Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Announcing: BlogPaws 2010 West

BlogPaws 2010 West  - an invitation to pet bloggers everywhere to meet all your pet blogger friends and your favorite pet brands IRL (in real life)

Where: Denver, CO
Grand Hyatt Denver (pet-friendly, of course)
1750 Welton Street 80202

When: September 9-11th (evening reception on Thurs, two full days of sessions and activities, to accommodate the request for more...of everything!)

Why: To continue building our Be the Change focus on a national scale, to embrace the exciting momentum of BlogPaws East (thank you, thank you, thank you EVERYONE!), and to give our peeps in the West a chance to meet and connect, we're offering: more learning, more networking, more blogging, tweeting, laughing, raising funds for shelters/rescues, shouting, singing, partying, listening, hugging, crying, cooing, clapping, and learning at BlogPaws  2010 West.  

See you in Denver in September! W00t!

p.s. We have some surprises in store for BlogPaws 2010 West! Stay tuned for our complete agenda.

Early Bird registration is only $129!!! See you there! (bring your Mom or Dad - we love hoomans, too!)

Comments

[Scoop]

I can't wait!

[Lizzy]

Oh, I am soooo bummed! I would soooo like to go, but even though this is very much further west than the first event, it is still too far for me.

We are in quite dire financial straits, and travel anywhere outside of 3 hours driving time is simply not in the cards. $99 is 'verrrryy reasonable...' but might as well be $900 in my situation. (Sometimes, I don't even have gas or bridge toll money in the 'extra' column!)

I would sooooo love to attend, but I just can't do it unless it is held in Northern California. Maybe another year, it will be??

Maybe someone will sponsor me to attend in an 'official' capacity? LOL Official photographer? Speaker on photographing pets? Ummm..... let's see.... hee hee hee

[ThePetBookLady]

How exciting!!!! Looking forward to hearing about the Sponsorship opportunities. I love Blogpaws!

[Kim Clune]

OMG. I am so excited! You'll have to live stream this one!

[Deborah Flick]

I'm thrilled. BlogPaws in my own backyard---well almost. Do you need help? Since I'm local, if I can help out I'd be glad to.

[Cory]

Count us in!

[Dr V]

2 in one year? You guys are MANIACS! But I love it!!!

[ThePetBookLady]

Just checked out flight costs from Canada to Denver and it's not that bad. Yay!

[Michael (@TCRPMG)]

That is pretty cool! I don't know that we could make it, but we are nuts about our dog and this this is a great idea!

[Susan Faye]

Hooray! I was feeling sorry for myself that I missed the first Blogpaws last month. Denver or bust!!!

[Joan DeMartin]

Bocci's Parental Unit will be there!

[Carol Bryant]

FIDO Friendly is soooo there with yours truly. YAY! Have cocker, will travel.

[Monica Benger]

Can't wait! That is right in BaxterBoo.com's backyard! We'd love to hear about sponsorship opportunities.

Denver is beautiful in September! See you then!

[Carol Bryant]

Monica, I pictured you doing a happy dance with this location announcement. LOL Glad we get to meet up again, friend!

[twitter.com/grouchypuppy]

How exciting to have Blog Paws out west! Looking at SFO-DEN flights now.. Will there be any sponsorship opportunities?

[Ruby's Raiser]

This one's right in our backyard, we'll be there!

[Mary-Alice Pomputius]

Hello -- Just tried to make reservations for the conference at the Grand Hyatt Denver and they assured me that they only allow service animals in the hotel. Are there pet-friendly rooms available nearby?

[Marsha Mack]

WOW! This sounds exciting. I know you were just on the east coast, unfortunately I was not able to attend! Hurry back!

[Caroline]

Mary-Alice, thanks again for the heads up and sorry about the pet friendly confusion.

To everyone: please rest assured that ALL pets are welcome at BlogPaws - at the conference and at the hotel in which we hold it. If you have any questions please contact us at caroline (at) blogpaws (dot)com!

