For dogs who walked, romped and wrestled in Boyce Park, a can of Good Boy Dog Beer was a good ending to a nice day.
The $5 beer — which is really a bone broth — was just one of the treats available when Rollaway Dog Cafe pulled up Sunday at the park’s Tanglewood shelter in Plum for the Friends of Jupiter Pet Walk. It’s the first food truck for dogs in the Pittsburgh area.
When customers walked up to the window, bottled water was the only item marketed for human consumption.
“Some people are initially confused, but then their reaction is pure happiness,” said Ann Straub, who owns and operates the Cranberry-based business with friends Rae McStay and Maureen Laniewski.
Rollaway Dog Cafe (rollawaydogcafe.com) hit the road last May through November, visiting dog-friendly events and fundraisers. The 16-foot-long vehicle is technically a food cart because it’s pulled by a big SUV, said Ms. Laniewski.
“Today’s the first day of our second season,” said Ms. McStay, as she served a pupsicle ($3 for two) to Diamond, a greyhound mix. Owner Mindy Sarver of Mount Oliver opted for the organic pumpkin flavor, rather than turkey.
Canines also slurped goat’s milk snow cones ($3 and $5) and ice cream ($3 per scoop) made from kefir, which is fermented cow’s milk. Good Boy Dog Beer, a popular item, comes in four flavors — pork, chicken, fruits/vegetables and almonds/peanuts.
Ms. Straub is also the founder and owner of he Holistic Pet Nutrition Center in Harmony. She got a degree in wildlife biology from the University of Montana and has studied animal nutrition. She said all of the pet foods and treats sold in her store and on Rollaway Dog Cafe are extensively researched to make sure they’re safe and nutritious.
Ms. Laniewski owns All Pet & Home Care in the North Hills, and Ms. Rae works there with her. They walk dogs, pet sit and stop in for daily visits with pets while their owners work. Portraits of three of their dogs — Lucas, Brody and Dillon — are painted on the side.
The dog food cart is doing well, the women said. At the Jupiter Walk, they sold nearly an entire case of dog beer, 24 cans. In addition to being used as a treat, it can be added to dry food to soften it, which is especially helpful for older dogs, Ms. Rae told customers.
More than 100 people and 60 dogs did the one-mile walk despite temperatures in the 40s that had many dogs wearing coats and sweaters. Victor, 2, a 60-pound pot-bellied pig from Morningside, was pushed in a stroller, and two dogs got an assist from wheels.
Boone, a hound mix, walked with his front legs while his rear end was supported by a wheeled cart. Owners Charles and Tanya Diable said Boone’s former owner cut off his back legs and abandoned him. They adopted Boone 18 months ago and say he is the face of their Butler-based rescue — Joey’s P.A.W. or Prosthetics and Wheels. Their mission is to help handicapped dogs get the equipment they need to live active lives.
The Friends of Jupiter Pet Walk is organized by Nicole Orlando of Plum. Its goal is to help dogs like Jupiter, the Maltese she and her husband adopted in 2013. He had been rescued by the Maltese organization after living several years in deplorable conditions at a puppy mill, where he was continuously bred.
Jupiter, 10, led Sunday’s walk with his “sister” Penelope, who is also Maltese. For three hours, dogs and people romped, mingled and bid on more than 60 baskets with themes that included “spa day.”
The walk raised $30,000 the first four years and more than $8,000 this year. It benefited Northcentral Maltese Rescue and local organizations that help animals: Monroeville Animal Shelter, Gray Paws Sanctuary for elderly dogs, Cross Your Paws Rescue, Distinguished Dobermans Rescue, Southwest Pa Retriever Rescue, The Proper Pit Bull and Tiny Cause.
Linda Wilson Fuoco: lfuoco@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3064.
First Published: May 3, 2019, 11:30 a.m.