Mattie's Place, Toronto, ON (2025)

09/15/2025

[ MIA IS SCHEDULED FOR EUTHANASIA ]

Boston Terrier X
Female, Not Spayed
+/- 12 years old
12.7kg / 28 pounds

Mia will need a quiet home with someone home most often to help her settle in and figure life out.

❌ No kids under 14 years. No cats. And for now, no dogs in the home.

👍🏼 Dog experience a must. Someone committed for long-term fostering as I don't think she'll be an easy to adopt or desired dog. Will need to be comfortable with a dog post-op as she will need a couple surgeries presumably.

🟢 FROM THE CANADIAN SHELTER 🟢

Shelter treated her otitis (ears) and UTI (likely reason for potty accidents with owner)

Owner surrender due to the dog not being housetrained

Basic vaccine and Bordetella up to date

With owner, ate Pedigree, once a day (2 cups)

**According to owner: Has had problems with a**l glands, body mass, cauliflower ear and anxiety.

Can steal food or toys, digs outside, tends to jump on people.

Destroys toys

Prey drive ++

Pulls on leash

Was living in rather a calm environment with 2 adults and one child under 6 years old, got along with everyone

Described by the owner as affectionate, docile, active, playful, excited, shy, fearful, dependent, anxious

With visitors, friendly, jumps on people and can be a bit fearful as per owner. If one gets close too fast, she will urinate on the floor. Shy with loud or lower voices.

Very friendly with children, will lick them a lot

With other dogs, curious, interested and wants to play, but can be selective with some dogs. Pulls hard on the leash if she sees a dog further away. Tends to steal other dogs' toys, which can lead to conflict.

Likes to play with Kong, ropes, balls. She can't have any plush toys as she destroys them and can ingest some

Used to be alone 8-9h per day. Usually calm, but will cry if hears someone near her room

Never went to a groomer, went to the vet a couple times a lot of years ago and was anxious

No bite history

Will p*e inside often, even after going outside.

First year of life experienced domestic violence, then stress and anxiety as a result.

AS PER OWNER:

Had several nervous pregnancies in the last year

Doesn't like to be washed or groomed, trim claws by 2 persons + reward and same for baths

Handling: Very sensitive ears

Has never been around cats and has prey drive

Walking on leash with a harness

Car sick+++

Crate trained

🟢 EXAM BY A SHELTER VET/TECH 🟢

Redness in the right ear, black secretion, thickening of the cartilage in both ears, worse on the right.

Tartar and Gingivitis ¾

Reddening of the paws, discolouration of the coat interdigitated

Nuclear sclerosis

Long nails

Treated otitis and UTI

** I'm waiting to hear more about the body masses and her anxiety from the shelter's experience with her.

09/15/2025

[ IF YOU LOSE YOUR PET - DON'T FALL FOR SCAMS ]

I'm still searching for Nana & though I know we won't find her, I'm still searching for answers on what happened last December when her adopters lost her.

With that, really sick people came out of the woodwork with various different scams. Last night, someone obviously saw a lost dog poster or something online about her with my phone number and this was the result.

I knew it was a scam right away. So, I blocked them, so the texts stopped, but they would have asked for funds next and if I didn't send they'd "take her life"

I know when you lose a pet it's such an incredibly stressful time. But you have to be very careful with scammers, because they jump into these situations with various offers and threats to take advantage when someone is at their most vulnerable.

This person was really bold calling me on repeat until I blocked them.

09/14/2025

[SMALL BREED YOUNG PUPPY, VERY FEW APPLICATIONS]

Born March 1, 2025, Zoodles joined Mattie's Place a 5 pound pup in May. Now weighing in at 15 pounds at 6.5 months old.

In a world of reckless "rescues", this puppy somehow landed in an Ontario "rescue" last May & was quickly flipped to an adopter within a week, with a flimsy 4 paragraph blanket adoption release form. He also tested positive for Coccidia and Giardia which the adopter discovered with his continued loose stool.

Zoodles was not placed in a home that could manage his personality and he was quickly surrendered to Mattie's Place when the original "rescue" ghosted the adopter when things started getting really challenging.

Zoodles is a BIG personality. No question. He is super forward and demanding and can be extremely nippy, mouthy and vocal when he isn't getting his way. He went to a temp Mattie's Place foster while his foster Mom was away for 1 week and in less than 4 hours the temp foster evicted him.

Very few applications came in for Zoodles over the past 4 months and the ones that did come in were not a match to his needs.

His foster family have put in months of patience & love into puppy Zoodles. He's a lot of puppy, but he's just a puppy. And he's a terrier puppy. Improvement is seen month over month with him as he matures and settles into a routine.