[EmilyS]

no, all dogs are NOT welcome at the host hotel, or any other in Denver: . Pit bulls, and anything that Denver ACO thinks might look like a pit bull, are NOT welcome in the city. There isn't an exemption for this kind of show. ACO will stop you and tell you to get your dog out of the city or it will be confiscated. DO NOT TAKE A CHANCE with your dog if it has anything of the appearance of a "pit bull"; leave it at home. If you're going to go to Blogpaws, consider at least staying OUTSIDE of the city/county limits, in Golden for example. But NOT Aurora, another place that kills dogs because of appearance. It's too bad a major dog event decided to contribute (through lodging and sales taxes) to the killing of innocent dogs in Denver. Blogpaws organizers: please be sure your attendees understand the law in Denver so they do not endanger their dogs

[Yvonne]

Emily, we are checking on the issue with the pit bull terrier ban but I can tell you I attended a large pet event two weekends ago, IN DENVER, and lots of people brought their pit bulls. None were confiscated. No uniforms showed up to take them away or even say "boo". It was delightful to see.

Perhaps it's takes a group effort to change an outdated law? Perhaps the many BlogPaws voices can bring about a change. I see a lot of our tweeps discussing this and it's exactly the kind of thing we love: a small group of dedicated citizens making change for the better.

As a PET organization that supports all pets, we are working to be the change everywhere we go. Even in Denver.

[EmilyS]

Yvonne, I applaud the use of Blogpaws to educate against BSL. But any pit bull owner who brings her dog into Denver is asking for trouble. Are you really not aware of the city's policy and actions? Shall I send you some links to stories of people who have had their dogs confiscated? Do you know about the current suit involving people (including a veteran) being harassed about their service dogs?

[Yvonne]

I've been following the stories ever since this all broke, Emily. I welcome more links and information. We are going to check on all of this - but, once again, at Furry Scurry, LOTS of pit bulls were in attendance and none were taken away. Makes it all a bit confusing, don't you think? I found stories about people who challenged this law and won.

Let's agree to keep learning more and working to fix things. Your help is so appreciated! So far, I've learned that a good many communities are misinformed about certain dog breeds - and good people like us are working to change the laws. I remember when it was German Shepards, and Dobermans... both of which are welcomed just about everywhere, now.

It's up to us to change the laws - let's work on that. Meanwhile, I'm still researching this and how it will pertain to BlogPaws. Please email me more info at yvonne (at) blogpaw (dot)com. Thanks, Emily.

[AnnaP]

InCirclePets is so excited to be heading to BlogPaws in Denver! So much to learn and so many really cool people and pups to meet! Can't wait.

[Joanne Brokaw (and Scout & Bandit)]

Oh rats. I didn't realize it was in September. I'm not sure I can afford another trip so closely, esp bc I want to hit the LA Super Zoo pet expo. Who am I kidding? I'll make every effort to be there!!!

[Aimee]

Awesome! This might make coming a real possibility for us. Thanks for holding a second event.

[Joanne Brokaw (and Scout & Bandit)]

Well, after talking it over with darling husband, I think BlogPaws West is the place to be in September!!!!

[EmilyS]

Yvonne, I'm glad ACO didn't harass the participants at Furry Scurry.

I can only urge you strongly to contact ACO to make sure you understand what the Denver laws are in regard to visiting pit bulls.

Can you contact Lauren Fox at AllBreedRescue? She is really the most expert rescuer down there. http://haveanicedog.org/

Also, of course, the Denver lawyers who are representing people in the various lawsuits: http://www.theanimallawcenter.com/

Both would be excellent additions to your event.

[CokieTheCat]

Mom says she's going as my proxy, to represent The AnipalTimes.com, leaving me home, inside, as always.

Cokie the Cat - Hollywood Insider
=^..^=

[EmilyS]

well, for example:
http://180for180.blogspot.com/2010/06/coco-innocent-dog-killed-in-denver.html

[PetHealthGuide]

Sounds like a great time!

[Amber]

Emily is not exaggerating. This could literally be life or death for dogs who happen to look a certain way. I just sent you all an email about BSL in Denver as well. I live down the road in Colorado Springs and I see all too well on a first hand basis the horrors of BSL in Denver. More than 3500 dogs have died because of this disgusting law simply because they had the misfortune of being born looking a certain way.

