The woof is on fire, as Santa’s little yelpers return to the Union Square SF Macy’s windows this Friday at noon, and this year the adorable, adoptable little critters will be available at "Name Your Price" rates.  

The Union Square Macy’s Christmas tree was lit up this past Monday night, which is great and all, but that’s probably not the holiday tradition you were really looking forward to rekindling. The holly-jollies will really hit the fan for the big favorite SF holiday tradition on Friday of this week. That’s when the puppies and kittens return to the Macy’s window displays, an event technically known as Holiday Windows at Macy’s Union Square, and the cuteness overload will kick in when the little kitties and pups officially make their debut this Friday, November 21, at 12 noon PT.

The five-and-a-half week holiday season window display is organized by the SF SPCA, who are in the business of finding homes for adoptable pets. And this year they’re running a special “Name Your Price” promotion in hopes of fostering as many adoptions as possible. (Though the puppies and kittens in the Macy’s window may not be a part of this promotion, as the SF SPCA says the Name Your Price deal is for “for all animals over 5 months old throughout the entire holiday period,” and the window animals may fall under that age range.)

“The SF SPCA and Macy's Holiday Windows have been bringing joy to San Francisco for nearly four decades, and each year we see the incredible impact of this tradition," SF SPCA CEO Dr. Jennifer Scarlett said in a statement. "By offering Name Your Price adoptions, we're removing barriers and making it possible for more families to experience the unconditional love of a pet this holiday season. Every adoption creates space for us to save another life."

And as they have done for about the last 15 years, the SF SPCA will be running a webcam where you can watch the kittens and puppies live as they frolic (or sleep) right there in the Macy’s windows. That webcam will be at sfspca.org/holiday, and is scheduled to go live Friday, November 21 at 12 noon.

Now we know that Macy’s is not closing anytime soon, so we will not have the anxiety of fearing this is the last-ever Macy’s puppy and kitten display. The fur starts to fly this Friday at noon, and continues from noon to 6 pm every day Wednesday through Sunday. (Except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day). The SF SPCA will have an adoption information booth on the main floor at Macy’s all of those days the pups and kitties are in the windows, and the display runs through December 31, 2025.

Related: Fur Real: Puppies and Kittens Return to Macy’s Windows in Union Square on Friday [SFist]

Top image: Robert T via Yelp

An SF whale watching boat tour took an unexpected direction Sunday morning, as the boat’s resident German shepherd suddenly went into labor and produced seven little puppies as the boat was setting sail.

If you took a ride on a San Francisco Whale Tours boat, you would expect to see whales, orcas, or maybe the occasional sea lion. But riders on a Sunday morning tour aboard the San Francisco Whale Tours boat “Kitty Kat” got a very different and unexpected animal encounter, as KTVU reports that one of the boat’s resident German shepherds Sam abruptly went into labor, and gave birth to seven puppies as the ship was about to set sail from Pier 39.

"Sam had not had puppies prior, so this was an experience for her,” the boat’s captain Joe Nazar told KTVU. “I won't say it was easy. But she is very, very smart, and she worked through it and her maternal instincts are incredible, so she'll be an amazing mom.”

Both Sam, whom Nazar had rescued a year ago, and her male companion Bear, the proud father of the puppies, typically ride aboard the boat. Both dogs are German shepherds, and now they’re the parents of seven newborn German shepherd puppies.

The labor started Sunday morning at around 9:30 just as the boat was about to set sail from Pier 39. And even SFPD got involved, as Officer Sean Padilla with the department’s marine unit arrived on the scene to help with the delivery.

For his efforts, Officer Padilla will get his pick of the litter of puppies. Other puppies have been promised to Nazar’s friends.  

Nazar says he knew Sam was pregnant, though did not expect her to have these puppies as soon as she did.

But if you want to take a whale watching board ride with these German shepherd puppies, unfortunately, that will not be an option. The father Bear will continue taking the boat rides, but the mother Sam and the puppies will be staying at Nazar’s North Bay home for the foreseeable future.

