Dog Dance Party is Happening in Toronto, and You Don’t Want to Miss Out

“A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.” This statement was coined by a British pet shelter to send a strong message about the sad reality many pets face after the honeymoon period wears off. When a dog is given up for adoption, they either go to a shelter or face much worse. In the US, a shelter dog is killed every 11 seconds.

To overcome this shockingly sad statistic, Save Our Scruff (SOS) , a Toronto based dog rescue organization, aims to prevent overpopulation, stop the cycle of abandonment and neglect and also provides aid and support due to these concerns.

Hey! We want to give you a CAR for Christmas!! It may not be something that you expected or prepared for, but it’s definitely going to make you smile. We know you haven’t had time to decide where it will be parked, or how it will integrate into your life- but it’s your problem now! Oh and by the way- only your first payment has been made… We hope it’s cool that you pay all the initial costs. It needs floor mats, tires, and all the coolest accessories but can you imagine how cool it will look in your gram’ photos? It was all alone on the lot and I just thought it was a perfect fit for you. I would have asked first but I didn’t want to ruin the fun with the upkeep costs like gas, insurance and unforeseen accidents. I know this sounds like a lot but don’t worry if it gets to be too much, you can’t afford it or you find a newer shiny car, you can always just trade it in. While a new puppy (or car) for Christmas may sound exciting. It is extremely important to make sure that every person involved is completely aware and on board for all the commitment that is involved. We want every dog to be able to have a home for the holidays, but we are equally determined to make sure they continued to be loved for every holiday after as well ?

A post shared by Save Our Scruff Rehome&Rescue (@saveourscruff) on Dec 7, 2017 at 5:20am PST

As noted on their website, Save Our Scruff is a registered charitable organization located all over the GTA dedicated to rescuing dogs and finding them safe and suitable permanent homes through adoption, advocacy and education. By working with committed volunteers, foster homes, veterinarians, and trainers, they can rescue dogs and provide them with loving temporary care while finding them well-matched, carefully screened forever homes.

The 416 Mag spoke to Laura, the Founder of SOS and Jenna, Executive Director at SOS about why they started this charity and why you should attend the second annual Scruff Social presented by Healthy Pets on April 21!

416:   Why did you start this charity?
SOS: “I fell in love with the idea of helping dogs, and I happened to be good at matching dogs with forever homes. We differ in our approach as we don’t rescue based on a particular breed, age, size or behaviour, etc. We believe that a dog in need is a dog in need. Even if that means transporting a dog from the Dominican Republic to Toronto. Through our community of volunteers, we’ve been able to provide resources to help educate the public on rescues.”

416:   What’s the biggest challenge you face as an organization?
SOS: “Unfortunately, rescue dogs have a negative stereotype to the general public. We are very honest in our dog descriptions because we want to find the best home for that dog – that means talking about all of the dog’s positive habits and where the dog needs structure and training. It’s like dating, except we skip the first date and go right to the first fight. We find it’s hard to break down people’s walls to rescues without that person having a personal connection with a rescue.

JUST LANDED! Too many chihuahuas or never enough chihahaus?!!! You be the judge! Available for adoption in 2 weeks!

A post shared by Save Our Scruff Rehome&Rescue (@saveourscruff) on Apr 1, 2018 at 7:56pm PDT

We’ve found that most people have good intentions for their dog but sometimes need a more thorough education on what goes into looking after a pet, i.e. what they need emotionally, how to set structure and routine, and defining boundaries to ensure everyone is happy and taken care of.”

416 :   Tell us more about the upcoming Scruff Social presented by Healthy Pets.
SOS: “We’re so excited for our second annual Scruff Social! Last year we raised over $37,000 which has contributed towards over 1000 dogs being adopted! This year we’re aiming to raise over $50,000. This event is a great opportunity for volunteers and people in the community to get together and have fun for a great cause. Get dressed up, rock out to great music by DJ Agile, bid in a silent auction, interact with SOS Scruffs, and did we mention unlimited drinks?!

The event will be held at District 28 in Leslieville on April 21, 2018, from 8:00-1:00 am. Tickets are selling out fast, so grab one while you can here!

If you can’t make it to the Scruff Social, there are lots of other ways you can get involved with SOS through volunteering, fostering a Scruff, becoming a flight parent, or even host your own fundraising event.”

Be sure to check out all of the adorable Scruffs and if you can make a donation to help fund all of the amazing work SOS is doing to help give these dogs a chance at a happy life.