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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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Frankie has the good life!
Hi, my name is Vince and I am so blessed to have come across this update. Frankie (a.k.a. Francis) used to belong to my wife and her father. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, my father-in-law was no longer able to properly care for Frankie (FYI, we used to call her Star). My wife and I lived in a very small place at the time and wouldn't be able to give her everything she needed and deserved. My wife and her father had her from when she was a little pup and she was everything to them and it killed them the day they made the difficult decision to bring her in to Toronto Animal Services. My father-in-law was in so much pain that he brought her in and claimed to have found her but the truth is he never wanted to let her go. We saw on their site that they named her Francis and now it is Frankie. For so long we wondered how she was doing and if she was in good hands. By reading your post I can tell that she is very happy thanks to you. It would be amazing to see her again but if that is not possible please know that we love her so much and we are happy that you love her and are taking great care of her. Please give her a kiss from all of us! P.S. She looks so comfortable with Basko...I never thought I'd see the day where she would be so friendly and comfortable with another dog!
Thanks, Vince, for the history on Frankie. Good to know.
You're welcome Fred. She looks happy. Please continue to love her and take good care of her for us.
I'm not Francis' new owner but I will pass on her story to them.
Hi Vince, the is Helen, my husband and I adopted Frankie 3 years a go. I'm so sorry I didn't see your comment until now. My daughter stumbled upon it. Frankie is so loved by us. She has even grown to love her doggy friends. I'd love to ask you a couple of questions if you don't mind. We'd love to know her age! We are thinking she is roughly 11 or 12. Any ways if you'd be open to chat perhaps we could share emails?
Hi this is Vince. I would be glad to chat via email
Wonderful........my email address is helenlucyhillATyahooDOTcom....Helen