More On DC! -- Updated September 17th

Canine Cancer Caucus -- Friday, September 18, 2009 -- Washington, DC.

Latest news will appear here at the top of this blog.

[September 17th, 2009]: This is just a quick confirmation of where and when from Ginger, who has been in touch with the DC Parks folks ...

Location: Lady Bird Johnson Park at the LBJ Grove. The Columbia Island Marina is located next to the park. The address is 1 George Washington Memorial Parkway.

The only access to the Park by going SOUTH on George Washington Memorial Parkway.

When: We will begin gathering at 10am and the walk will start at 11am.

Distance: Approximately 2.5 miles from LBJ Park to the Old Folk Life Festival Site (Constitution & 15th).

Parking: Limited Parking is available at Lady Bird Johnson park. However, I would encourage anyone not bringing a dog to take the Metro.

Metro: The Smithsonian Metro stop is the closest to the park. If you are not bringing a dog with you and can find parking at the Old Folk Life Festival Site (where we will end up) you can take either the Smithsonian or Federal Triangle Metro to the Pentagon.

Please bring water for yourself and your dog.
Please remember to “scoop to poop” if you are bringing a dog with you.

[September 15th, 2009]: After meeting with the DC Parks Department it has been determined that we should start the walk at the The LBJ Memorial Grove which is in the same area as the Columbia Island Marina at 1 George Washington Memorial Parkway. This area can only be accessed by going SOUTH on George Washington Memorial Parkway. Once participants turn in to the parking area for the Marina they should turn right in the parking lot and will see us.

We suggest that anyone driving first Google the marina’s address, which is 1 George Washington Memorial Parkway, or enter it in to their GPS for the exact location and directions.

If people are going to take the Metro they should take the Blue Line and get off at the Pentagon stop. There is a pathway through the parking lot at the Pentagon to the LBJ Memorial Grove.

The walk distance is now approximately 2.5 miles. Anyone who does not think they can walk the distance to the Old Folk Life Festival Site at Constitution and 15th and then back to where they parked should just meet us at the Old Folk Life Festival Site. There is a huge blue concessions tent at the Old Folk Life Festival Site. We will be set up behind the tent.

Featured Speakers: Two of our featured speakers are listed below.

Dr. Ashley Hughes, DVM -- Dr. Hughes enjoys all of veterinary medicine but has a special interest in Surgery, Emergency/Critical Care and Shelter Medicine. She is also the author of the Friendship Tails, a blog that provides an insider's view of life at Friendship Hospital for Animals, and lots of great pet health information. She graduated from the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine. She surrounds herself with loving animal companions that include four dogs and three cats: Westin, Tia (a Brittany Spaniel), Sparkle (a Rat Terrier), Lilly (a Chihuahua mix) and Furla, Vegas, and Breaker - all Domestic Short-haired cats.

Chand Khanna, DVM, Ph.D. -- Dr. Khanna's training in cancer research includes a PhD in Pathobiology from the University of Minnesota, where he studied the immunotherapy of metastatic cancers, and a Senior Staff Fellowship with the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Khanna is currently the Head of the Tumor and Metastasis Biology Section of the Pediatric Oncology Branch at the National Cancer Institute. His primary area of research interest is the biology and treatment of cancer metastasis. Dr. Khanna has been able to couple his training in veterinary oncology with his interests in cancer research through the development and leadership of the Comparative Oncology Program, within the National Cancer Institutes Center for Cancer Research. This program aims to improve outcomes for cancer patients through the integration of pet animals with cancer into the study of cancer biology and treatment. Dr. Khanna is the Chair of the Biology Subcommittee of the Children's Oncology Group, a founding member of the Canine Comparative Oncology and Genomics Consortium, and President elect of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine - Oncology.

Must-See Video on The Walk on DC – Luke has put together an excellent video promo (you can view it here on the blog or on YouTube) and we encourage you to send the link far and wide. You can find it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rGd-79UhuM Please send it to your dog clubs, vets, rescue groups, friends, family, colleagues – anyone who has companion pets. Remember, it says Canine Caucus but this walk on DC is about cancer in all companion animals. The more people aware and involved, the better our chances of making a positive impact on legislators. Many Congress people have pets but few understand the issues of cancer in animals, much less the importance of comparative oncological studies. Please help spread the word.

Meet-up time. It will take time for people and their dogs to congregate, so we're meeting at 10AM EDT and will begin the walk at 11AM. This will give us plenty of time to walk, visit, network, and then listen to speakers.

Where does the walk actually go? The walk will begin at 11 AM EDT and begin at the The LBJ Memorial Grove which is in the same area as the Columbia Island Marina at 1 George Washington Memorial Parkway. This area can only be accessed by going SOUTH on George Washington Memorial Parkway. Once participants turn in to the parking area for the Marina they should turn right in the parking lot and will see us.