In a great turn of events, Zoodles is officially adopted today ... by his foster family!

They love him. They are committed to him. They can give him the best life.

Congratulations Zoodles on winning them over the past 4 months! You did it, good boy! You found your for-always family.

Thank you Deeann for fostering countless Mattie's Place dogs over the years and now joining the ranks of adopter!

ADOPTION FEE: $875
(they kindly sent $1,000)

MATTIE'S PLACE COST: $981.56
(includes puppy vaccines, deworming, parasite prevention, neuter in October and purchase of multiple bags of puppy food/supplies.

ZOODLES WELCOME POST:
www.facebook.com/share/p/1B4aNcG7e5

09/14/2025

[🇨🇦 IT'S AN ABSOLUTE 1ST FOR ME 🇺🇸 ]

Canadian rescues import 1,000's upon 1,000's upon 1,000's upon 1,000's of American dogs into Ontario even while we are facing a horrific dog overpopulation crisis right here in our own province and country and on trend to be in the same crisis as the USA very soon.

⬛ Yes, we do euthanize dogs for space in Ontario shelters. We do have a growing stray population. We do have more dogs than we do good homes.

Rachel (in her Dad's arms) joined Mattie's Place 4 months ago. Though her welcome post (with her brother Ross) received 1.5 thousand likes, 250 shares, 100+ comments and emails poured in from her post, when she was made available for adoption, only a few applications trickled in. They were good applications, but not a match for what I was looking for, for Rachel.

Though Rachel is an Italian Greyhound, she really isn't characteristic of one and prefers to just loaf around and was mostly scared of being outside. I was uncertain of her age - we guesstimated 8 years and her caretaker said 4 years. She needed a near full mouth dental extraction, leaving only a few teeth behind. And she was a bit of a bully with other dogs, especially her brother.

When this really great American couple originally reached out, it wasn't even a consideration to adopt into the US, but as we got chatting I invited then to complete an application. They checked every box I was looking for. The more I dug into who they are & their IGGY experience, the more I liked them. If they were Canadian, I'd 100% adopt to them. So why was I denying a dog a GREAT home because a border came between us - other than Trump? They live 8 hours away and I've adopted dogs further than that in Canada. And quite honestly, it's not easy having a dog returned to a rescue by legal force in Canada and I trust this couple when they say they'd return her if they could no longer care for her.

Where I typically do meet and greets in potential adopters homes, yesterday this couple kindly drove to Oshawa where Rachel was being fostered and we did a meet & greet and all went really well.

Rachel made her journey back home yesterday and arrived last night and is settling in well.

Thank you Denise Weagle for fostering Ross & Rachel.

Congratulations Rachel & family on your adoption day!

ADOPTION FEE: $875
(they generously sent $1,998)
MATTIE'S PLACE COST: $1,636.69

RACHEL'S WELCOME POST:
www.facebook.com/share/p/1DPWrwBPGh

09/13/2025

[ NATIONAL DOG MONTH - WITH GRATITUDE ]

Big thanks to Jonluca Neal for having Mattie's Place out to their head office a couple weeks ago for National Dog Month to meet their Toronto team and speak about the rescue initiatives and the state of the dog overpopulation crisis in Ontario and across Canada.

The more we speak about it. The more people we reach. The better opportunity we have at bringing change for our Canadian pets.

We also were able to connect with the generous folks from Gruffies who are sharing some of their 100% Organic dog treats with Mattie's Place! I messed up with our address so the sample shipment they sent should have already been here, but my mistake delayed that happening. I will share an update when the treats arrive and be sure to look out for more from Gruffies & Mattie's Place!

I was also able to chat with the wonderful team from Alt Pro Advantage: say goodbye to itchy skin and tummy troubles! Hypoallergenic dog food and treats with insect protein. A company that is passionate about pets & the planet! They will also be sending out sampling of product to try on our foster dogs, especially the ones most sensitive to seasonal and protein allergies & if the results are as awesome as I know they will be, there will also be more to come with Alt Pro Advantage & Mattie's Place. I will be sharing with our rescue community also, as I know allergy food is high in demand for dogs in foster care.

Also, I have a large order of Shasha Dog Treats Non-Allergenic Formula waiting for pickup that they have generously donated! I will be sharing these with the rescue community to help out those itchy canines in foster care that deserve yummy good dog treats too!

Thank you to these wonderful corporations, supporting rescue efforts during a really critical time for Canadian pets.

Special thanks to Erin, a Mattie's Place 2021 adopter who kindly coordinated the event that I'm so thankful for.

Please support the companies that support Mattie's Place. It's the only true way we can give back for their generosity.

