Sign Up For Our Pet First Aid Course!

You cannot predict when an accident will happen to your pet, but you can most certainly be prepared for it- especially as the cold weather and the holidays are approaching since the number of injuries usually increases at this time of the year. Remember these useful tips when you find yourself in this situation:

Roxy is available for adoption.

1. Don’t panic. Staying calm and acting quickly are key. If you manage to make decisions fast, you could get ahead of the problem, preventing it from becoming more serious. 
2. Console your dog. Talk to him or her using a calm and relaxed tone in your voice. Your animal is just as much in shock as you are, so it’s your job to make sure he or she is in a resting position. 
3. Move your dog carefully. If necessary, always move your injured dog as smoothly as possible, especially when you are about to transport it. Make sure to support his or her head in the case of head injuries or trauma. 
4. Stop the bleeding. Stop bleeding by putting pressure on the wound with your finger or a bandage. 
5. Remove everything that’s blocking the airway. Clean your dog’s mouth of excess saliva, vomit or blood to make space for the air-flow. Apply CPR if necessary. 

Enroll now in our Pet First Aid Course to find out more details and to gain practical experience that could save your pet’s life one day! Taught by Dr. Tanya Varley, a certified veterinarian the course runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Coffee breaks and a free lunch are included. 

Don’t forget to bring your pet!
Location: Quality Suites, Bloor and Grandview, Oshawa.
Date: Sunday, November 24
Cost: $99

E-mail us here or call us (905-263-8247) to register!

(This post was written by Audrey)

Paws and Hearts Jamboree - It Was a Fun Day!

A Beautiful Day to Be Outside With the Dogs

I'm so happy that the weather was good. With a bad weather, everything looks different no matter how hard you were working on everything. And we were working hard on this alright! Our Event Planning Committee (along with GPAWS) met for two hours every week for four weeks to make sure that you and your dog had a great time. And it seems like you did!

We had one of the best local bands play music for us all day - Sean & Dave's Duo, Hard Tymes, Loud n' Clear and The Winter Vault.

Our Silent Auction was a great success, with lots of items and donations. Some people were able to get some really good deals! Our thank you goes out for the following people and companies who donated:

Inner Reflections Massage, Marie, Ladybug Massage, Cedarcove Wellness, Indulgences Gifts & Decor, Karen Koene, 99th Monkey, Aye Lighthouse, Dr duQuesnay, Valerie, Nicky MacDonald, Heather, Sandy, Andrea, Spinning Wheel Alpacas, Green Street, Nikki, Adrienn, Spruce Tree Unique Gifts & Home Decor, Hampton, Shari's Quest, Janet, Eldon Lighting, Christmas in the Village, Rolling Acres Restaurant, Blunt, Timeless Essentials.

Having such a huge dog park has its advantages - there were lots of people with lots of dogs. It was the perfect way to socialize! We got to meet many of our former TAGS dogs, too! Our selection of vendors were great, our visitors had a big variety of items to browse from. A big thank you for the following vendors for coming out and making this day more colourful: Scentsy Consultant, 5 Tails Boutique Dog Clothing, Norwex, Stewie's Cool Stuff, Tangles Pet Grooming, Apple Melon Designs, All Pawz, Multi Menu, Outside the Box, Parkadilly, Indulgences Gift & Decor, Marion's Dog Coats and Shari's Quest.

Everyone loved the doggie games, directed by our very own Sandra. We had racing, Simon says and hot dog eating from a water bowl. I would say that the dogs' favourite was the hot dog one!

A special thank you goes to Emma Joynson and her agility group, performing some cool jumps and sprints during the agility demonstration.

The food court was busy as you can expect from a busy jamboree! A big shout out goes to our food volunteers, especially for the cooks. Great job, everyone, thank you for helping us raise some much needed funds.

Check out this little video below of our food court, the TAGS booth and some of the vendors. Stay tuned for a longer video to come soon...

Thank you everyone who came and participated! See you next year on September 13, 2014!

Paws N' Hearts Jamboree!

TAGS (The Animal Guardian Society) and Guardians Promoting Animal Wellness  (GPAWS) are partners in hosting an outdoor fundraiser event next Saturday, September 14, 2013. 100% of the money raised from the event will go to animal rescue.

Location and how to get there:

Tickets: $7 in advance and $10 at the door. *Kids under 12 are free* Email your ticket request to tagsinfo@yahoo.ca.

