puppies

Ubiquitous coffee retailer Starbucks is facing controversy over its recent store policy which prohibits pugs from purchasing coffee.

“It’s outrageous,” says Tiffany Wainright, who created a petition to upend the policy on Change.org, which, as of this writing, has 34,000 signatures. “Pugs are people too, and they occasionally need a pick-me-up. Why shouldn’t they be allowed to have Starbucks coffee? It’s pure discrimination.”

In a statement released on Starbucks’ website earlier today, the coffee giant responded to the uproar, stating: “We love dogs and dog owners who enjoy our products with their pets. But coffee is not healthy for dogs, and we cannot support anyone giving it to them. To ensure the health and safety of pets, we have prohibited serving coffee to them across all of our stores.”

This story is developing, and will be updated accordingly.

via Mograph_Artist

via @auggie_thefrenchie

Via twopigsandahorse.

The small Swedish village of Svappavaara – so small that it doesn’t even have a high-res satellite image on Google Maps – has elected its first puppy mayor. In a close election, the pup named Miss Britney Houston, defeated the incumbent, Nils Engström, by 3 votes. The dog overwhelming captured the village’s youth vote, winning about 95% of support from the town’s 82 residents under 35 years old. 

Many expressed joy at the dog’s election to the town’s highest political post. 

“Britney ran a clean campaign around the issues,” said Karina Holmberg, an elementary school teacher who moved to Svappavaara from Stockholm last year. “Her slate of progressive ideas will move us forward.”

Others were less enthused by the result, however.

“This just goes to show that it’s too easy to get on the ballot,” said town elder Lasse Söderström. “I mean, a dog! Can you imagine it? It’s a mockery of demcracy. What’s next? A goat? A falcon with a hat?”

Holmberg admitted it will take some time to bring the town together. “There will need to be some healing after such a close election, certainly,” she said.

Houston assumes office in December.

Via missbritneyhouston.

Gérard, a dog and aspiring model, has posed for a highly anticipated series of photographs for up-an-coming Belgian photographer Jacqueline Eerkens. The photos will be displayed at Galerie Trois in Paris next month.

“Gérard has become my muse,” said Eerkens to a Dutch TV station last week. “His ease and fluidity in front of the camera. His total lack of inhibition. He is… how do you say it… terrible… no, that’s– magnificent! He is magnificent.”

The exhibit is expected to draw record crowds, and the pup has already received numerous modeling offers, including a reported six figure offer from Calvin Klein to model a new line of doggy kerchiefs.

He is represented by the Marilyn Agency.

Via Cusco Pics.