Related: Box of Puppies Found in Stolen Vehicle at Coliseum BART Station Parking Lot [SFist]

Image: San Francisco Whale Tours

BART Police engaged in a car chase Tuesday afternoon with a vehicle that had been reported stolen in Fremont. But when they finally nabbed the driver, they made the unusual discovery of five newborn puppies inside the stolen car.

It all started like a fairly normal police operation regarding  a stolen car. A blue Hyundai SUV had been reported stolen from Fremont. The Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Task Force, working with BART Police, spotted that car (certainly looking a little worse for the wear), in the Coliseum BART parking lot Tuesday afternoon. And after a car chase with the driver of the stolen vehicle, and the eventual arrest of that driver, KRON4 reports BART Police found a box of very young puppies cooped up inside the stolen car.

As BART Police described in a Wednesday Facebook post, they say they “spotted a vehicle that was reported stolen out of Fremont being driven through the Coliseum Station parking lot. Officers attempted to make a stop, but the suspect fled in the vehicle.”

Then things got odd when one of the dogs jumped out of an open window of the stolen vehicle. The vehicle eventually stopped, and the driver was taken into custody. But upon examining the stolen car, BART Police say “Multiple puppies were found in the vehicle.” They fortunately took pictures of the little nippers, who do appear to be quite young.

The driver of the stolen car, 28-year-old Courtney Taylor of Oakland, was arrested and charged with eight felonies and misdemeanors. She’s been booked into Santa Rita Jail. According to jail records, she’s been booked on the expected receiving a stolen vehicle and evading arrest charges, but also one charge of cruelty to animals.

BART Police say the puppies are now in the care of Oakland Animal Control. But there’s still no word on the adult dog that jumped from the vehicle, and that dog has not been located.

Related: Dognapper In the South Bay Demands Ransom, Gets Arrested Upon Delivering Dog [SFist]

Image: BART Police Department via Facebook

A whole crew of Santa’s little yelpers arrives in the windows of the Union Square Macy’s this Friday, as the SF SPCA and Macy’s Union Square’s 37th annual Holiday Windows brings back what is purr-haps our favorite holiday tradition.

Of all the great annual events we had to miss because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual Macy’s Holiday Window display of adoptable kittens and puppies being forced to go video-only might have been dispiriting cancellation. The kittens and puppies were not physically present in the windows in 2020 and 2021, but did return for the 2022 holiday season.

And they will return again for the 2023 holiday season, starting this week.

“On Friday, November 17 at 12 p.m., the windows will be unveiled for the first time,” the SF SPCA said in a release. The kittens and puppies will be on window display for potential adopters, and everyone really, on Thursdays through Sundays from 12–5 p.m. though Sunday, December 31.

“The SF SPCA is concluding its year of 155th-anniversary celebrations with one of the City’s beloved holiday traditions with our ongoing partners at Macy’s,” SF SPCA CEO Dr. Jennifer Scarlett said in a release. “Holiday Windows has helped to highlight the importance of adoption while connecting thousands of animals to their forever homes.”

This year being the SF SPCA’s 155th anniversary, they’re setting an ambitious goal of helping get more than 600 pets adopted this holiday season. The adoption fee for these kittens and puppies in the windows has been lowered to $100 (that deal also applies to the kittens and puppies in their shelter), and all adult adoptions of dogs and cats five months or older will be free.

And yes, the Holiday Live Cam of the kittens and puppies will fire up when the programs starts this Friday, and the streams will continue during all Thursday-Sunday hours of the display.

The SF SPCA-Macy’s Union Square Holiday Window display will be unveiled Friday, November 17 at 12 p.m. PT. The display will remain active Thursdays through Sundays from 12–5 p.m. at Macy’s at 170 O’Farrell Street in  SF.

Related: Puppies, Kittens Back In Macy's Holiday Windows, Watch Live [SFist]

Images via SF SPCA

A 29-year-old San Francisco Fire Department member appeared in an Alameda County Court Tuesday morning on charges that he not only ripped off an Oakland puppy breeder, but fired several bullets at him too.  