Please, please, PLEASE either move the event or at the very least, warn people not to bring their pit bull-type dogs. There are heart-wrenching stories of people simply passing through Denver and having their dogs confiscated. Denver puts the onus on the owners to prove that their dog isn't a pit bull and many people are unable financially to do that. And the dog ends up paying for it with their life. Even if they "win," they are out of pocket for thousands of dollars, not to mention all the time it takes to fight the ruling.

I'm glad that the pet owners at Furry Scurry were not harassed but truly, it's not worth putting a dog's life at risk.

Please believe me - Denver is a very dangerous place for anyone who happens to own a dog with a blocky head, stocky build and short coat.

Please check out these links:

http://www.denverkillsdogs.com

http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=6009

http://www.westword.com/2009-10-15/news/a-hearing-officer-in-a-pit-bull-case-puts-denver-animal-caring-and-control-on-a-short-leash/

And here's little Fiona, who lost her family because of BSL. Does she look like a "big bad" pit bull to you? Well, she did to Denver.

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/14886030

[Dog Foster Mom]

I was really looking forward to attending... until I heard it was in Denver. This is very disappointing. I will not take a chance on attending and being forced to leave because my dog Noelle is a pit bull mix. I will never support a city by spending my money there when that city kills dogs simply because of their appearance.

Definitely you can change people's minds, and get laws changed - but until you do, don't support the places that kill dogs based only on their looks! If you really want to Be the Change for pets, please do the right thing and move the conference elsewhere.

[Molly Mednikow]

Bought my plane tix today. Amazing fare specials on Delta when you buy in advance! Registered and paid for conference!! What rate is the hotel offering?

[twitter.com/Tom_Collins]

Hi Molly,

Can't wait to see you! The special conference rate at the Grand Hyatt is $139 and the easiest way to get it is to click on the "Hotel" link in the top nav bar on the BlogPaws site.

Tom

[Molly Mednikow]

Thanks Tom! I feel foolish but where is the badge I can put on my site to spread the news!

[Pumpkin]

Mom contacted the hotel to find out what she needed to know about bringing me with her, and they told her they only allow service animals. If you've made special arrangements with the hotel so that attendees can bring us along, who at the hotel do our humans contact to get correct information? Or, can you post the information here on the BlogPaws site?

[Yvonne]

Hi Pumkin, I just emailed you. Tell your Mom to call me, please! ALL pets are welcome at the hotel. We are cautioning pet parents with pit bulls - sad to say, Denver has a pit bull ban - but, pets are invited and they do not have to be service animals.

On the pit bull side, we are working with Maggie Marton to get pet bloggers to create post cards and show Mayor Hickenlooper the error of his ways. BlogPaws supports the continued efforts of pit bull Moms and Dads to get this BSL law overturned!

[Brian]

Denver is not to far from central Kansas and really looked forward to it...except the dates conflict with other schedules. Wish it worked out better but it won't this time. Hopefully, someone will do some taping of the events and post a link to them.

Thanks

[Carrie Boyko]

I'm registered and ready to go.....can't wait! Happy tails everyone.

[TheFitDog]

We are registered and getting ready to go. We're very excited to be apart of this! Athena and I are driving up from Las Vegas and looking forward to meeting new people and pups!

[Jaime Smith]

Cant wait to attend my second BlogPaws conference in my college town!! Hope to meet even more wonderful pet bloggers and learn a lot more too
!
Jaime

[Barbara Saunders]

On principle, I would not attend a pet lovers conference in a city where my dog would be endangered just stepping across the city line.

[Kennel Software]

Will there be anything similar this year?

Thanks

[Rania]

Tamra has watched my cats many times while I visit my mafily in Dallas. I used to have friends watch them, and when I came home the cats seemed anxious and unhappy. Now, I come home to happy, well-cared-for cats who have obviously had lots of affection while I have been away. Tamra is truly amazing with animals! She has an infectious love for all living things, and has a very professional attitude about animal care. I would definitely recommend her!

[Amita]

We are praying that you arvried safely in SanDiego and Vicente Guererro?Praise God for putting it into your hearts to serve him there. Looking forward to the stories of the people you meet and the work you are doing. Rio and I love you Stacey and Jaden and miss you already. Love Dad (Randy) and Rio