A New Brazilian Hotel Has Plans for a "Mating Floor" for Dogs

A "love hotel" is a place people go to have sex, as you probably know. A love hotel for dogs is a place people bring their dogs to have sex. As of now, these hotels don't exist -- thank Dog -- but one is scheduled to open in Brazil any day now. 

The eight-story Animalle Mundo Pet is the brainchild of Fabiano Lourdes and his sister, Daniela, who, according to NPR, have dropped $1 million of their own money into the project. It looks to be a regular pet-friendly hotel, with one notable exception: It has a "mating floor." According to NPR, people with dogs can book a $50 suite on the mating floor, filled with "amenities like mood lighting, a heart-shaped ceiling mirror, and red floor cushions," and let their dogs have sex. 

This is ridiculous on many levels -- heart-shaped mirrors? -- but mostly it's just terrible. Hoteliers looking to get rich should not be encouraging people to mate their dogs. Nobody should be encouraging anybody to randomly mate their dogs. 

With more than 32 million dogs, Brazil is second only to the U.S. in canine population, and a disturbing number of them are strays -- in Caxias do Sul there is even a favela for dogs, with more than 1,000 dogs living in tightly packed dog houses. That last thing the country needs is a luxurious hotel encouraging people to increase that number. 

The really sick part? Fabiano and Daniela are not only encouraging irresponsible dog mating, they're trying to make it fashionable. Along with the absurd mood lighting and mirrors, the hotel will have 60 employees, vets, biologists, and $1,000 Swarovski crystal dog collars for sale.  It's almost like they're trying to hand-hold the rich into irresponsible pet ownership. Nice business plan, Fabiano.

"For many people, the dog is a child who must be well treated," says the 26-year-old, according to News24. Fair enough. But then he goes off the deep end: "Our market studies showed that people work all day long and they do not know where to drop their pets for mating." 

Fortunately, we don't think his "market studies" are all that accurate; it's highly doubtful that the people of Brazil are clamoring for a solution to mating their pets.

Let's hope this idea crashes and burns, and more interest is given to groups like Arca Brasil, which organizes efforts for free spay-and-neuter services for low-income families. That's where people who really love dogs are spending their time.

View the original article here

Weekend open thread: Pet Connection gives you the floor

Good morning! Gina’s out of town, and you all know what that means by now, right?

Rawley Deerhound told me this morning when he woke up that he was very upset that he was too young to play in last year’s Puppy Bowl, and too old for this year’s. I told him I really thought that basketball was probably more his game, but he was not consoled.

I didn’t have the heart to mention that the Puppy Bowl is only for shelter dogs!

I’ll confess additionally that I’ve never in my life seen a football game and only know who’s in this year’s Super Bowl because the Wisconsin Humane Society keeps making these agonizingly cute videos with their “Packer Pups.” Like this one (couldn’t get embed to work!).

Who can resist that? And all those puppies are available for adoption. Genius campaign, and thanks to the Internetz, pretty much free, too.

So, how do you all feel about the Puppy Bowl now that it’s gone all sponsored and fancy?

I saw the first one, and it was a very different event then! This is what I posted at the time (2005):

Is anyone else watching the Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet?

This is the best thing I’ve ever seen on TV, ever.

I can just see them, though, trying to pitch it:

Producer: OK, so, what it is, is a big box painted to look like a football field, full of different kinds of puppies playing.

Animal Planet Executive: OK, what do they do?

Producer: Well, they play. And nap. And poop.

Executive: OK, but what else do they do? Is there a voiceover?

Producer: No, just the camera on the puppies playing. And sometimes a guy comes in and pooper scoops.

Executive: No, really.

Producer: Really. It’ll be great.

Executive: Seriously. What’s the show about?

Producer: Puppies. Playing. For hours. You know, like the Christmas Eve shows that are just a fireplace burning while Christmas music is playing? It’s like that, only it’s puppies.

Executive: Puppies.

Producer: Yes. And we have instant replay, too.

Good times.

Other than watching (or not) the Puppy Bowl, what are you all doing this weekend? Watching the Super Bowl, or boycotting it because the NFL let Michael Vick play again? Pretending it doesn’t exist and taking advantage of all the extra parking available at the mall?

Talk to us!

View the original article here

Coolest booth on the NAVC exhibition floor

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

View the original article here