Our Happy Tails pages is a place where caring shelter staff, previous owners, dedicated volunteers, adoptive families, as well as our generous sponsors and supporters come together to celebrate in the success stories for the individual dogs adopted through Ugly Mutts.
Regardless of whether a dog has come to us from a once loving home or has been saved from death in a kill shelter, his or her story begins with someone willing to help. Here we share in the culmination of our efforts, the enjoyment these dogs bring into our lives, and the acknowledgement of a job well done by all.
Everyone that participates in the rescue and care of these dogs would like to send a big “Thank you” to all pet owners both old and new for your updates and letters of encouragement. They are always appreciated and continue to be enjoyed by many.
I have been volunteering and working with dog rescue since 1985. It was then I bought my first lot of dogs and cats slated to be euthanized from the Scarborough, Ontario Dog Pound. Seven cats and four dogs were pulled from cages that day and brought to my small three bedroom townhouse. I couldn’t bear the thought that these wonderful animals were going to be killed and I just knew that other people would feel the same way. And they did!
Over the years I have worked with many good rescues as well as with SPCA members, the Toronto Humane Society, and caring shelter workers. I have met some wonderful caring veterinarians, and many people that have shared my love of dogs and been willing to help with whatever they could do to save a life.
For me there is nothing that can lift my mood and put a smile on my face faster than looking at a picture of a once abandoned dog, picked from the kill room of some rural shelter, now smiling back at me with their new owner’s arms wrapped lovingly around their neck. Now I know I can be slow sometimes but eventually I came to realize that many people, not only the ones that had helped save a life but others that had no real connection to the rescue, were just as interested in hearing these dog stories and that it made them feel good as well. So in creating Ugly Mutts “Happy Tails” my intention was to spread those “warm and fuzzy” feelings with all of you.
Ugly Mutts was once known as 4 Love of Canines and although the people who supported us did like the name, it was difficult for new people to remember and hard to spell out over the phone. So when it came time to redo the website it was decided that we would also change the name to Ugly Mutts, even though some found it offensive. Others really got the statement we were trying to make and loved it. For me, it really doesn’t matter what we call ourselves the fact still remains that every dog pictured on these pages are dogs that have touched my heart and the hearts of many and I will be forever grateful that I was able to be a part of making a difference in their lives.
So, I will continue putting the Happy Tails pages together for all to share and I hope you enjoy them as much as all of us at Ugly Mutts do! And please, if you have adopted an Ugly Mutts dog, don’t forget to send in your happy tail as well.
Karlene
Ugly Mutts Dog Rescue
Although the dogs you see on the Happy Tails pages are now healthy and happily living out their lives in a new loving home, let us not forget that there are many others still waiting on death row in kill shelters hoping for their chance to be rescued.
(Little Purdy a pocket Beagle, shown above in her pound mug shot prior to being rescued by Ugly Mutts, was fostered by John, has now been adopted, and is adored by her new family.)
If you have the room in your home and your heart to become a foster parent, please visit the
Foster Dog Program page
and submit your application today.
You can also help by making a donation or sponsoring a pet to help fund the much needed medical treatments, transport costs, and general maintenance of the animals in our care. To find out how, please visit our “Get Involved” page.
