EVERETT — Make no mistake, this is a fluff piece.
It’s a story about Emma and Errol. It’s about Ashley, Clyde, Henry and Rosie.
It’s about those who live in some of Everett’s finest homes, as well as those who live in some of the city’s least finest homes.
But that’s irrelevant. Cats and dogs don’t rank their masters according to social status, they just love them for what they are.
It’s tough to pin down the absolute truth about cats and dogs in Snohomish County’s largest city. No one may ever know who let the dogs out in Everett. Or, for that matter, whether stray cats really strut.
There’s no way to know exactly how many cats and dogs live in the city, since there’s no doggy and kitty census. But, according to Everett’s pet licensing records, at the beginning of this year there were more than 11,800 licensed dogs in the city and about 4,700 licensed cats.
The numbers suggest this doggist conclusion:
In Everett, dogs rule and cats drool.
City officials say it may be more complex than that.
Cats, which often are kept as indoor pets, aren’t licensed as often as canines. And because many owners opt to license their pets for life, the city’s numbers are squishy.
So Ginger, a dachshund mix licensed for life in 1982 still shows up in city records, even though her owner said she died in 1989.
A close look at pet licensing in Everett demonstrates that not every neighborhood has the same tastes when it comes to friends with four feet.
The Riverside Neighborhood in Northeast Everett has the most dogs licensed, at 1,380. Port Gardner is the most cat-friendly neighborhood, with 500 registered felines.
Valley View, one of the smallest neighborhoods, also has the least number of pets — 69 cats and 169 dogs.
The most popular breeds in the city are Labrador retrievers and lab mixes.
In Riverside, a neighborhood that celebrates its blue-collar roots, people are partial to pit bulls and rottweilers.
Port Gardner, a neighborhood with fewer dogs than Riverside, seems to like lap dogs. It has a hefty share of the city’s Pomeranians, Chihuahuas and Shih Tzus.
Though many owners — thousands, even — don’t list their pet’s name when they obtain a license, Everett has seen at least 62 dogs named Buster, 33 named Scooter and 16 cats named Fluffy.
With pets, as with people, there are wrenchingly sad stories. As any of the dozens of shelters and rescue organizations in the area will testify, there is neglect, abuse and homelessness.
But there are also shining examples of pet ownership, and plenty of evidence that for some cats and dogs, life in Everett is nothing more than a day at the spa or a walk in the park.
Reporter Jennifer Warnick: 425-339-3429 or jwarnick@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.