09/12/2025

[FASCINATING WOO WOO WUSSELL UPDATE]

Woo Woo Wussell joined Mattie's Place 1 week ago. On arrival he was admitted for 2 surgeries; his neuter and stenotic nares corrective surgery to open up his nostrils so he could breathe.

He's been doing great in recovery.

Yesterday, he saw Board Certified Surgeon, Dr Porter at TVEH to figure out what we do about his mouth and his bi-lateral cleft lip.

Woo Woo Wussell has a very interesting mouth. The roof of his mouth is deformed and best I can describe it is he has a triangle chunk of flesh that is actually not fully connected to the roof of his mouth, but has teeth growing out of it. It does open up on the sides to his nasal cavity, but it appears no food is entering the openings and though it's peculiar, he seems to function just fine as it is. If it becomes a problem, which we do not suspect it will, it can be surgically reconstructed.

Woo Woo Wussell also has a bilateral cleft lip. A birth defect where some tissues from the upper lip do not connect completely, leaving a verticle slit from the lip up to the nose. Woo Woo Wussell has this on both sides of his upper lip.

If we were to surgically correct this, it would be for cosmetic purposes only as it isn't hindering his life in any way. Sometimes it's best to not start messing around with things that aren't a problem even if they are not as they should be.

Woo Woo Wussell does however need 1 further surgery, for an elongated soft palate. He soft palate is so long, Dr Porter couldn't reach the end of it with is finger down Woo Woo Wussell throat while he was sedated. So that absolutely needs to be fixed so he can breathe even better. An elongated soft palate is an added length of tissue at the back of Woo Woo's throat that extends down his throat (but can be varying lengths for different dogs), obstructing the airway.

Because Woo Woo Wussell has so much going on with his mouth and airway, my preference is to have a specialty surgeon manage this case and Dr Porter is the best specialist for this job. He's scheduled for October 3 so we can give him a bit of a break between surgeries.

I don't have the estimate yet but estimated to be $2,500 (I'll update the post when I have the estimate)

COST TO DATE (week 1): $1,495.26
TOTAL EXPECTED ESTIMATED COST: $4,500

09/12/2025

[ LOVE THIS! - WITH GRATITUDE ]

I purchase $100's & $100's of dollars of pet food monthly for the dogs (and cats) in care at Mattie's Place

I like to keep them on the same food so we don't risk tummy upset and with that, there comes an out of pocket cost to keep them at their best as we don't often get the specific food needed in donations.

The past month just the Pet Valu total was $1,049.21 and that's an ongoing average and I do purchase from other pet store retailers also. This doesn't include veterinarian prescription diets.

With thanks to Pet Valu - 3003 Danforth Avenue, Toronto for running a canned pet food drive for Mattie's Place. Our Pet Valu support stores have been such an integral part of Mattie's Place for the rescue & pet food bank.

This wet food drive certainly helps bring down some of the monthly overhead costs to keeping happy, healthy pets in foster care!

Stop by the store and purchase a can of dog or cat food and they'll ensure it comes our way for the dogs (& cats) in foster care!

Royal Canin puppy - Royal Canin adult - PRIME puppy (chicken) - Purina Pro Plan (sensitive skin & stomach) are the main brands used in foster care.

Thank you Pet Valu - 3003 Danforth Avenue, Toronto for being a terrific supporter to Mattie's Place!

09/11/2025

💯 % good boy waiting to be adopted. 30 pounds of love and sweetness and he just continues to be overlooked.

09/11/2025

[ HE TOOK US TO CHURCH! ]

Another successful & amazing backstage afternoon at Rogers Stadium with Live Nation Concerts and Hozier!

He was so incredibly gracious & kind. He took the time to hang out, shake our hands, learn all about the dogs & kittens we had on site and even gave them some good scritches and handfuls of treats!

AND we were gifted generous tickets to the amazing show which had Mattie's Place fosters & volunteers singing along to every song alongside 50,000 Hozier fans! A perk to fostering, adopting & volunteering with Mattie's Place!

The Mattie's Place dogs were once again rockstars & embraced the backstage experience; Pickle Pockets, Woo Woo Wussell & Hugo. I'm so proud of them. And kittens Bumble & Clove were also so brave and super sweet!

Thank you to Action Volunteers For Animals for lending us the kittens (Bumble & Clove) for those backstage folks that are "All-About-The-Kitten" snuggles.

Special thanks to Megan, Carla & Rowena for joining me for the event & handling your Mattie's Place foster dogs with such care in a busier environment. And your professionalism when Hozier casually sauntered over for a hang-out with the dogs.