Not all dog stories are good, and the dog-breeding racket often brings stories that don’t exactly reaffirm your faith in humanity. But this is a tale of alleged human cruelty rather than animal cruelty, as KTVU brings us the story below than a San Francisco firefighter allegedly shot an Oakland man over a puppy deal gone bad, or rather, the firefighter allegedly just did not pay for the puppies, and shot the Oakland man after he called police over the matter.

Some puppies do appear in the KTVU segment above, and they seem pretty healthy. The same cannot be said for 45-year-old Michael Johnson of Oakland, who shows KTVU a bullet wound in his neck, and several bullet holes in his car, allegedly from the gun of 29-year-old off-duty San Francisco firefighter Byron Pointer.

“Being shot by a firefighter, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of," Johnson told KTVU. "They're supposed to be saving lives, not shooting up your car, being shot in the neck, being robbed at gunpoint.”

The two were apparently in business in the puppy breeding trade, and by Johnson's account, met Sunday morning in an Emeryville parking lot for a transaction. Johnson said he was delivering breeding verification paperwork to the firefighter, Pointer. But Johnson says Pointer “smacked it out of my hand, and he had a gun in his other hand." He additionally alleges that  Pointer robbed him at gunpoint, and did not pay the $5,500 owed, but it's not clear what was stolen.

Johnson then called the police, who did arrive, but Johnson says both Oakland and Emeryville police declined to question Pointer, saying it was a civil case. Then when Johnson drove past Pointer’s Oakland home, Johnson claimed Pointer unloaded a number of bullets at him, and he’s got the scars and bullet holes to support his claims.  

The San Francisco Fire Department says that they are working with the Oakland Police Department on the matter. Johnson was detained at Santa Rita Jail with bail set at $270,000, and he’ll appear in court this morning of charges of destroying and concealing evidence, assault with a firearm, shooting at a vehicle, and receiving stolen property.

Related: Owners of Puppy Killed by Off-Leash Dog at Dolores Park Demand Justice [SFist]

Image: Elena Mozhvilo via Unsplash

The pandemic has led to an explosion in pet ownership. It's also helped fuel the number of puppies being purchased at makeshift stands — especially in the East Bay.

People have taken this moment in history — one marked by social distancing and an ungodly amount of time spent indoors — to pick up hobbies and activities. Amid the uptick in at-home fitness routines and all things Zoom, Bay Area locals (and people elsewhere in the country) have taken the pandemic to adopt dogs and cats at record rates. But a side-effect of this inflated interest with pet ownership is that the number of sick dogs being sold at roadside stands has considerably grown.

As reported by KPIX, the number of people selling puppies out of their vehicles on the side of the road and in parking lots is on the rise. While seemingly innocent, a good amount of these dogs sold have proven to become incredibly sick after being taken home. (This is why credible veterinarians always suggest you buy from a reputable breeder — or better yet, to rescue an animal from a shelter or rehoming organization.)

“A couple of days [after bringing your new dog home], you might find that you have a very sick puppy on your hand,” said Dr. Coleen Dossey with Town and Country Veterinary Hospital to KPIX, warning people of the risk that comes from buying dogs at roadside stands.

The news outlet notes that animal control officials said a recent incident happened along Airway Boulevard in Livermore; a litter of Maltipoo puppies that were sold for $450 a piece turned out to be infected with canine parvovirus, which is known more broadly as "parvo."

”Parvo is highly contagious and can be a very deadly virus and spread from dog to dog,” added Dossey.

This sometimes fatal illness can swiftly infect an entire litter if their living conditions are not carefully monitored and cleaned accordingly. (Many other "parvo puppies'' have turned up at local clinics suffering from canine parvovirus, as well.)

If left untreated, parvo leaves dogs, especially smaller ones, unable to recover from the severe vomiting and diarrhea caused by the disease. The illness can eventually lead to life-threatening dehydration  — which could introduce a bacterial infection into the dog’s bloodstream that might give way to septic shock and death.

