Help US SAVE 21 LIVES

Dog Tales is a world-class rescue facility set on 50 acres in King City. Our property is complete with kilometers of walking trails, fenced paddocks for off-leash play, therapy pools, and oversized, comfortably furnished rooms for each of the dogs (many of which are even complete with crystal chandeliers!). We have an expert team of RVTs that closely monitor our dogs, and, in partnership with the VEC Toronto, are able to provide our dogs with the best medical care available. Our team of trainers work each day to train and rehabilitate our dogs in order to prepare them for their forever homes. Dog Tales truly is the perfect setting for any rescue dog to recover from their difficult past.

In October 2015, the OSPCA seized 31 dogs from a fighting ring in Tilbury, Ontario (Read more here). When we heard the news, we immediately reached out and offered to take in all 31 dogs so that they could be given the best chance at a happy life. Our offer was declined. Since then, three dogs have been euthanized for "medical and behavioural reasons". In February the OSPCA filed a request with the court to have 21 of the remaining dogs euthanized, claiming them to be a danger to public safety.

We are offering to take in all of these dogs and provide them with lodging, high-quality food, vetting, rehabilitation, and, most importantly, love, all at no cost to the OSPCA. When the dogs are rehabilitated, we will actively seek appropriate homes in provinces not affected by Ontario’s Breed Specific Legislation. If any dogs are unable to be rehabilitated, we will provide them with a loving forever home at our sanctuary. We are willing to allow the OSPCA to be as involved as they would like, whether that means sending representatives to our shelter regularly to monitor the rehabilitation process, or having final say in any potential adoptions.

For such a large undertaking, we plan to bring in a team of trusted experts from around the world to assist our current team with the rehabilitation process, so that each dog is given the individual time and attention that they require. This team includes world-renowned dog trainers Brian Kilcommons and Aimee Sadler, and trainers from the National Canine Research Council. 

The court documents outlining the evaluations of the 21 dogs note that only four of the 21 dogs exhibited any aggression whatsoever towards people, and include the following quotes:

“This dog is very sweet and highly social with people. She was little nervous at first but she enjoyed being touched. She playfully chased the tug toy. She submissively followed during tag. She was more interested in socializing with people than eating or chewing. She greeted the toddler doll submissively and was very curious.”

“He was social with the tester and chose to stay near her and put paws into her lap for petting. He accepted all handling.”

"While we did not observe any clearcut aggressive behaviour, her intense focus and level of arousal means that she is likely to elicit poor reactions  from other dogs and that will invariably result in aggression."

— OSPCA Court Documents

After closely reading through the evaluations, we do not feel that any of these dogs deserve to die. The issues present are nothing that we haven’t seen before (and are a direct result of the abuse that they have suffered), and we are confident that we can help these dogs, as we have countless times in the past. Our lawyers have a comprehensive plan in place that will allow us to save these dogs, but there's one problem:

ONTARIO’S BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION PREVENTS US FROM TAKING IN PIT BULLS AT OUR SHELTER, SO WE MUST BE GRANTED A SPECIAL DESIGNATION TO HOUSE THE DOGS BY THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT.

This is where you come in! Time is running out, and we have not yet heard back from the government about our request. As this is a highly political issue, there is tremendous power in numbers. The 50 dogs rescued from Michael Vicks’ high-profile fighting ring in 2007 have proven to the world that fighting dogs can be successfully rehabilitated and integrated into society.  (Click here if you don't believe us!) They are living with children, they are living with with other dogs, and several have even become therapy dogs. It is our belief that the same is possible for these 21 dogs. We do not believe that these dogs should be punished for the crimes that have been committed against them. We believe that, after all they have been through, they are deserving of a second chance. 

If you agree, please print and sign the petition below, and mail it to the address at the bottom of the page. Only paper petitions with original signatures can be read into the legislature, so unfortunately we cannot accept e-mailed or faxed petitions.