NewYork.

pellaea, Flickr New York pet-shop proprietors are taking a stand against irresponsible pet owners by refusing to sell puppies to drunk customers. Two popular stores in the city's West Village--Le Petit Puppy and Citipups--have officially banned store patrons from buying dogs if they come into the store inebriated, according to the Washington Post's Blogpost blog. Fernanda Moritz, Le Petit Puppy's manager, told the Post that it's common for customers to leave local bars after putting away a few drinks and wander into the pet shop to look at--and sometimes shop for--cute, cuddly puppies. Obviously that's unwise because people make a lot of stupid, impulsive decisions when they're drunk, and ...

e³°°°, Flickr Last week, the New York Times "Complaint Box" column took on a thorny issue: Are dogs too welcome in the city's public spaces? After seeing dogs cavorting around Banana Republic, the Gap, furniture stores and even grocery stores, Barbara Rosenblatt wrote that she's had enough. "Animals are joining the ranks of small, bored children who must accompany their grown-ups just about everyplace," she wrote. "Perhaps what it will take to keep animals out of stores is a few too many paw prints on the merchandise, or a deposit by a dog that mistook a rug for a sidewalk." Erica Manfred fired back, arguing that her 11-pound mutt deserves to go where she goes. "Well, I'm into my second ...

Dogs at the Millie Bush Bark Park in Houston. Flickr/Zelda Go Wild Dog parks are an incredible resource for dog owners and animal lovers. For city dwellers, dog parks provide a rare space where dogs can run free. Even suburban and country dogs love dog parks for the ever-so-important socialization opportunities that they provide. New dog owners, long-time dog owners, and dog owners' associations find dog parks to be an oasis in which to commune. Many even hold events at these parks, adding to their fun. By sniffing out specifications and reviews, we've compiled a list of the top dog parks in the five largest U.S. cities. New York, N.Y. 1. Carl Shurz Park Dog Run, on the Upper East Side, ...