Bad news for pets and their beloved owners: New York's Division of Cemeteries has instructed animal cemeteries to stop burying the ashes of pet owners alongside deceased Lassies and Patches. And as you can imagine, owners who have been affected are none too pleased about it: "Suddenly I'm not at peace anymore. You want to be with the people you are closest with, your true loved ones. The only loved ones I have in my life right now are my pets, which I consider my children." Bronx resident Rhona Levy told NBC. more ›

The iconic Hotel Chelsea has gone through a lot of changes in the past few years—with control being taken away from Stanley Bard, and long time residents worried about what would become of their home. Well, now the hotel is up for sale, according to the Wall Street Journal, which reports that "the Chelsea's 15 shareholders, led by three Hungarian families who bought the 12-story red-brick building in 1946, are selling the property after concluding that the task of modernizing the hotel and apartment building was too challenging." more ›

Yesterday, angry dog owners living in an apartment building across from Lincoln Center took up verbal arms against their condo board's attempts at installing "Draconian rules," such as banning certain breeds and forcing dogs to use service elevators. Today, the embattled pet lovers stand victorious as the condo board scrapped the strict rules. But even among the conquering owners, there is debate as to whose victory this really belongs to: "It's a victory for dog lovers," said Nick Santino, who previously called the board "an autocratic, dictatorial-like decision process." Not so fast, said Coleen Weiss, the owner of a black Lab puppy named Bongo: "It's a great day for doggies!" more ›

An apartment building on the Upper West Side has turned into a battleground between dog lovers and haters over a set of new restrictive rules, the likes of which haven't been seen since the Reign of Terror. Dog owners at One Lincoln Center, a 43-story condo tower across from Lincoln Center, are appalled at their condo board's attempts to ban certain breeds, and fine them $250 for breaking any of their rules. "There's a rush to impose these Draconian rules. They haven't been thought out. This is a form of prejudice. These people do not like dogs," said resident and dog owner Kevan Cleary. more ›

A federal judge has stepped in to block a regulation requiring all new taxis in NYC to meet a minimum fuel-efficient standard of 30 miles per gallon, Reuters reports. Taxi fleet owners had filed a lawsuit last month to stop the mandate, calling it costly and potentially unsafe, and today U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty granted a preliminary injunction, ruling that the owners had "demonstrated a likelihood of success." The hybrid taxi initiative is a major part of Bloomberg's plan to reduce the city's carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2030. In a statement, the mayor unloaded on Crotty: "The decision is not a ruling against hybrids cabs, rather a ruling that archaic Washington regulations are applicable and therefore New York City, and all other cities, are prevented from choosing to create cleaner air and a healthier place to live." more ›

Taxi fleet owners filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday to stop a fuel-efficiency mandate from going into effect October 1st, the date when all new taxis will need to be hybrid vehicles. Fleet owners' lawyers argue that only the federal government can set rules on fuel efficiency and vehicle emissions. Plus they contend that hybrid cars like the Ford Escape cannot be safely adapted into taxis because they're smaller with limited legroom for passengers, making them more vulnerable in crashes because of their proximity to the partitions. Michael Woloz, a spokesman for the group, tells the Post, "This is a tragedy in the making." Another lawyer for the group declares, "Those partitions are deathtraps." Also, they're expensive to install! more ›

Orthodox Jewish fitness buffs are outraged that the Kosher Gym in Flatbush, Brooklyn was sold earlier this month to non-Jewish owners who plan to open the gym on Shabbos and make other non-Kosher changes to the facilities. According to the Jewish Press, gym members recently received a letter announcing the sale, for $2 million, to a "national fitness group that focuses on gender specific clubs." more ›