Paws & Claws

by Sheila D’Amico

Whippets and corgis and pugs, oh my. A dog jumps through hoops. A canine strikes a pose with her human companion, hoping to gain audience approval in the human-pet look-alike contest. An inquisitive rescued terrier mix ignores the hoopla and engages its human in a game of “in and out and under and wrap around a small saw horse and tangle the leash.” Dogs and humans, and even Tortuga, a turtle fresh from Dimond Park’s Earth Day, occupy the parking lot — turned into a sunny plaza for the day — and the adjacent store. No, it’s not Kansas. It’s not even Oz. But Toto would certainly approve. It’s the grand reopening of Paws & Claws in its new location at 3436 Dimond Ave. Owners Ruth Villaseñor and Diane Pfile opened the original store around the corner on MacArthur in 2004. Seven years later, in a down economy when many businesses are slow and some are struggling to stay open, Diane and Ruth are expanding. How did that happen? Ruth would say it’s about doing good business, but it’s also about building community, building relationships. That’s what Ruth and Diane do. “This is where we live, this is our community.” Ruth said. Diane says when they originally started looking to open a business in their own community, they saw the need for a pet store. At the time, their own dog, Angel, had cancer and they had been researching healthy foods. That helped them flesh out the idea. “Animals bridge communities,” Ruth says. “But,” Diane adds, they decided “not to sell pets” because there were so many animals in shelters. The owners are perfect examples of those who walk their talk. They are members of the Dimond Improvement Association. They belong to the Dimond Business and Professional Association, which Ruth is quick to point out is the oldest merchant association in the city. Ruth has also been a member of the Board of Peralta Hacienda, an organizer of the Dimond Holiday parties, the Dimond picnic, and the Peace vigils, creator of the Dimond directory on Fruitvale alongside Farmer Joe’s parking lot, fundraiser for Haiti and other causes, and has been named a local hero. “When the community prospers,” she says, “we are going to prosper.” Meanwhile, as they watched their compatriots sample doggie treats or sniff out the spacious new digs, Oscar, the pug, and Malcolm and Jane’s corgi-shiba inu, Sweetie the Wonder Dog, were enjoying the day. Samara’s Tibetan terrier mix, Howard, watched the doings. Angela’s cattle dog Bo, emerged from the doggie-grooming rooms sporting newly clipped nails. Definitely a D[og]-list celebrity, and no doubt the only dog there with a calling card of his own, Great Pyrenees golden retriever, Jack, mascot of Heinhold’s First & Last Chance Saloon, the only dog member of both the National Lighthouse Society and Oakland’s Lightship “Relief,” watched the proceedings with his boon companion, Lisa. And, if they could, the dogs, even one who looked an awful lot like Toto, would join their humans in extending wishes to Paws & Claws for its own and the community’s prosperity. Oh, and another one of those days without any cats. [Ed. note. Notwithstanding canine wishes, Paws & Claws welcomes cats, and stocks products for cats and other animals including rats, rabbits, pet and wild birds. Find out more on their Facebook page or www.pawsnclawsoakland.com or 336-0195.]