s cart on the outskirts of a Korean village, he was brought to the US by the local dog rescue group Band For Animal, and we volunteered to foster him.

Based on the picture we had seen (not the cart one), we were expecting a smallish terrier pup that would tussle a bit with our other dog, Bitey, and go on to find a loving family.  Instead, we got a fluffy, clumsy, and much-larger-than-anticipated Sapsali furball who falls down stairs, falls up stairs, and falls into anything and everything that his big fat paws and big jug head can collide with.  He is oafish, he is blunderous, and he is incredibly loveable.  As a result, we decided to foster him forever.

Bumble is playful with dogs, gentle with kids, and prefers to greet adults by standing on his hind legs and hugging them. He has taught the whole family the importance of not leaving food on counters, and we are still trying to teach him to not to tackle us with excitement when we come home. He appreciates his dog bed, but prefers to lay stretched out perpendicularly on ours.  And when given a summer haircut, he gets very embarrassed that people may be looking at his butt.

All in all, he’s a very, very good boy.

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Meet Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week Pekoe, a newly adopted cat who loves to watch squirrels and cuddle.

Here is what Pekoe’s owner had to say about his new life here in Arlington:

After being surrendered by his owner, adopted, then returned to the shelter when he was diagnosed FIV+, Pekoe finally found his forever home just a few weeks ago! Why anyone would give up this loving kitty is a mystery! Pekoe’s favorite activities include cuddling, making biscuits on his new mommy, playing with feather toys, and watching neighborhood drama out the kitchen window. Those darn squirrels are at it again!

Pekoe loves getting around the apartment in unconventional ways and never takes the easy route. His human calls this Pekour (Pekoe Parkour)! Nothing will stop Pekoe from cuddling; not a book or work laptop. He’ll even get into weird positions to make a cuddle session happen!

Pekoe is so happy about his basket full of new toys and has even ripped holes in a few of them already! He recently discovered how fun blankets can be and loves wrestling with them. Pekoe gets tired easily when playing and has to take breaks but he’s proud of how quickly his stamina is improving. He’s also quickly sharing his mom’s interests such as her love of sushi (even though he’s never had any) and narwhals (even though he’s never seen one).

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Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week is the duo, Sam and Marlowe, who were named after film noir detectives.

Here is what their owner had to say on their behalf:

I suppose you’d better come in and take load off. We are Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade. You may have heard of us. We are brothers who came from the mean streets, what we in the Private Eye business call “under a shed” in the summer of 2010. We stumbled out into the gloom, as our mother couldn’t take care of us and found our way to shelter. Later, a tall, leggy, blond took us in until we could get on our feet. Then we were summoned by a short actress type, a redhead who said we could have a permanent office at her house. Sometimes, you get lucky.

We arrived on All Hallow’s Eve, two babes in the woods without a dollar to our names or a pocket to put one in. The dame, whom we call Momma, said  “Of all the houses in all the city, these two had to walk into mine.” She cuddled both of us and set us up in our new digs, which were nicer than two lugs like us deserved. She introduced us to her husband, a fancy pants lawyer. We weren’t sure about him, but he always gives us breakfast, so he’s ok. The dumb mug doesn’t offer us any of his nightly bourbon, though.

We’re always dressed for business, in our film noir black & white (Sam) and gray and white (Marlowe). Trouble is our business. Most of the time, the trouble is coming from one or both of us, but Momma usually talks some sense into us before we say something we’d regret. One time, Sam was investigating the inside of a wall, and Momma tried to chop him out. He found his own way out and stood next to her while she pulled paneling off the wall. That was one of our toughest cases. Marlowe also investigated the Kitchen Remodel incident by busting through a plastic sheet to verify everything was on the up and up.

Now that we’re almost 10 years old, we spend more of our time snoozing and sitting on Momma whenever she sits down. Marlowe insists on sitting on Momma’s pillow at night and, consequently, now gets his own. Despite several stints in rehab, Sam remains addicted to belly rubs.

To some, the lives of two cats may not amount to a hill of beans, but we think our life turned out pretty swell. If you ever need a renovation investigated or a belly to rub, just call us at Arlington 65000.

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Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week is Brooklyn, an 8 year old dog that loves making friends at the dog park and getting treats from the bakery.

Here is what Brooklyn’s owner had to say about their life here in Arlington:

This is eight year old Brooklyn and she’s the happiest pup in all of Arlington. Brooklyn lives in Columbia Forest with her mom and dad. She spends most of the weekdays being a lazy snugglebug while mom and dad are away but is full of energy and ready to play when they come back.

One of Brooklyn’s favorite activities is to spend the day running around the Shirlington dog park and making four-legged friends. After running around, mom and dad usually take Brooklyn to her favorite place in all of Arlington–Dogma dog bakery–where she gets the tastiest treats. Brooklyn’s love for food means that she always pops her head around when she sees the humans eating. She’s found that mom’s Lebanese meat croquettes (kibbeh) is a real treat!

In addition to loving food, naps, and the park, Brooklyn loves to dress up and be the most festive pup around. Take a look at some of her favorite holiday outfits–including her favorite holiday ugly sweater and Santa outfit. For Halloween this past year, Brooklyn and mom dressed up as Lucy and the Great Pumpkin from “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” for a costume contest in Clarendon.

When mom and dad got married, Brooklyn was the Dog of Honor on their special day. She made mom and dad so proud as she zoomed down the aisle and stood by them as they all officially became a family.

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Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week is Mango.

Here is what Mango has to say about how the house is being run now that the owners are around full-time:

It has been a few months and my two direct reports are finally working full-time hours, as I requested. My care is a full time job, and I will not tolerate slacking. They sit at the table together, staring into their machines for 8 hours a day – but at least they are able to take direct commands when I am hungry. They call me “Mango.” I am not sure why. I am not an orange colored fruit – I am not even orange! Perhaps this means “boss” or “leader” in their language

Our days are structured as follows: when the early morning light arrives I know it is time to eat. My direct reports need some extra motivation. I climb the clothing tower of doom, jumping off directly onto their backs. If this does not rouse them, I start on the dresser. One by one, things “fall” off, creating satisfying thumping noises when they hit the ground. Finally, one of them is up and we have breakfast together. Naps take up much of the day, and playtime arrives sooner than expected. Evenings are for zooming around the apartment and laying belly-up, ready to snap shut on unsuspecting hands.

Lately, the direct reports have been violating our office’s strict open door policy. They sometimes leave their desks to enter the room with the litter box and porcelain throne, shutting the door behind them. I find myself forced to awaken from my nap, and throw my small body against the door with all of my force until it opens. Once inside I do nothing but sit on the table where water comes out, asserting my dominance. They seem to be starting to understand that this is a non-negotiable part of their contract.

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Meet Arlington’s newest Pet of the Week, Bella, an 11 year old German Shepherd who loves to play fetch.

Here is what Bella’s owner had to say about her life here in Arlington:

Bella is an eleven year old GSD who loves to play fetch with any human she encounters! She’ll run after a ball for a very long time and she has delighted our neighbors’ kids that way for years. She’ll happily trot back with the ball in her mouth while her tail makes wide clockwise circles like a propeller – it’s comical to see!

Weighing in at a bit over 80 lbs she is nevertheless very gentle with both children and adults. For example, Bella demonstrates great care and sensitivity when reaching for a treat from the palm of someone’s hand.

And, of course, she’s an excellent watch dog – but I wish she’d stop barking at every squirrel that runs along the fence line!

Weighing everything out, there’s no question that our lives has been enhanced by having Bella in our family!