A dog suffering from parvo is considered a veterinary medical emergency; a particularly virulent strain of parvo can cause a young dog to die in as short as three days after the onset of symptoms. But if a sick dog is seen by a veterinarian and put on an appropriate treatment plan, there's around 70% chance the dog will make a full recovery.

So, yea: Buy from a reputable breeder if you must… but preferably look through the animals at your local shelter or rescue organization for your next fur child.

For more information on parvo, including symptoms to look out for in dogs, click here.

Related: Muttville Encourages San Franciscans to Adopt a Senior Dog While In Isolation

San Francisco SPCA Needs More Foster Families To Look After Cats and Dogs

Image: A puppy infected with parvo that's being treated with an intravenous line help keep it hydrated. (Photo: Getty Images/kozorog)

A rare ray of sunshine breaks through the election haze today with the news that San Francisco could soon have its very own puppy cafe. Yes, you read that correctly: A puppy cafe. 7x7 reports that the nonprofit Canine Cafe would allow patrons to cuddle up with adorable fuzzballs while sipping "delicious coffee and other beverages." Much like with Oakland's Cat Town Cafe and Hayes Valley's KitTea, the dogs would all be adoptable — meaning you could walk out the door with more than just a caffeine buzz.

Albuquerque, New York City, San Diego, and San Francisco are all being targeted for locations by New Mexico-based NextGen Shelter Project — although neither the group's website nor the project's IndieGoGo page say whether or not a specific (and appropriately zoned) location has been identified.

"Each Canine Cafe location is a small scale 'starter shelter/dog adoption center' or 'supplemental shelter/dog adoption center' model, projected to find homes for over 1,500 dogs each year," the Canine Cafe website reads. "It combines a dog café and training center and also retail to develop a financially sustainable small scale animal shelter."

The non-profit is seeking to raise $500,000, proving once and for all that you can in fact put a price on our dreams. And as they are currently very short of their goal (having raised only $350 at the time of this writing), we may have a long time to wait for those expensive dreams to come true. Until then, this Canine Cafe video will have to tide you over.

Related: Cat Town Cafe Opens In Oakland, Marking America's First Cat-Play Coffeeshop

People, you would not believe the sheer level of joy and delight being unleashed down at the Puppy Bowl Cafe, just outside Gott's Roadside at SF's Ferry Building on Thursday afternoon. The puppies just arrived at this full-scale replica of Animal Planet's now annual Puppy Bowl, set just behind Super Bowl City, and SFist was on hand to get exclusive pics and video of the puppies populating their positively pawsome playspace.

Two dozen puppies from San Francisco Animal Care & Control and the East Bay SPCA will take turns in shifts for regulation play between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. every day through Saturday, and til 3 p.m. on Sunday. And yes, all these puppies are all available for adoption.

For the most squee-worthy and adorable thing you will see all day, the video above shows a puppy pile-up being enjoyed by a human baby with a choice front row seat.

SFist captured the first four minutes of live regulation play, right as the puppies took the field for a fierce competition of chasing tennis balls, playing tug-of-war with the Lamb Chop toy and sniffing one another's rear ends.

Image: Joe Kukura

"There's a lot of unnecessary ruff-ruff-roughness that I'm going to throw flags for," ruffaree Tommy Gimler told SFist. "And excessive cuteness [penalties]. The puppies know what they're doing. They're all looking for forever homes. This is like a scouting session out here."

Image: Joe Kukura

In honor of Super Bowl 50, all of the pups are available for 50 percent off their normal adoption fees (about $87.50 after discount). The little lovelies are under contract to play through Sunday afternoon, and will be available for pick-up Sunday (for East Bay SPCA dogs) or Monday (for SF Animal Care dogs). Gott's Roadside, which is hilariously themed-out in Puppy Bowl decor, will make a $1 donation to the cause for every "Tailwagger Burger" sold between now and Sunday.

