Pricey Doggie Daycare Not Going Over Well in SF

The latest example of San Francisco's insane cost of living: A fancy dog daycare offering a $1,500 monthly membership option (and that's after paying a $7,500 initiation fee). For that price, members of Doggy Style, opening next month in the city's Noe Valley neighborhood, get much more than just unlimited daycare for their pups (and one doggy guest per visit). Other perks include a private birthday party for your dog (including up to 12 canine guests and their human companions), a hand-painted mural of your dog featured on the business's "Wall of Fame," one grooming service per month, and concierge pick-up and drop-off service. Also included are perks for the owners, including members-only events and access to a "members lounge" featuring free coffee and WiFi. Needless to say, there has been some grumbling about the daycare, though it does offer lower-priced memberships as well.

The Guardian points to tweets calling it "over the top terrible" and complaining that the city has become "a parody of itself." But the owners of the members-only facility told SFGate last month that there were more than 250 names on their waiting list. And it's far from the only such business in the city; similar dog daycares in San Francisco offer unlimited playtime for dogs for prices ranging from $600 to $1,600 per month, and perks include webcams so owners can always check in on their pets, daily photos and report cards, group walks around the neighborhood, and waterfalls and ponds for dogs to drink from. Still, hyperlocal blog Noe Valley SF complained Doggy Style is "bringing ridicule" to the neighborhood. Co-founder Cameron Silva's response? "You’re always going to have your haters. We just freaking love our dogs. So why not?" (ZIP code 94301 has a No. 1 distinction.)