On Wednesday, the Park Hyatt Washington will go to the dogs.
From 6 to 8 p.m., the hotel a couple of blocks north of Washington Circle hosts its final monthly Paws at the Park of the season. The hotel invites local canines and their owners to enjoy some treats for the four-legged guests, drinks for the two-legged variety, and plenty of socializing for all.
The event is also a fundraiser for the Washington Animal Rescue League.
“This is a dog-friendly hotel,” Park Hyatt Washington General Manager Walter Brindell said. “So we fully support the mission of taking care of and the adoption of needy animals. It’s the right thing to do and it fits the hotel. It’s kind of who we are.”
Last month, the outdoor seating area in front of the Park Hyatt welcomed fidos big and small, tails wagging and noses sniffing, with their owners in tow. The dogs enjoyed treats from Doggie Style bakery, and the humans indulged in beer and wine. The doggie treats came on the house, and for $12, the human customers received two drink tickets. A portion of the proceeds benefited WARL, and will again at Wednesday’s event.
Paws at the Park ran monthly through the summer, and will resume in 2011.
Renee Sharrow, marketing and communications manager for the Park Hyatt Washington, added that the hotel’s location on 24th Street Northwest between M and N streets was in the heart of a dog-friendly neighborhood.
“It’s very residential here,” she said. “It makes it easy for people coming home from work, going to Trader Joe’s, walking their dogs, to stop by.”
October’s Paws at the Park has a special Halloween theme. Dogs and their owners can participate in the event’s costume contest, with prizes awarded in a number of categories.
Renee Smith, the events manager for WARL, said Paws at the Park allows people to learn more about the WARL. The organization had three dogs available for adoption at the September event.
“This is a great venue for us,” she said. “Because it reaches an entirely different group of people who don’t necessarily know about the league, but who are obviously dog lovers.”
With drinks for the humans, money raised for WARL, and treats and socializing for the dogs, it’s hard to tell who has the best time.
“I think the dogs have a lot of fun,” Smith said. “I think the dogs win out.”