Image: Joe Kukura

Even the police and paramilitary security officers are getting their hearts melted by the puppies playing "wide retriever."

Image: Joe Kukura

Other attractions at the Puppy Bowl Cafe include a Puppy Bowl virtual reality experience, with goggles provided onsite for 3D virtual reality encounters like "Three Dog Tug-of-War." If you have the Google Cardboard headset, you can download it and play at home.

Image: Joe Kukura

Do not expect to immediately get close to the puppies at the Puppy Bowl Cafe. Expect to see crowds of this size around the attraction, and bring your patience and persistence if you aspire to get up front to see the puppies.

The Puppy Bowl Cafe remain open today through Saturday from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. and Sunday, February 7 from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. The actual Puppy Bowl TV broadcast begins at 3 p.m. PST Sunday on Animal Planet.

Ugh. Last week six border collie puppies were found abandoned in a Merced dumpster. After being discovered by a hair salon worker in the process of taking out the trash, the 4-month-old puppies are now in the care of San Francisco's SPCA. The puppies had been placed inside a trash bag, and the bag had been tied shut, explains the SPCA.

“It’s incredibly cruel,” SPCA spokeswoman Krista Maloney told the Chronicle. “There are so many alternatives, and it’s never excusable.”

Maloney explained that the dogs appear to be healthy, and the organization is asking for donations to help the animals out before they're (hopefully) placed with adoptive families.

Officials at the animal shelter/clinic/hospital named the puppies Taavi, Tabbee, Tadder, Tabo, Taddy and Tadek.

Take a moment to stare into these wonderful eyes as you remember that, sadly, dumping puppies in the garbage is not a new phenomenon. Just this past November Santa Rosa Junior College facilities and operations groundskeeper Syda Khaleck discovered a tiny Chihuahua with two broken legs that had been left to die in a dumpster. And remember the case of Gem, the insanely cute puppy pulled from a recycling conveyor belt at the city dump by Recology staffers in 2013.

Anyway, love your animals is what we're saying — and for the love of god, do not throw them in the garbage. If you're looking for a way to get a lovely critter in your life, all cat and dog adoptions at the SFSPCA are free from from February 12 through February 14 as part of the Lonely Hearts Adoption Party.

Related: Bay Area Animal Shelters Worth A Follow On Social Media

In some (house) breaking news that might be the first thing you’ll like about having the Super Bowl in San Francisco, the Puppy Bowl is bringing a live version of the adorable and doggone legendary Animal Planet program to the downtown Super Bowl City area next week. Real live puppies up for adoption will do a puppy takeover at the Puppy Bowl Cafe, a replica of the Puppy Bowl set from the beloved annual Super Bowl counterprogramming show. We’ve got advance photos of several of the pooches you’ll see at this puppy proceeding that opens Thursday, February 4 and runs through Super Bowl Sunday, February 7 at the notoriously dog-friendly Gott’s Roadside at the Ferry Building.

All puppies on hand will indeed be puppies, 4 months old and younger. They’re all abandoned pups in desperate need of adoption, and these little pooches have had ruff upbringings. But in honor of Super Bowl 50, the little nippers at this pop-up pup-up will be available for 50% off of their normal adoption fees (about $87.50, after discount) courtesy San Francisco Animal Care & Control and the East Bay SPCA.

HEY HANDSOME! Dave is a 3-month-old Chi/Shiba Inu Mix who will be available for adoption next week at the Puppy Bowl Cafe. Image: SF Animal Care & Control

“The Puppy Bowl is legendary in animal circles,” SF Animal Care & Control spokesperson Deb Campbell told SFist. “We’re the city’s only open-admission animal shelter, so we’re honored.”

AWWW, LITTLE PEANUT! Peanut is a 4-month-old Chihuahua/Doxie Mix who will be available for adoption next week at the Puppy Bowl Cafe. Image: SF Animal Care & Control

It should be noted that this is not the Puppy Bowl that you will see on Super Bowl Sunday. That show was recorded months ago at a studio in Manhattan, with an entirely different litter of little poocheroos. But these Puppy Bowl Cafe participants are are all legit, local rescue pups playing for keeps in hopes of finding a new home.

