Anyone who knows me knows that I am dog obsessed. Like, potentially beyond a healthy level. If you’e ever dated me, most of our texts have been photos or videos of dogs found online. A good portion of the Insta accounts I follow are dogs. I’ve even started calling chicken “chimken”, friend is “fren” and all women are Linda while the men are Brian (follow @doggosbeingdoggos2 or @petcanines to see for yourself). Dogs just fill me with joy. Period. The end.
Let’s start from the beginning. Our family has always had dogs. The love affair began with Apricot, our first family dog (aka my best friend) who would spend the day exploring with me and slept with me in bed every night, snuggled under the covers. She lived to the ripe old age of 15, at which point we had to put her down due to a second bout of cancer. Holding her paw in the vets office while they injected her was one of the saddest and most beautiful moments of my life. She was gone from my life, but also finally at peace and on her way to doggie heaven.
After Apricot, we had a few more dogs between the two houses that I loved (almost) as much. When I moved to Toronto at 19, I knew it was going to be a while before I would have a dog of my own. The small apartments and my all-over-the-place work schedule would make it too unfair for both the dog and myself. So, I continued falling in love with dogs via the internet. And then, one fateful day, I was introduced to an organization called Save Our Scruff. I started following them on Instagram (because, duh) and fell in love with every adoptable they posted. I dreamt of the day I could give a rescue dog a loving home!
Some background on Save Our Scruff…SOS is a non-profit organization based in Toronto dedicated to rescuing dogs and finding them safe and suitable permanent homes through adoption, advocacy and education. SWOON. They do not select dogs based on size, breed or age. If the dog needs medical care or additional training/rehabilitation, SOS will provide that before finding them their forever home. Additionally, they don’t select fosters and adopters based on the hours they work or where they live. SOS believes that loving families (just like dogs) come in all shapes and sizes, and they strive to find adopters whose lifestyle fits the needs of that specific dog.
Since my schedule is still erratic and I’m regularly travelling for work, the dream of adopting a pup from SOS just isn’t realistic at the time being. BUT I have recently met up with some SOS alumni and fosters for puppy cuddles, photos, and to chat everything Save Our Scruff!
MEET ALASKA:
Alaska’s owner is what they call a “foster fail”. Brittany McKeown has been working with SOS for four years, and along with her sister they have fostered 10 dogs over that time period. Alaska was one of Brittany’s foster pups, and she very quickly realized there was something special about her – so Brittany and her partner decided to officially adopt her! When I showed up at the door, Alaska came bounding over to me and wanted all of the cuddles and kisses in the world (which is perfect, because I’ve got lots to give!) Brittany says Alaska is “THE definition of happy-go-lucky” and I believe that one hundred percent. When asked about the biggest challenge of fostering, Brittany said that she “cries every time a foster goes to their forever home”. But on the flip side, “it’s absolutely incredible to be a part of the process and help the dogs find their perfect furever home!”. On top of fostering, Brittany has also had a hand in organizing many events for SOS to bring more awareness to the organization.
MEET PEPPER:
I met Pepper on the set of a video shoot for Save Our Scruff, and she was the life of the party. Have you ever heard of “zoomies”? Well, Pepper took full advantage of the large studio space, and chased after her poop emoji toy like her life depended on it. Pepper’s mom, Shannon Kennedy, is another foster fail. SOS gives fosters two weeks with the pup before asking if they’d like to officially adopt them. Shannon said she knew way before the two weeks were up that she and Pepper were meant to be together. Her greatest joy has been “getting to see the progression she’s made from day 1 to now and how happy and carefree she is! She came to me rather timid and scared and now she LOVES life.” Rescue dogs seem to have gotten a bad rap somewhere along the line. Yes, some have come from abusive situations and need more time and TLC than others, but many can be easily trained with minimal behavioural issues. “I think there’s a lot of misconception that rescue dogs always have really bad behavioural characteristics and are way more work than other pups,” says Shannon. “These dogs really just need education, training and love!” And let me tell you – when you give them that love, they will return it to you tenfold!
MEET RASCAL:
Rascal is an SOS foster who is currently up for adoption. He was friendly and very curious when I came to the door, and sniffed every inch of my coat, purse, shoes, etc. to see who this strange lady was! Rascal has a very sweet and quiet nature, although he’s not much of a cuddler (yet). If you raise your hand or move too quickly, he may flinch or back away, though his foster mom Elise says that he’s gotten much more comfortable over the few months they have been taking care of him. He is very treat motivated, and loves playing with his toys! Their other pup Sadie has also played a huge role in helping him gain confidence. When Elise and her fiancé first got Rascal, they had to teach him how to climb the stairs to their apartment (he was a street dog from Costa Rica), and Sadie was the one who showed him it was actually a piece of cake. Rascal is a quick learner and is adjusting to life in a loving home really well. He can’t wait to meet his furever parents, and if you’d like to learn more about Rascal or apply to adopt him, click here!
Now that you’ve seen some of the cuties at Save Our Scruff, you may be asking yourself – how can I be of service? That’s the fantastic thing about SOS. If you are unable to foster or adopt a dog, there are still so many ways that you can contribute! Here are some great options –
- Volunteer your time. Save Our Scruff runs events all over the GTA, and they are always looking for volunteers. Whether you are doing onsite registration or basic education and awareness for attendees, you usually get to hang out with dogs while helping to spread the word about SOS! Or alternatively, you’re a photographer who can show up to an adoption event and take photos for SOS to use on their socials. Do you travel lots? SOS is always looking for flight parents to accompany dogs to Toronto from the various locations around the world that they rescue from! You can get more info on volunteer opportunities here.
- Donate food and supplies. Do you have a dog bed that your pup has grown out of? What about dog food leftover after a diet change? Did your Mom spoil your dog at Christmas with more toys than he could ever dream of? Donate them to SOS! Buying new supplies is expensive, and this is a fantastic way to contribute to the well-being of a new rescue.
- Donate money. If you have the ability to spare some extra cash, you can make a one time (or regular) donation to Save Our Scruff. Any amount helps, as expenses range from $5 nail clippings, to $500 vet bells, to thousands of dollars in training and rehab for pups who need a little extra time, love and guidance to be their best selves. Better yet, host an event where the proceeds go to Save Our Scruff! This could be a garage sale, a dog party or even an “SOS Month” in the office or classroom. An SOS donation would also be a great gift for anyone in your life who is a dog lover!
- Buy tickets to The Scruff Social 3.0. On April 13th, Save Our Scruff will be holding their annual “pawty” at District 28 in Toronto. This year is bigger and better, with an open bar, live music, silent auction, late night eats, parting gifts for all guests and best of all…DOGS! That’s right. Get dressed up for a night of music, dancing and fun, all while being surrounded by adorable pups. Could there be anything better? I think not! I had a blast at last years Scruff Social, and can’t wait to attend again this year. Plus, if you use promo code SOSBREE at checkout, you will receive $10 off your tickets. I hope you can join me!
Alright fellow dog lovers, I hope that this post has opened your eyes to all of the incredible and easy ways to help these sweet pups in need. Even if all you do is follow @saveourscruff, fall in love with the dogs gorgeous faces and tag your friends in the photos, you will be helping to bring awareness to this organization filled with so much heart. I thank you. Save Our Scruff thanks you. And most importantly, the dogs thank you. And there is no love sweeter than that given by a dog <3
