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Here is Chico out in the big world wondering what will happen to him next. Just another homeless little dog and of what consequence are homeless little dogs? Of much consequence to the family that takes him home and finds love in him.





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.



She's a curious one, this little squirmy black furball. She picks up stir sticks, pamphlets, coffee cups, all the leftover trash from the CNE scattered on the grounds. I barely pull one item out of her mouth before she makes a grab for another, a plastic bag blowing by, a napkin. At one point, she gets some gooey plastic, stringy glob into her mouth. I reach in, try to fish it all out but that means getting my fingers between her teeth. Puppy teeth. Forgot how sharp they can be. It's like trying to untangle thread from a bed of nails. I pull the goop out. I pull my fingers out, expecting drops of blood. Nope, I'm fine.

I pick up a large-ish stick, present it to her. She takes it and for the rest of the walk she holds it proudly on display and ignores the rest of the detritus lying around.

If you want her, better come get her quick.





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.



(Jeffrey has been moved to TAS North).

Jeffrey really got quite the shave because of all the matting he came in with. His full coat is one of those luxurious manes people, well dog people anyway, will want to run their hands through. And since Jeffrey is all about the pets, I'm sure he won't mind.

Jeffrey really loves being around people, so much so that when he's not around people, he gets anxious and barks. That means he can't go to a condo unit or any other place where neighbours might get disturbed. Jeffrey will make for a wonderfully affectionate companion for someone who lives in a home where he will eventually feel secure enough to stop worrying about being abandoned again.





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 8723 for the Toronto Animal Services North shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.



When you pet Cleo's head, it feels like you're petting a furry bowling ball. Cleo's as sweet as sweet can be with people and other dogs and it's a wonder she's still at the pound except she's a bit shy at first but what's wrong with a little shy? I'd love to see what her personality will be like when she blossoms.





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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