We suggest that anyone driving Google the marina’s address, which is 1 George Washington Memorial Parkway, or enter it in to their GPS for the exact location and directions.

If people are going to take the Metro they should take the Blue Line and get off at the Pentagon stop. There is a pathway through the parking lot at the Pentagon to the LBJ Memorial Grove.

How long is the walk? The walking distance is now approximately 2.5 miles. Anyone who does not think they can walk the distance to the Old Folk Life Festival Site at Constitution and 15th and then back to where they parked should just meet us at the Old Folk Life Festival Site. There is a huge blue concessions tent at the Old Folk Life Festival Site. We will be set up behind the tent.

When deciding whether you or your dog are able to walk the distance please take into consideration that you may have to park some distance away from the beginning of the walk.

Are pets allowed at the Walk? Yes! Canine companions are welcome. But please note the following guidelines:

For their own safety, pets other than dogs are not allowed.
All dogs must have current rabies vaccinations. **
Dogs must wear an identification tag and be kept on a leash (6 feet or shorter) at all times. **
No retractable leashes.
Participating dogs must be friendly and of good temperament.
Puppies less than six months must have two rounds of the parvo-distemper vaccination.
The Walk is approximately 2 miles long. Walkers and their dogs should be in suitable physical condition.
Clean up after your dog. Please bring pet waste bags.
Do not leave pets in parked cars at any time.

** In addition to a standard identification tag (which should be labeled with your name, home address, and phone number), your pet's collar should include a travel tag with information on where you are staying while away from home. Should your pet become lost, this will allow you to be contacted locally. Also carry a photo of your pet.

** Health certifications are required for airline travel. Please note: If you are bringing a dog who is undergoing cancer treatment, or, upon the advice of your veterinarian is not receiving vaccinations, please consult your veterinarian, the airline, and/or the hotel for the necessary documentation you will need.

For more information on traveling with your dog, visit Petswelcome.com.

What should I bring to the Walk? We suggest that you bring:
Pet waste bags
Water for yourself and your dog.
Appropriate attire for the weather.

What about Parking? General parking is available along Ohio Dr. between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. Limited handicapped parking is available at the Lincoln and FDR Memorials. If you are not bringing a dog, or if you are bringing a small dog (20 lbs or less)*, we strongly encourage you to take the Metro as parking is very limited in DC. [*The Metro permits small animals to be carried free of charge, provided they are securely enclosed in a pet carrier sufficiently small enough (20 lbs. or less) to be carried without danger or offense to other passengers.] The Arlington Cemetery Metro Stop appears to be the closest stop to Lady Bird Johnson Park.

You will need to walk across the Arlington Memorial Bridge to Lady Bird Johnson Park if you park close to the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials.

Do you have Hotel Information? The Hotel Monaco in Washington DC is offering a discount to those attending the First Canine Cancer Caucus. In order to receive the discount you must mention 2 Dogs 2000 Miles when making your reservations. The Hotel Monaco allows dogs. The Hotel Monaco is located at 700 F St NW Washington, DC 20004 (202) 628-7177. To receive the discount, reservations need to be made by Sept. 4, 2009.

The Hotel George is somewhat near The Hotel Monaco and a little less expensive. It also allows dogs. It's located at 15 E Street NW, Washington DC 20001 (202) 347-4200.

When making reservations at any hotel, please be sure to tell them you will be bringing your dog(s).

Also you can check out Pet Friendly Hotels in Alexandria by following this link.

General Information: Dogs are allowed at the National Mall, which consists of open space and green parks. Many of the memorials are located in and around the National Mall. Your dog can visit the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials with one caveat. According to the National Park Service, which maintains the memorials, well-behaved dogs are allowed on leash except in the covered chambers where the statues are located.

Registration: Because we cannot register people at the Lady Bird Johnson Park, but merely have you check in, we're asking you to register with us now if you're planning on attending The First Annual Canine Cancer Caucus. Register through DC@2dogs2000miles.org. Here are the things we would like to know:

1. Your name
2. Your dog's name
3. If you'll be bringing your dog(s) and how many
4. Your email address

Optional information:
Whether you have or have had a dog with cancer
What type of cancer the dog had/has and the age he/she was diagnosed.

We ask you to provide this information so we know who will be coming so we can plan ahead.

If you'd like a PDF or DOC file of the press release for your organizations, local newspapers, shelters, rescues, and vet clinics, please email Ginger at ginger@2dogs2000miles.org and she will be happy to send it to you. Please spread the word!

Luke has also designed and made available special shirts for people AND dogs through Café Press. We hope everyone attending (and even those who will only be able to attend in spirit) will wear one of these shirts to show solidarity and support. Besides, they're really cool:
Shirts for people
Shirts for dogs