Another great experience for our dogs, giving them some socialization and confidence boosting in a very controlled environment. Special thanks to Live Nation Ontario for making our Mattie's Place dogs (and cats) VIP's and accommodating all my requests, to help them be their best for these experiences.

09/10/2025

Enjoying the simple things.

09/10/2025

[ LET'S TALK ABOUT MY FOSTER DOG, MONROE ]

Today is only day 4 of him being with Mattie's Place, but it's clear to see he's a gem. He's every bit an under-socilzied Min Pin but he's charming and sweet and all good things Miniature Pinscher.

His naughtiness is 100% fear based and there's nothing aggressive about this sweet guy.

The 1st 48 hours was rough. He poop'd in my bed once & twice in my shoes. 🧐 He missed the p*e pad 50% of the time. He knocks his food dish over every-single-time and prefers to eat off the floor. He fought me like a UFC Lightweight champion in their 1st round when I tried to get his shelter gear off him and safer gear on him day 1 & 2, to start going for walks (I'm in a condo, we have to walk). He walks across my coffee table and jumps on my kitchen table like they had magical staircases leading up to them. He's on high alert and anxious with every sound he hears. He's terrified of every person and dog he sees, even from a distance and begs to be picked up (which I won't - but we do work through the fear together)

BUT ....

None of this is his fault. His humans never taught him better. Though he has some faults, he has many more great qualities.

🟩 He crates beautifully and sleeps through the night.

🟩 He's much better than I would have expected on leash.

🟩 He has a great appetite.

🟩 He's a good balance of cuddler & independent

🟩 He's a great co-pilot in the car

🟩 He's only 8 pounds, but will need to gain a pound or 2

🟩 He's a quiet dog indoors. Plays a bit with his toys on and off but mostly enjoys sleeping the day away under a blanket

🟩 No resource guarding or behaviour concerns with items of value

I will be looking for a new foster for Monroe. Due to his bite history and shelter description I was expecting a much more "bitey" dog with far more behaviour issues. He doesn't need me as his foster but will need an experienced dog person to foster him, in a quiet space, preferably with a secured backyard. I'll continue getting to know him better for now to ensure nothing surfaces, but at this point, he's just a great boy with a fear based/anxious personality, but it's all very manageable.

09/09/2025

[ WHEN ANIMALS DIE AT THE HANDS OF A RESCUE ]

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING - UNALIVED PUPPIES ⚠️

Just because someone calls themselves a "rescue", doesn't mean they are saving pet lives. Over the years I've discussed this many times & shared the cruelty and/or neglect of animals in the care of multiple "rescues"; All For the Dogs (Shawn Bacher), Mizfit Alley in North Bay, Misfits Rescue in Huron County, Good Dog Niagara and recently there's been posts by American Bully Rescue of Ontario regarding dogs in their rescue left without needed vet care amongst other allegations.

The problem with the rescue community is everyone is expected to uplift & support one another and look the other way when abuse & neglect is suspected "because everyone is doing the best they can". Staying silent, makes you part of the problem.

And even if you do speak up, typically, nothing is actionable, because our animal welfare laws are incredibly weak in Canada and authorities don't care enough, are over-burdened, lack authority or all of the above.

But one rescue, with thanks to the relentless push from the public; emails, calls and protests at the OPP station, lead by Danielle Roberts, did have to face their choices in a court of law.

4 Lucky Paws Animal Rescue Founder, Katelyn Lidkea/Hubbert, was charged in 2023. She was found guilty a couple weeks ago, for permitting animals to be in distress and failing to provide adequate and appropriate medical attention to animals. Her sentencing date is September 22 10:30 am in a Peterborough court.

Many, many, many Manitoba First Nations dogs and puppies suffered at her hand. Beautiful souls that deserved life, suffered horribly and many, ultimately died.

What was so haunting to me, was that many of those puppies sat in a freezer for over 2 years in a foster's home. I can't for the life of me understand how authorities did not remove those precious souls from that garage freezer in 2023.

Thankfully, I was given permission to remove the puppies from their frozen grave and give them the dignity of cremation through Mattie's Place. Their ashes were returned today and I have them with me for now. They are all together in one large urn. 4 pendants with ashes will be shared with those closest to this situation.

Danielle Roberts will be arranging a memorial for the public to attend and honour these tragically lost lives. Their final resting place will be at the Peterborough Humane Society with a memorial plaque and tree.

Please show up to her court date for her sentencing, of which they are pursuing jail time. This will set a precedent for rescues that abuse, neglect and have pets dying by their hand.

Please sign the petition: https://chng.it/NFQgBmZ7Nz

And you can follow WE WANT CHARGES LAID FOR THE NEGLECT AT 4 LUCKY PAWS ANIMAL RESCUE for more information.

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