Door Prizes: Drawn every hour 12:00-6:45

Food

Combo: hamburger or hotdog, chips, corn, pop = $5.

Individual foods: burger: $3, hot dog: $2, water or pop: $1, corn: $1, chips: $1, coffee: $1

Events:

• Demos!
• Vendor booths!
• Silent auction! 
• Doggy games!
• BBQ & corn roast! (Food, food, food!)
• Live music from Hard Tymes and other great bands!

Bring your family, friends, your dog(s)--everyone is invited !

*At the event there will be a fenced-in dog park. We ask that no dog is left unsupervised please.*

Vendor information: Be a vendor for this event for just $25 (two to three people per booth). Vendor does not need to be doggy/pet-related!

Short video about the Paws N' Hearts Jamboree:

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.   

The Paws n' Hearts Jamboree

Mark your calendar! Paws n' Hearts is only a month away! 

What is the Paws n' Hearts Jamboree?
It's an outdoor fundraiser hosted by TAGS in partnership with Guardians Promoting Animal Wellness (G.P.A.W.s). All of the money raised will be used to support animal rescue initiatives.

Who is invited?
Everyone!

How much does it cost to go?
Advance tickets are $7.00, and tickets at the door are $10.00.
* Kids under 12 are free

Can I bring my dog? 
Of course! This event is all about dogs, after all. The event site includes a fenced-in dog park, but we ask that every person supervise his or her own dog or arrange for someone else to do so. In other words, no dog should be in the park without supervision! 

Where is it and how do I get there?
Paws n' Hearts is being held at the TAGS dog park.

Click on the map to view a larger version. 

What can I do there?

• Listen to live entertainment from three different musical groups throughout the day, including Hard Tymes and The Winter Vault. Make sure you bring a lawn chair! 
• Watch demonstrations in between musical sets from G.P.A.W.s, TAGS, a local groomer, and more!
• Bid on items in the silent auction.
• Participate in the 50/50 draw and other contests running throughout the day.
• Play doggy games with your furry friend(s).
• Eat! (There will be burgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks for sale for $5.00).
• Browse vendor booths and purchase items (not all are dog-related, so there will be a big variety)! 

Dexter is excited for Paws n' Hearts!

I want to be involved! What can I do? 

• We will be accepting donations for silent auction items or door prizes until Monday, September 9. The more items you are able to contribute, the better! This way, we will be able to raise more funds to allow us to continue to do our rescue work. 
• Volunteer! We need people to help supervise the dog park, sell draw tickets, handle cash at the BBQ, and assist with setup and take down of booths. 
• Spread the word! Join our Facebook event and let everyone in your social circle know what you'll be up to on September 14. The more, the merrier! 

Can I be a vendor?
Yes! The cost to set up a vendor booth at Paws n' Hearts is $25, and there will be room for two or three people per booth. Remember, your business does not have to be dog-related.

What else do I need to know?

• It is likely that Paws n' Hearts will be a cash-only event. Please plan accordingly because there are no banks or ATMs near the TAGS dog park.
• For tickets and vendor information, contact Kathy (tagsinfo@yahoo.ca), Shari (sharis.quest@yahoo.ca) or Rick (rickrene@bell.net). 
• For other information, please ask in the comments! 

5 Reasons You Should Attend a Charity Yard Sale

Every year, TAGS organizes a yard sale.

What separates it from other yard sales is the fact that at ours, all your money goes to charity. When you purchase something, keep in mind that it's going to help sick dogs like Shyla, and it may even help fund our next trip to pick up a couple of puppy mill dogs. Everybody wins here—you get to find great treasures for a reasonable price, and our charity can add some much-needed funds to meet our tight budget. 

People cookies and dog cookies are always a bestseller!

5 Reasons You Should Come:

1. Every penny will help homeless dogs.
2. There's always a great selection of items—some gently loved and even some new.
3. You will meet other dog-loving people.
4. You can ask our volunteers questions about volunteering, fostering or adopting.
5. You get to enjoy some nice June weather (yes, TAGS guarantees that it won't rain by doing a special rain dance!).

Among this year's great finds are a big-dog cool-down jacket (XXL), two sets of cross-country skis, household items, furniture (such as this type of chair), doggie accessories, books and much more!

Date: June 8, 2013. 8 a.m - 1 p.m.
Location: 77 Allan Street, Port Perry, ON.

It's a relaxed, fun event every year.

