Doggie vending machine comes to White Rock Lake Dog Park

by BY MARC LEE

DALLAS — White Rock Lake Dog Park has to be the top dog park in Dallas, with areas for big and small dogs, access to the lake, and a large population of supportive and savvy dog owners.

And now, a doggie vending machine, too.

What is the world coming to when even dogs get their own vending machines?

You can't miss it: It's the bright red machine built inside a faux dog-house, parked next to the message board at the entrance of the park. Here's where to get your chew toys, balls, pick-up bags, leashes, collars -- all the things dogs carelessly forget when dashing off to the park. Prices are good, running from $1 to $5, with 10 percent of the proceeds going to the park.

Called Hey Buddy!, it was installed last week and is the brainchild of Carlotta Lennox, a fashion model and inventor who dreamed up the machine after one night too many of having to go out to the store for dog food.

"We've had a prototype machine at the downtown Bark Park since 2005," she says. "But the one at White Rock is the first of the official line."

Over the summer, she and her Plano-based start-up will install 10 more machines at parks such as Fort Woof and Grand Prairie's Paw Pals, as well as at apartment buildings like Dallas Power & Light.

The only thing the vending machine seems to lack is the line of apparel by frequent Pegasus News commenter (and blogger Twisted Dog -- who happens to be my dog): T-shirts, ball-caps, mugs, and bumper stickers with the "Twisted Dog's Army" logo.

This story was submitted by a member of the Pegasus News community.