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Donovan is on a mission to track down whatever scents cross his nose - which means he pulls. And he's strong. Maybe in his past life he was a tractor trailer. He's very happy, though, and attentive to food so with a modicum of training, someone's going to get a beautiful dog with a lot of positive energy.






The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.



Rupert trots along on his big feet and squats for a pee on the grass just outside the door. He's still a youngster and hasn't learned to lift his leg yet. We go another few steps when a bus passes by and Rupert looks uncertain then sits. A truck goes by in the other direction and now Rupert looks at me with his big brown eyes and I know he's not going to take another step further. I take some photos then we head back to the entrance and Rupert is pulling to get back inside, although when he sees another dog, his curiousity gets the better of him and he stops to check out the other one. Inside, I let go of the leash and Rupert runs from one staffer to another, greeting each with happy paws and puppy slobber.





The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.



I was sent a recent photo of Foxy, now Maya, and wanted to share. Just check out how good she looks now versus when she first came into Toronto Animal Services.

Before:


Now:



I remember too how I just couldn't get her to into the camera because she was just so shy and uncertain. Now her beautiful brown eyes look right at you.



Can't imagine why someone would dump Mulroney in a stranger's backyard, him being such a sweet dog. He might already be more than two years old but he's still got the personality of a pup. Oh look, a stick. Must make friends with it now. Oh look, a person. Must be best pal immediately. Only thing he didn't like, in fact veered away from and eyed suspiciously, was some Toronto Maple Leafs trailer parked by the shelter. Read into that what you want.





The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.





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A request

The reason for this blog is to help get specific dogs adopted from TAS but equally important is to try to normalize the idea of shelter dogs being just as good and just as desirable as any other dogs including those which are regularly merchandised by backyard breeders, puppy millers and those few remaining pet store owners who still feel a need to sell live animals. The single greatest stigma shelter animals still face is the belief that shelter animals are substandard animals. Anyone who has had enough experience with shelter animals knows this is untrue but the general public hasn't had the same experiences you've had. They see a nice dog photo in a glossy magazine and too many of them would never think of associating that dog with a dog from a shelter. After all, no one abandons perfectly good dogs, right? Unfortunately, as we all know, perfectly good dogs are abandoned all the time.

The public still too often associates shelter dogs with images of beat up, sick, dirty, severely traumatized animals and while we definitely sometimes see victims such as these, they are certainly not the majority and, regardless, even the most abused animals can very often be saved and made whole again.

Pound Dogs sometimes discusses the sad histories some of the dogs have suffered. For the most part, though, it tries to present the dogs not as victims but as great potential family members. The goal is to raise the profiles of animals in adoption centers so that a potential pet owner sees them as the best choice, not just as the charity choice.

So, here's the favour I'm asking. Whenever you see a dog picture on these pages you think is decent enough, I'd like you to consider sharing it on Facebook or any other social media sites you're using (I know many of you do this already and thank you for that). And when you share it, please mention that the dog in the photo is a shelter dog like so many other shelter dogs waiting for a home. If we can get even five percent of the pet buying public to see shelter dogs differently, to see how beautiful they are and how wonderful they are, and to consider shelter dogs as their first choice for a new family member, we can end the suffering of homeless pets in this country.
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