A Weekend Family Program - Whitevale Spring Festival

Now that winter has finally given up trying to stay with us for the rest of the year, we must take advantage of the nice weather.

If you've been planning on getting out of the house and doing something with the family, plan no more—the upcoming Whitevale Festival in Pickering is a great opportunity for a lovely family day. Everybody will find activities to suit them. Past events have included a bake sale, book sale, beer tent, games, petting zoo, face painting and much more!

Watch this teaser promo of the upcoming festival.

The Animal Guardian Society will have a booth there, as well. We'll have a variety of doggy collars, dog toys, jackets, magnets and lots of other adorable knickknacks for sale. All proceeds go to helping our animals in need (such as Shyla's treatments).

Our volunteers will be more than happy to answer your questions about adopting, volunteering, fostering or donating. We hope to see you there!

Date: May 25, 2013 (10 a.m - 4 p.m.)
Location: Whitevale Village

You can RSVP on our Facebook page.

View Larger Map

Furry Friends 5K Charity Run for Pets

If you want to receive a special race kit, you have only two more days to register for the Furry Friends 5K.  

Early pickup of the kits will be available on Friday, May 31 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, June 1 from noon to 5 p.m. at Running Free, 26 Church St. S. Ajax (near corner of Hwy. 2 and Church). Please note that you will still need to pick up your timing chip at the event.

If you want to wait to register at the event, you can, but an additional $5 will be charged.

Learn to Run With Your Dog

Now you can participate in "Learn to run with your dog" sessions, in case you are running with your furry buddy. Please contact Running Free in Ajax. We need at least 5 individuals! 

Molly, a dog rescued by TAGS shares why she wants to participate:

 

Why I Signed Up for The Furry Friends 5K

I am a wannabe long-distance runner. I like running because of all the usual reasons: it's good exercise; it gives you an endorphin boost; you can do it anytime you want; it's free; you can go alone and reflect or go with a friend and make it social.... The list goes on. 

But honestly? I also really like it because it doesn't involve catching, throwing, volleying, kicking, dribbling or any of the other hand–eye coordination–related factors surrounding athletic activity that plagued me in gym class. With running, it’s okay if you lack coordination because as long as you get out there and put one foot in front of the other, you can still be considered athletic. You just might have more mud on your calves than others from kicking yourself.

The problem I have with running is finding motivation to actually go and do it.  However, last summer I discovered that if I registered for a running event in advance and set a goal, that was motivation enough to keep me running regularly as the date approached.

A friend and I signed up for a 5K race in May, and another one in October, with the idea that the May race would keep us motivated throughout the end of winter and into spring, and the October one would allow us to improve on the May results. It worked! I ran regularly from February until October, which I never would have done without knowing that race day was looming.

Now that spring is here again (apparently), I’m ready to sign up for more, and one race I am really excited about is the Furry Friends 5K on June 2 in Whitby. Not only is it in the Durham Region, which is great (I went to Toronto for both races last year, which meant more travel time and larger crowds), but dogs are invited too!

Yes, dogs! The Furry Friends 5K is a unique charity race for people and their furry friends. It’s also quite flexible: participants can run or walk, with or without a dog. Collecting pledges (online or in-person) from friends and family is encouraged, but it is not a requirement. The event is also stroller-friendly so non-furry babies can come, too!

The Furry Friends 5K, now in its third year, is organized by a group of animal lovers who find generous corporate and individual sponsors to cover as many expenses as possible so that any extra monies from registration fees can go directly to local animal shelters of their choosing. Additional fundraising efforts the day of and donations have also made this event a great success in the past.

This year, The Animal Guardian Society has been chosen as one of the animal rescues that will be receiving proceeds from the Furry Friends 5K, and our volunteer team could not be more excited to be a part of this event. Many of our adoptable TAGS dogs will also be there to enjoy a morning of exercise and fun.

Photos courtesy of the Furry Friends 5K Facebook Page

Come run with us! Visit the Furry Friends 5K website to register, donate, volunteer or become an official sponsor of the event. Curious about what a race with dogs looks like? Check out The Furry Friends 5K Facebook page and view pictures from last year's event! 

Boston Pizza Celebrity Server Event!

You are invited to attend the Boston Pizza Celebrity Server Event!

This Wednesday, March 13th, volunteers from TAGS will be pairing up with servers at Boston Pizza (Whitby North location) to serve you and your friends hot, delicious meals between 5:00 and 8:00p.m. 

