IN MARKET FOR A PET? MALL'S GOING TO THE DOGS, CATS.Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer CANOGA PARK - In a space once reserved for $2 wine and chi-chi salad, cats now roam and rabbits hop. Trader Joe's Trader Joe's is a privately held chain of specialty grocery stores headquartered in Monrovia, California. As of September 2007, Trader Joe's has a total of 284 stores.[1] pulled out of Westfield Shoppingtown Topanga in November for a new location, but a peculiar new tenant has set up shop in the 7,000-square-foot space. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is any of a number of animal welfare organisations whose operations include protecting and providing shelter to animals in danger. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. has changed the space into a hybrid high-end pet store, grooming salon, training ground and adoption center, celebrating its grand opening Tuesday. The store features premium doggy shampoos from John Paul The name John Paul might refer to: Full name
Paul Mitchell (born Cyril Thomson Mitchell on January 27, 1936 in Scotland) [1] salon products fame - gourmet pet chews and adoptable pets that roam around large enclosures not found in most pet stores. ``It's bringing the pets to the people,'' said Laura Saunders, spcaLA's director of companion animal services. ``Lots of people like the idea of adoption, but are a little overwhelmed by a shelter.'' The site bears little resemblance to a regular pet adoption site, with felines intermingling in a large ``free-range cattery'' rather than cages. The fenced-in area allows potential adopters to sit among the kittens before they make a decision to apply to take the pets home. After passing a screening questionnaire and a family interview, would-be pet owners then pay a fee ranging from $25 for guinea pigs to $100 for the dogs that the store exhibits on weekends. The store marks the nonprofit's second mall location, with the first at Santa Monica Place Santa Monica Place is a three-story, 570,000 square-foot shopping mall in Santa Monica, California. The mall is located at the south end of the famous Third Street Promenade, and is also two blocks from the Santa Monica Pier and the beach. . In the past, it's also run them out of Westside Pavilion and 7th + Fig downtown, using the proceeds from its retail sales to fund its shelter operations. While nontraditional, the sites seem to be effective at raising awareness of the group and getting abandoned pets adopted. ``Lots of people want to save a life, but they also like to go to a boutique,'' said Matthew Margolis, a dog behaviorist Behaviorist 1. One who accepts or assumes the theory of behaviorism (behavioral finance in investing.) 2. A psychologist who subscribes to behaviorism. Notes: When it comes to investing, people may not be as rational as they think. who hosts ``Woof! It's a Dog's Life'' on PBS PBS in full Public Broadcasting Service Private, nonprofit U.S. corporation of public television stations. PBS provides its member stations, which are supported by public funds and private contributions rather than by commercials, with educational, cultural, . ``It's the same dog you're saving, but now you're in a mall. They're reaching more people in a place where they can be seen.'' Brent Hopkins, (818) 713-3738 brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Assistant trainer Dana Collins walks her dog Sierra out of the spcaLA pet adoption center at Westfield Topanga. (2 -- color) Kim Schmerbeck looks at one of the cats in the ``Cattery'' at the spcaLA pet adoption center at Westfield Topanga mall. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer |
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