If you’ve visited Montrose Dog Beach recently, you’ve inevitably noticed us kicking up dust in the northwest corner of the boat launch. After years of planning and persistence, Mutt Jackson will open to the public over this upcoming Memorial Day. What is Mutt Jackson? The short answer is that we’re a company that helps dogs and humans do more together. And, …
“We were fostering Toby and I returned him to PAWS just before Christmas because I was sure he would be adopted. I was absolutely right – he was adopted the very next day. By me!” Kat laughs while Toby flies across the sand around her feet. It’s a beautiful afternoon, with people & dogs scattered along the shore, but Toby …
Not all stories start at the beginning. For many dogs, the beginning reads much more like the end. Zippity, a three-year-old “court case” Pitbull has such a story. Zippity ended up with Chicago Animal Care and Control when her original owner was suspected of training her for dog-fighting. For a long time, dogs in her position were treated as evidence …
Before Montrose Dog Beach was permanently recognized by the City, and before there was even a fence, Sheri Rush and her Golden Retriever, Max, were regular visitors to the nascent Dog-Friendly Area. “I adopted this massive, energetic Golden, and I knew he needed a place to run. Like most people, I had no backyard, but I was fortunate to have …
Xena, a fourteen-year-old Rottweiler, rests quietly beside Maggie Jablonska’s desk at the Servpro offices in Ravenswood. “Two years ago, I was certain I would have to put her down,” Maggie says. Xena was sick, stressed, and the prescribed thyroid medication only seemed to make her condition worse. “My marathon training partner could barely walk. I couldn’t have run that race …
On a bitingly cold morning, spring only in name, Caty and Mike Burke lean into the wind while opening the beach gate for their dog, Sadie. You can tell how long someone’s been visiting the dog beach based on their clothing, and the Burke’s well-worn, utilitarian layers are a mark of experience. For this trio, beach days are not a …
If you’re one of the tens of thousands of people who has checked into Montrose Dog Beach’s Facebook page, then you’ve got Shelly Burke – MonDog’s Social Media Manager – to thank. And if you’ve ever posted a question or concern to the page, you know MonDog typically responds within minutes. (Don’t take our word for it – check out …
“I couldn’t stand the trash,” Bill Sonntag begins as he reflects on when he first came to Montrose Dog Beach over five years ago. “At first I thought about calling or complaining to someone. How could they let this beautiful beach become piled with litter?” “But then I realized that I am “they,” Bill continues with a laugh. “I guess …
In the darkness of early morning, Susan Kimmelman walked the shores of Lake Michigan like Ray walked the cornfield in Field of Dreams. Like Ray, Susan had a dream. Before the city of Chicago woke behind her, Susan and her dog met the sunrise at Montrose Beach. “The beach full of dogs early in the morning is a life-affirming …
Hello there, Welcome to Mutt Jackson! You’re probably wondering, who/what or when/where is Mutt Jackson? A great question with no simple answer! Mutt Jackson’s story is in many ways my life story. And, in many ways, it’s humanity’s story. Those stories are complicatedly beautiful. We could simply say Mutt Jackson is aiming to make Montrose Dog Beach, which is already …