WHO WANTS THE BALL? WHO WANTS THE BALL? Rudy is a 2-month-old Cairn Terrier Mix who will be available for adoption next week at the Puppy Bowl Cafe. Image: SF Animal Care & Control

Should you choose to adopt, you don’t get to take the puppy right there on the spot. These little divas are under contractual obligation to play publicly at the Puppy Bowl Cafe until February 7 at 3 p.m. Adopters can then pick up these little scamps beginning at 12 Noon on Monday, February 8.

AWWW, WHISKERS! Kukla is a 9-week-old Chihuahua who will be available for adoption next week at the Puppy Bowl Cafe. Image: East Bay SPCA

To whet your pup-pitite, Animal Planet has a live Puppy Bowl Puppycam (the puppies mostly just sleep and poop) and a Puppy Bowl virtual reality experience for anyone who has the Google Cardboard headset. If you don’t have a headset, the Puppy Bowl VR experience will be available at the Puppy Bowl Cafe.

SLURRRP! Chellie will be available for adoption next week at the Puppy Bowl Cafe. Image: East Bay SPCA

SFist will have live coverage of the opening of the Puppy Bowl Cafe on Thursday, February 4 at 11 a.m., and the puppies remain on dis-”play” Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. and Sunday, February 7 from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. All these little yelpers come courtesy the East Bay SPCA and San Francisco Animal Care & Control, so check them out... on Yelp.

It's the Monday before Thanksgiving and all through the Macy's Holiday window display some creatures were stirring and they were all adoptable from the San Francisco SPCA*. Also, you can watch them tumble, nibble, and nap right here from the comfort of your desk. (And then, later, when you're not at work, you should go adopt one.)

Without further ado, puppies and kittens: [Update: the SF SPCA's stream seems to have gone down shortly after we posted this. Stay tuned for puppies and kittens folks! Update 2: They're back!]

If no kittens or puppies happen to be in the window above, you might also try one of these five other streams on the SF SPCA site.

Once you've had too much cuteness to bear, you should remember that each one of these little guys could make you, or someone in your lives, very happy for many holiday seasons to come. You can learn more about adoption from the SF SPCA site here, and if you can't bring one home yourself you could help facilitate adoption for another happy pet owner by volunteering to stand outside the holiday windows and gush over them with holiday shoppers.

*sorry.

[SF SPCA]

A word of caution to Bay Area small fluffy dog enthusiasts: San Francisco Int'l Airport is not, in fact, giving away Yorkies, as scammers would have you believe.

A new pet scam presumably targeting lonely and opportunistic dog lovers is using a fictional "Health Care Department" at
(future Harvey Milk Int'l Airport?) SFO to entice their marks. After promising free doggies, an email from the fake SFO address requests that the clueless sucker consumer shells out to pay for airfare or other expenses for vaccines, crates or other travel costs.

Do we really need to reiterate that emails from unknown sources requesting money are usually scams? Focus, people: don't let the promise of adorable homeless puppies distract you from the truth. And although there's no official word on who is behind this particular scam, we urge potential scammers to please go chop our dollar elsewhere.

[SF Appeal]

Live video from your iPhone using Ustream

This just in: the Puppy Bowl "puppy cam" is on! And, boy, is the action intense. The players (i.e., loads of puppies!) were in the locker room and fighting over a bowl of food. Now they're sleeping in a pile of awww. The white one seems a bit lazy and will surely get benched if the pup doesn't get its act together.

Lots of yapping! And wagging! And ear biting too! (And... humans coming in to clean up poop on occasion!)

The Puppy Bowl, care of Animal Discovery, goes down on Sunday, February 3rd during that other important game. Here is your all-star lineup for Puppy Bowl XI. (Our money is on Blitz.)