Featured Dog

Meet Sasha

Name: Sasha
Approximate age: Young

Please see our other dogs looking for their forever homes.

Who we are

We are a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to the health and welfare of animals. We work in conjunction with animal services and other animal welfare groups. We have a network of volunteers who help find loving and responsible foster homes for displaced animals as well as assisting in finding permanent adoptive homes.

Please note that the dogs in our program are available for adoption only to individuals located in the Region of Durham area. If you are outside this area, we are happy to refer you to a rescue or shelter in your area.

Thank you for your understanding. [top of page]

Events and News

Our Adoption Process

The adoption process for The Animal Guardian Society (T.A.G.S.) and for most rescues is a thorough process that involves an adoption application, home visits and discussion about the potential adoptive home. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time - and we'd like to stress that this is a necessary part of our job. We feel that when we rescue an animal we have a responsibility to ensure that we place it in a home that is equipped and committed to caring for the pet for the rest of its' natural life.

The T.A.G.S. Adoption Process consists of these four mandatory steps:

Step 1: The Adoption Application

Applying for an animal DOES NOT guarantee a home visit or acceptance as an adoptive home.

The first step, whether you are interested in a particular animal already in our rescue program or whether you would like to be considered for any animals that may become available in the future, is to fill out an Adoption Application Form. The application gives us an idea of what kind of home you have to offer a rescued animal and it also helps us to determine which animal in our program may be most suitable for your home.

IMPORTANT: Please note that you must call the T.A.G.S. phone number 905-263-8247 after submitting an application in order to confirm your interest. If there is no answer, please leave a detailed message stating that you’ve submitted an application and which animal you’re interested in meeting. This call is very important, as our Adoption Coordinator will only contact applicants after receiving this confirmation call. Please note also that only those applicants approved by the TAGS Adoption Committee will be contacted. We thanks all others for their interest.[top of page]

Step 2: The Home Visit

After an application is submitted, reviewed, and a call is received to confirm your interest, a T.A.G.S. representative will contact you to discuss your application in further detail.

The Animal Guardian Society does it’s best to ensure that we match the right dog with the right family. Should the animal you are interested prove to not be a good match for any reason, the volunteer will advise and/or suggest another animal.

If the application is approved for further consideration, the next step is to arrange a one-hour home visit. Please note that families, including existing dogs, must meet the applied for dog prior to the one hour home visit. [top of page]

Step 3: The Extended Visit

After a one-hour visit has been conducted, we encourage the potential adoptive family to take their time and discuss the situation. Remember, adopting an animal is an important and large decision and all family members should be in complete agreement.

There is no obligation during the extended visit – should your family decide that the visit is not going well for any reason, you can contact T.A.G.S. to pickup the animal. Remember that there is always a transition period when an animal enters a new home. The animal will require a patient and caring home to provide the love and support it needs for a happy, healthy and smooth transition. Though an adopter may feel that an animal has settled in a week or two, the transition is a much longer process for the animal and can take anywhere from three to six months or occasionally longer. [top of page]

Step 4: The Adoption Agreement

If the first three steps have been completed successfully, the final stage of the adoption process is the signing of an adoption agreement by the adopter and a T.A.G.S. Representative. Only at this stage is ownership of the animal transferred from T.A.G.S. to the adopter and they are free to begin a happy and life-long relationship.

The T.A.G.S. Adoption Fee of $345.00 (a reduced fee is applied for senior dogs) is to be paid at the time of signing the adoption contract and includes the following:

Animal is spayed or neutered
Veterinary checked
Updated vaccinations
Microchip implant for identification purposes
Pet Care Insurance, trial period of one month available through ShelterCare (paid for by Petfinder.com)
Pet Awareness Workshop, a mandatory 8 week training course designed to help bond the new adoptive family with their dog.

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Ways to help

Volunteer! Our success depends on the dedication of our volunteers. If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a volunteer please call us at 905-263-8247 or email us.

If you can help, please Email us or call at 905-263-8247 Make a Donation! TAGS is a registered charity and is able to issue tax receipts for donations over $10.00.

CHEQUES/MONEY ORDERS: We are pleased to accept your donation payable to “The Animal Guardian Society". Please see our contact information for Our mailing address.

CREDIT CARD: You can make a secure online donation with your credit card or through your bank's e-mail money transfer system! Visit CanadaHelps.org to contribute and receive an E-receipt for your gift. [top of page]

Contact Info

The Animal Guardian Society is a 100% volunteer organization. Since your support is vital to us we will do our best to return your calls in a timely manner.

You can contact us at:

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