We are so excited about this fundraising event because it allows us to meet more members of our community. Also, since part of the proceeds from the food sales are going to TAGS, the event will raise money for our rescue dogs, some of whom desperately need some help.

Photo by : Robert Duncan

Look at the picture above and slowly count to five. 

Still not convinced that you should spend your Wednesday night with us? Here are the top reasons why you should attend the Boston Pizza Celebrity Server Event: 

1. You get to eat pizza! (and other delicious menu items)
2. It's on hump day. Sharing a meal with friends or family is the perfect way to start the second half of your week.  
3. 10% of the food sales from the night will be donated directly to TAGS, which will help us pay for things like vet bills and dog food.
4. You will get to meet some wonderful volunteers from TAGS!
5. You...get...to...eat...pizza! 

RSVP on our event page and invite your friends. See you on Wednesday! 

TAGS Dogs at PetSmart Oshawa

We love to showcase our dogs around the community at various outreach events so that people can find out more about us and maybe even find a new family member.

You may already know that we can be found in the Whitby PetSmart every weekend, but did you also know that we've started setting up shop in the Oshawa location as well? Every Saturday from 12:00-4:00 p.m., we are there to share information about our adoptable dogs, the adoption process and volunteer opportunities.

Yesterday, Shelly, Sam and Jennifer were the volunteers on duty, and Balin and Rocky were there with tails wagging to meet and greet visitors.

Rocky and Shelly pose at the TAGS booth.

Rocky's eager to play. Balin watches from the background. 

Balin sits pretty, eagerly waiting for a treat. 

See you again next weekend!

Wordless Wednesday: TAGS visits UOIT/DC!

UOIT students hang out with Sheldon (formerly Redman)
 at Durham College & UOIT's Puppy Room January 21.

This is a blog hop—please click the link below to visit other participating blogs. 

Pub Night Fundraiser for the Dogs

TAGS had a really good year, both fundraising- and adoption-wise.

But this is a new year now, and we have prepared fresh ideas to save more dogs and cats from high-kill shelters or pounds.

Click on the image and like this event on Facebook!

During times like this, when people think twice about where to spend their money, it becomes especially hard to receive donations. That's why we are always trying to come up with new, creative ideas that will give people something in exchange for their generous donations.

On January 12, we are gathering together in the Portly Piper Pub in Ajax for a wonderful night that will include a fun 50/50 draw, live music and food. And the entry fee is only $10! Live entertainment will be provided by Loud'n'Clear.

You can buy tickets even at the door. The event starts at 8:00 p.m. Don't miss out on this great night!

View Larger Map

 
Don't forget to RSVP to this event on our Facebook page!

Santa Photography Day in PetSmart

Thank you all who came and helped out or supported our charity on this rainy winter day! 

Mr. and Mrs. Claus with June Bug. June Bug is up for adoption!

Despite the weather, the Whitby PetSmart store was extraordinarily busy. A lot of people came to have their pets' holiday photo taken with us. We ended up selling 63 pictures! TAGS received half of the proceeds, which can go toward rescuing more dogs in need.

Many people were interested in our program, too. Our helpful volunteers were there to answer any inquiries. Thanks to them, no one had to wait long for their pictures, because our helpers were handling the printing of the photos, as well.

It was a great opportunity for us to let people know about our charity and what we do. Very often, we find new additions to our volunteer team during these events or even a potential new home for our dogs!

Kadein was also there. He's up for adoption!

It was hard not to believe Santa Claus exists because our Santa and Mrs. Santa made the dogs' day magical with their enchanting presence. 

For more photos, visit our Facebook group or Facebook page. 

Were you there to have your pet's photo taken? Leave a comment about your experience!

TAGS Dogs in PetSmart

As you probably already know, TAGS showcases some of its dogs at the Whitby PetSmart every weekend (directions here). It's a good way to inform people about our charity and to introduce our adoptable dogs.

We have our own booth set up each time, where people can learn about our adoption process, upcoming events or even browse through our binder of dogs.

If you are available on a Saturday or a Sunday, visit us and our dogs in the store! Our usual hours are from 12 until 4 in the afternoon on both days. Please note that TAGS will suspend its activities and services during the holidays, specifically between December 20 and January 3.

This Saturday we had Jake, Diesel and Clover with us in the store. All three dogs attracted a lot of people. Many of them seemed really serious about adopting a dog, so our fingers are crossed for them!

Treat is coming...

Treat is almost here...

   

Jake in his cool bandana

See you there next time!