Thank you all Pound Dogs readers, sharers, adopters, rescuers, supporters for a hugely successful and lifesaving year. I can't quantify exactly how many dogs found homes directly through your efforts but certainly many of the hundreds of dogs which were rescued last year via Toronto Animal Services South (and hundreds more through all four locations of Toronto Animal Services city wide) benefited. And there is no doubt many, if not most, of those rescued dogs had shorter stays in the shelter than they would have had otherwise if not for your efforts in passing along their photos and info.
Thank you all for letting others know there are wonderful pound dogs out there waiting for someone to take them home.
Cheers and here's to a great 2013.
Monday, December 31, 2012
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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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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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2012
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December
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- Happy New Year 2013
- Phyloo - Collie mix
- Frazer - Black German Shepherd
- Falkor - Terrier mix
- Visiting Daisy and Rudy - Cocker Spaniels
- Merry Chicken Christmas
- Faith - Smooth Collie
- Daisy and Rudy - Bonded Cocker Spaniels
- Tulip - Labrador Retriever Pointer mix
- Flora - Shih Tzu
- A Conversation Between a Puppy Miller and a Dog Re...
- Zeus - German Shepherd Dog
- Update on Kila
- Whiskey - Labrador Retriever mix
- Mr. P - Jack Russell Terrier
- Lilly - Miniature Schnauzer Pug mix
- Zack - Red Labrador Retriever mix puppy
- Princess - Shih Tzu
- Ontario Puppy Millers Charged
- Frankie - German Shepherd mix
- Kila - Boxer American Bulldog cross
- Brunswick - Yellow Labrador Retriever
- Twiggy
- Nixon - Doberman Pinscher mix
- Foxy - Sheltie
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December
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My other blogs
Animal rescue blogs
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What's That?5 years ago
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Late Night Musings: Clearing the Shelters5 years ago
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Simon Loves the Snow!7 years ago
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Happy New Year Fred!
Where's rocky?
Happy new year Fred! Love your photos....
May you and yours have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year, Fred.
Happy New Year Simone! Wishing that 2013 will be a very good year for you and for Fred. A year of good health, dreams answered and lots of dogs into happy safe new homes. Love the touch of silver at the ankle!
Thank you for your poignant, eloquent, amusing, and, often, heartbreaking work on behalf of these amazing animals. We found both of our dogs on your site, the pups formerly known as Frannie and Penny, and while we now own fewer socks and have had to replace some leather goods, our lives have been enriched immeasurably. So, our family thanks you prfoundly and wish you the very best in 2013.
Having just rung in the New Year with our newest four legged member and avid muncher of serpentines: Happy New Year to you too and thank you for all that you do. Here is to a wonderful 2013 and countless more animals finding wonderful homes.
Simone, I hope 2013 is the year you realise someone LOVES you, and gain the confidence you need to be the world's happiest dog.
Happy New Year, Fred!
To a time when pound dogs are are a rarity, and all dogs have good homes.
All the best in 2013!
I'd like to thank you for what you do as well. I've been a shelter pet owner/advocate since I was a kid, but your blog and photos are what finally got me to to get off my lazy butt and volunteer as a dog walker at my local shelter this year.
So you've made a difference not just for Toronto dogs, but for some wonderful dogs down in Southern California as well. Thanks.