September Adoptions!

I present to thee...the September Six! These six pets all found homes this month and we couldn't be happier for them.

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Some Facts about the September Six

• Bella came to TAGS as a stray back in January. Despite being from the streets, Bella lived up to her name and recently earned the title of Best Looking TAGS Dog.
• Alara was recently crowned Prom Queen during the TAGS awards, and rightly so! This feline gets along with her feline and canine subjects, but she always makes sure they know who is the boss! Alara is a very chatty cat who loves attention - but on her terms, of course.
• Weston came to TAGS from a local pound where he was only known as a number. However, he did not allow his time there to affect his fantastic spirit: Weston's former foster family used to call him "50 pounds of love," and everyone who meets him knows why!
• Gunnar is one of those mysterious unlucky-turned-lucky cases. For some reason, despite being well-behaved and adorable, Gunnar couldn't find a home when he lived in the United States and was having a bad time of it in the shelter there. Yet, when he came up to Canada, he was adopted in no time! Perhaps he just wanted to be Canadian.
• George is an energetic Cocker Spaniel who had to find a new home when his owner couldn't care for him anymore. Not surprisingly, this cute fellow was not up for adoption long before someone scooped him up!
• Suzy Q has already had a lifetime of misadventures and we are so happy that she can finally settle down and enjoy being a dog! As a puppy, her owner passed away, leaving Suzy Q a stray. Then, she got pregnant, went to a pound, and had a litter of 5 puppies! By the time all of that was said and done, Suzy Q had become a worrisome dog and carried that nervousness with her wherever she went. Thanks to her dedicated and patient foster parents, she improved enough to find a home, one where she can continue to build her trust towards humans. (If you'd like to read more about Suzy's story, click here.)

August Adoptions!

Congratulations to all nine dogs who were adopted last month!

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Some Facts About the August "Adoptees"

• Chewie was named through a contest on our Facebook page. He got his name because the contributor thought he resembled Chewbacca!
• Shorty and Ruby are brother and sister! As seniors who came as a pair, it was difficult to find them a home, but they won the hearts of their foster family and have now become a permanent fixture.
• Spike has been with TAGS since last September and his high level of energy was a lot to take for the first few families who came to meet him. Luckily, the right match came along!
• Jill is a social butterfly and is happiest sitting at someone's feet chewing on a bone.
• Rya is a beautiful Beagleman (Beagle/Doberman Pinscher mix) who is so great with children, all of the kids who lived in her foster home's neighbourhood used to flock to her whenever she went out for a walk.
• Becky is 15 years old and was found as a stray. Her front teeth have been worn away, but that doesn't stop her from loving treats of all kinds! She always finds a way to eat them even if it takes her awhile.
• Molly was adopted by her foster mom in record time because of an immediate bond that was formed between them. They were caught snuggling under a blanket on Molly's first night!
• Johnny M went on an adventure and was lost temporarily during his extended visit. After he returned (on his own!) his new family knew they couldn't bear to see him go again and signed the adoption papers as soon as they could.

TAGS Awards: Part 1

Unbeknownst to the volunteers at TAGS, the adoptable pets had a party recently where they passed out yearbook-style awards to each other!

While I’m not 100 per cent sure why they would do this, I suspect it’s because every dog who is adopted through TAGS participates in a behaviour training class, and graduation day is very exciting for everyone involved. Perhaps the adoptable pets feel a bit left out and decided to throw themselves a party. Now that I know I wasn’t invited, I too feel a bit left out, but I digress… Luckily, I discovered their master list of winners and thought it would be fun to share with you! 

Below are the "Title" awards from that night. Be sure to check the blog again next Friday to find out who won for Best Bark, Best Coat, and more! 

Presenting...the TAGS Prom King & Queen! 

And the awards for Class Clown, Teacher's Pet, and Most Improved go to....

Click here for more about the
Puppy Room at Durham College and UOIT.

For more of Josie's story, read our post about Puppy Mill Dogs.

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To find out more about one of these fantastic adoptable pets, click on their picture above! Or, if you already know you're ready to adopt, visit our website to submit an adoption application.   

Wordless Wednesday: The Waiting Game

Gunnar at PetSmart, patiently waiting for a new family. 

This is a blog hop. Check out the other participating blogs by clicking on the image below.

May Adoptions!

Any month in which there have been adoptions is a great month, but May 2013 was especially exciting for the volunteers at TAGS.

At the end of April, we were thrilled that a few of our senior dogs had been adopted since it is generally more difficult to find homes for them. Similarly, in May, TAGS found homes for Molly and Reimer, who, despite the fact that they are adorable, are also part of a marginalized group.

Also adopted this month was Boomer, who had been waiting for his fur-ever home for some time. However, Boomer's story just goes to show that patience is a virtue. The perfect family came along, and we couldn't be happier for Boomer and his new family. 

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Oakley is a purebred Siberian husky who is almost two years old. This energetic guy came to TAGS when his family couldn't take care of him anymore, and he's happy to have found a home where he will have lots of opportunity to play and just be a dog!

Molly is a 10-month-old female black Lab mix. Molly loves to play with just about anyone who wants to play with her, no matter what their species may be! Molly is very affectionate, friendly and sociable, so it comes as no surprise that she has found a home.

Reimer is a one-year-old black Lab and blue heeler mix, which basically makes him look like a mini-Lab. Reimer came to TAGS from a high-kill pound in Tennessee and has been thoroughly enjoying his time in Canada so far. This guy's tail never stops wagging, and he loves to greet every dog and human he lays eyes on with a sniff and a smile.

Boomer is a greyhound mix who is almost four years old. Boomer is considered to be a compassionate alpha who loves to exercise, especially if said exercise involves chasing a ball. Not much is known about Boomer's life before he joined the TAGS family, but he used to be very cautious of newcomers. With help from dedicated volunteers and Brooklin Pet Care, who fostered him, he has become the dog everyone knew he could be.

Congratulations, everyone! 

Featured Adoptable Dog: Chaco

Chaco is a sweet giant with lots of love to give. He's been waiting for a forever home for nearly three years. He was found as a stray in Kentucky and was then placed in a pound. He was on death row when TAGS heard about him and rescued him. He knows that Canada will be the place where he will finally find a family who loves him unconditionally. 

Chaco's Hobbies

Chaco is the kind of dog who is quiet in the house when nothing is happening but will get super-excited if he detects that there is something going on. He likes to play with stuffed animals, squeaky toys and balls.

I want to play!

Tricks

Chaco knows how to "sit" and "stay."

Walks

An enthusiastic boy, Chaco tends to pull when on a walk, but his foster mom is working on his training him with a Gentle Leader. 

Friends

It's sunny!

Chaco is picky when it comes to choosing his buddies. He doesn't like busy, crowded dog parks, and he can be dominant with dogs that he doesn't yet know. But he does get along well with his foster siblings, Josie and Diesel.

His foster mom recommends for him a home with no other dogs, cats or small kids (ages 14+ would be preferable). As a high-energy dog, Chaco would be happiest as part of an active family. Please give Chaco a chance! He's got many wonderful qualities, but he often gets overlooked because of his fur colour (read more about black dog syndrome here) or his size.

If you think Chaco may be the dog for you, don't hesitate to fill out an adoption application form so you can meet him! More details about him can be found on our website.