November Adoptions!

We are excited to announce that over the past month, two TAGS dogs have gone through the adoption process and found their fur-ever homes!

Blossum, who is about 8 months old, is a smart, cuddly border collie mix who was saved from a Kentucky kill shelter along with her littermates back in September. Her brother Chappie was adopted in October, and once Chappie's new family got to know him better, they just knew they wanted a lifelong friend for him. They contacted TAGS again and decided to adopt Blossum, too!

Elijah is a playful two-year-old who loves kids, other dogs, and even cats! This English springer spaniel mix was saved from gassing and is happily enjoying life with his new family.

Blossum and Chappie—reunited and it feels so good!
 (Photo cred goes to their new mom, Courtney!)

(Their sister, Azriel, our featured dog from earlier this week, is still looking for the perfect family.)

Congratulations, Blossum and Elijah! 

Wordless Wednesday: Enjoying a Little R 'n' R

Starr is a sweet little Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix available for adoption

Be sure to check out the other Blog Hop members' posts through this link.

Featured Dog: Azriel

Dogs come to TAGS from local shelters, shelters in the U.S., and owners who can no longer keep their dog. Azriel and her brother and sister were rescued by TAGS in September from a shelter in Kentucky. Due to the large animal overpopulation problem in the U.S. and space constraints in the shelters, nearly 50% of shelter animals are euthanized there each year. Azriel and her siblings were saved just in the nick of time from becoming part of this dismal statistic.  

Before: Azriel, her brother and sister in their Kentucky shelter

Though scared and skin-and-bones at first, these pups were at regular weight in no time with some good food and love from their TAGS foster parents. In the months since their journey from Kentucky, Azriel's siblings have been placed into a loving forever home (adopted together), leaving Azriel, the last of the sibling trio, still among our adoptables.

Now: Azriel

Azriel, or Zee-Zee, is a real sweetheart of a pup. She is smart and playful, looking up to her humans to follow their requests as closely as possible. She is still a young dog, and as such, she has been responding quickly to basic obedience training and is very eager to learn. While she is happy to receive treats, a pat on the head is just as effective a "treat" for Zee-Zee.  

Azriel doing one of her favourite things—getting treats

She is well socialized with other dogs and shy around cats. Although she is sometimes timid in new environments, she quickly adapts and is soon asking for cuddles and pets. A very gentle dog, Azriel walks well on her leash and is great in the car. She loves people, dogs, playtime and car rides—in other words, all things "dog." 

Want more info on Azriel? Check out a short video about her and her favourite things:

Does Azriel sound like a perfect fit for your family? If so, fill out an adoption application and contact us in order to get your adoption process started. 

Play Bingo for Charity!

Do you love playing bingo? Did you know that you can support a good cause just by playing at the Red Barn in Oshawa?

CC image courtesy of sarae on Flickr

If you have never tried bingo, start with us! The proceeds go toward helping our rescue dogs. You can enjoy your game, knowing that we will be able to save many more dogs' lives thanks to you.

There are several sessions each day, and sometimes there are up to 200 people playing. The atmosphere is always great, especially on TAGS dates. Currently twice a month, from 3:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., four of our volunteers help out and make your afternoon of bingo even more fun. And since the funds raised are shared on the basis of pooling, the more often TAGS participates, the more revenue we receive. Therefore, we are always looking for new volunteers who are interested in helping at bingo sessions.

But if you can't volunteer, you can still help by playing. Visit the Red Barn in Oshawa (directions here) and raise funds for our rescues! Your help is greatly appreciated.

Remaining dates for 2012: December 2 & 18.

Featured Volunteer: Nancy, the Amazing Foster Mom

Nancy has been a great addition to the TAGS foster team. Her very first foster dog was a husky mix who needed special treatment for a medical condition. But thanks to Nancy's great attendance and big heart, even this special dog found her forever home within a couple of months.

How long have you been volunteering?

I have been volunteering since July 2012. I love what I do, and it's so rewarding for me.

What made you decide to become a foster parent?

Busted! Starr and the cat do get along

There are so many reasons I volunteer. Most of all, it is very rewarding to see a dog go to its fur-ever home. I also love animals, and they love you back unconditionally. They are such a joy to have around, to play with, walk with and to love. There are so many animals out there that need homes that I thought this was a way in which I can give back to the community and not see so many animals put to sleep due to lack of room and no home to go to. 

What's the best and the worst things about being a foster mom?

The best part about being a foster parent is having a dog come into my home, not really knowing their background, and giving them the best life that they can have—by showing them how to learn new things and experience what it is truly like to be a dog. You ask if there is a worst part about being a foster parent, but there really isn't anything bad about it—just when the dog is being adopted, it's hard to see them go, but knowing that they are going to their fur-ever home makes it all worthwhile and definitely puts a smile on my face and makes me very happy.

When you have to, how do you choose a new name for your foster dog?

When a dog comes into my care, and I have to choose a name, I wait a few days before choosing one. I wait to see what type of personality they have. I look at how they interact and if they love attention, how they act with other animals in our household. Then I choose a name. I try to fit the personality with the name. 

How do you usually solve any differences that come up between your foster dog and your own pets?

When it comes to solving differences between my foster and the pets we have, I talk to some of the volunteers who also foster or to Kathy (founder of TAGS), and overall the advice they give works. If I still am having a bit of an issue between the animals, I try to teach them on my own or bring them to classes that TAGS offers. I don't treat my pets any different than my foster dog(s).

How did you deal with having to say goodbye to your first foster dog?

My first foster was Sasha, who has medical needs. It was very difficult to see her go to her new family. She was amazing, beautiful, and such a down-to-earth dog. The day before the adoption, I spent a lot of time with her, playing with her, walking with her outside and, yes, even talking to her. I told her she had to be a good girl and make me proud, which she has done. I gave her a lot of hugs and kisses and made her feel very special (something I do with all my fosters). The next day was the adoption, and I gave her a kiss and a big hug and passed her over to the family that was giving her a fur-ever home. It was a little difficult for me, for Sasha was my first foster and dealing with her medical condition, I had become very attached to her. But knowing that the family was going to give her a wonderful, loving home and lots of attention, I knew that this was the right family for her.

 Do you have any funny or cute stories about being a foster?

3 foster dogs - Harley, Starr and Layla

A really cute story that happened recently with my foster Starr was when I was sitting down for breakfast. Starr is normally at my feet waiting for a piece of toast even though she has already been outside and had her breakfast. Well, after about 10 minutes, I noticed she wasn't sitting and waiting for her toast. I decided to go look around the house for her to see if she was up to anything with the cats. I walked into my bedroom, and there she was asleep under the covers with her head on the pillow. I have never seen anything so cute as this, and she totally melted my heart. Starr probably stayed in bed till about 10, when I had to get her up finally to make my bed.  I just thought this was the cutest thing ever and had to take a picture.

Now, that you have been a foster mom for a while, what would your advice be to new foster parents (or to people who are considering fostering)?

My advice to anyone who is considering being a foster parent  or just recently became one is that not all animals are alike or are the perfect dog. Some will have medical issues, behaviour issues or training issues and may require a lot of attention. The dogs are not perfect, and sometimes the road for them may be a little long, but with patience, guidance, time and a lot of love, these dogs will overcome whatever issue they are dealing with. This is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had, and I definitely love what I do.