Fort Bragg, CA - A City That's Gone to the Dogs

FORT BRAGG, Calif., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- If you ask Hobbs Ferretti, he'll tell you Fort Bragg has gone to the dogs. Okay, Hobbs is a dog - a Chihuahua-Miniature Pinscher mix - and can't actually talk. But that's all right because Fort Bragg has an animal communicator, Carol Becker, who can translate. When it comes to pooches, no popular tourist destination is more pet-friendly.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091024/SF98323)

Hobbs is mayor of Fort Bragg's two off-leash dog parks that are popular places for pups and owners. He's likely to be hanging out at one of them on any given day. In a city with a dog mayor, it can't be surprising that visiting dogs and their people have some pretty unusual fun:

They've created Jackson Pollock-like artwork, held a pup pajama party with prizes for best (night) dressed dog, and gone 'dog paddle' kayaking up the Noyo River in Fort Bragg.

"Dogs get free ice cream at Cowlick's, are greeted with fresh water and dog treats in most downtown shops, participate in our First Friday Art Walks, compete in the oldest Ugly Dog contest, and just hang out with their pals," said Johanna Jensen of MCDOG (Mendocino Coast Dog Owners Group). "I think we're probably America's pet-friendliest place. Where else has both a human and a dog mayor?"

Lodging

• The Atrium
• Beachcomber Motel
• Cleone Gardens Inn
• Delamere Seaside Cottage
• Pine Beach Inn
• Seabird Lodge
• Surf Motel & Gardens
• Emerald Dolphin Inn
• Quality Inn & Suites
• Shoreline Cottages
• Super 8 Fort
• The Rendezvous
  

Beaches

• MacKerricher State Beach (leashed)
• Noyo Beach Off-Leash Dog Park (off leash)
• Seaside Beach (off leash)
  

Restaurants

• Cowlick's in the Gardens - Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens - patio seating
• Piaci Pub and Pizzeria - two small tables out front
• Silver's At the Wharf - outdoor heated patio
• Harons by the Sea - dockside outdoor dining
• Cafe One
• Cowlick's Handmade Ice Cream
• Homestyle Cafe
• Laurel Deli
• Mendocino Cookie Company
  

Pet Gift Shops

• Paws ... For Cats and Dogs
  

Food & Supplies

• Fort Bragg Feed & Pet
• Highway 20 Feed
  

Dog Parks

• Fort Bragg Dog Park - Maple & Lincoln Streets (fenced, off-leash)
  

Attractions

• Pomo Bluffs Park (leashed)
• Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park (leashed)
• Skunk Train (enclosed carrier)
• Liquid Fusion Kayaking (pets allowed to join their families on trips)
• Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens (leashed)
• First Friday Art Walk (leashed)
• All Aboard Adventures (fishing and whale watching)
  

Boarding / Day Care

• Mendocino Coast Animal Hospital
• Covington Creek Kennels
  

For more information about Fort Bragg, visit http://www.fortbragg.com.

SOURCE City of Fort Bragg