3+ mon, 2+ day ago (269+ words) Free dogs-only swim being offered on last day of outdoor pool season Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. City of Toronto pools have gone to the dogs. A dogs-only swim is free to canines on the last day of the outdoor pool season in the city on Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Participating city pools are located at Greenwood Park, High Park, Kiwanis outdoor pool in Stan Wadlow Park, Lambton-Kingsway Park, Ledbury Park, Monarch Park, Mitchell Field Community Centre, Northwood Community Centre, Rotary Peace Park and Stanley Park South. The city said only dogs may swim in the pool during this time. "Sorry humans, it's for your health and safety. If a dog requires assistance, please remove them from the pool immediately," said a notice on the City of Toronto website. Proof of rabies vaccination is required and an adult aged 18 or older must accompany…...

10+ mon, 2+ day ago (294+ words) Toronto's" "ridiculous" rules for commercial dog walkers " they were banned from Ramsden's off-leash area due to noise complaints " won the city a spot on the Canadian Federation of Independent Business' list for the 2025 Paperweight Awards. The CFIB's awards showcase what it calls "the most egregious examples of red tape mismanagement" across Canada. This year's "winner" is the Manitoba Government for backtracking on regulatory accountability with the introduction of Bill 16. "For six years, Manitoba was a leader in regulatory accountability, showing other jurisdictions what's possible when governments take red tape reduction seriously," said CFIB vice president Ryan Mallough. "With Bill 16, the government has wiped away that hard-won progress, leaving government without a clear way to measure or manage regulatory burdens. After years of charting new territory, why throw out the map?" Other top "red tape" offenders: " the federal government's botched GST…...

9+ mon, 3+ week ago (641+ words) Its getting coyote ugly for some downtown residents after a spate of attacks on pets. Dog owners in the Liberty Village and Garrison Common areas were on coyote alert at neighbourhood parks on Monday after a series of attacks dating to November, including one that resulted in a dog's death after it was bitten and developed sepsis. Residents said they are seeing the coyotes more frequently and that they are becoming bolder. Carla, a dog walker who was out with her poodles Molly and Pip and her client's dog Goldie, was carrying a red whistle around her neck and was armed with deterrent spray in her pouch. "It's getting very scary to be out with the coyotes," said Carla. "And I'm very cautious " well, overly cautious, I would say. "Definitely checking around and behind even though I walk multiple dogs…...

11+ mon, 2+ week ago (403+ words) Gabby, Tonka, Raykin " three neonatal Yorkshire Terrier puppies " are lucky to be alive after their smallest sibling Kai didn't make it. At just two weeks old, the puppies, whose mother passed away shortly after giving birth, were surrendered in a small box to the Toronto Humane Society by their family who couldn't provide the intensive round-the-clock care required. The puppies were weak, malnourished, and soiled and despite every effort, Kai didn't make it," Gabby clung to life, while Tonka and Raykin struggled to stabilize. "This was a race against time," said Dr. Karen Ward, chief veterinary officer at Toronto Humane Society in a statement. "Neonatal puppies require constant care " every hour matters. Without the community's support, stories like Gabby, Tonka, and Raykin's would end in heartbreak. But together, we can keep pets like them in the picture." Neonatal means the…...

4+ mon, 2+ week ago (444+ words) Why get one adorable guinea pig when you can get three? Basil, along with Mabel and Penny, are a trio of four-year-old female bonded guinea pigs ready for adoption at the Toronto Humane Society and there's no time like the present given Wednesday is International Guinea Pig Day. "Basil was surrendered to us in May with her two friends, Penny and Mabel," said THS spokesperson Lucas Solowey. "My understanding is that they were living in a home together but then they were all surrendered. I don't know the reasons for surrender. But they are a cute trio of friends. They make the sweetest little squeaks. They're very funny and cute." Solowey says guinea pigs have a life span of six to seven years and an enclosure measuring two feet by five feet would suit this trio well. "In terms of…...

9+ mon, 6+ day ago (847+ words) 'It brings people up when they're feeling down' A dog boarding and walking business in Alberta, Canada, bought a school bus two years ago to transport its canine clients to and from adventure walks. "Who doesn't love dogs on a bus?" said Emma Godley, owner of Escape to the Country. But she had no idea the scope of that love until she started posting videos of her bus on Instagram. A recent video " showing howling dogs before an adventure walk and exhausted pups after the excursion " has almost 85 million views and more than 15,500 comments on Instagram. "OMG I want to be their bus driver!! I'm getting a puppy suit so I can fit in," someone commented in all caps. "I didn't realize that people would like them as much as they do," Godley said. Dog-walking companies are increasingly taking their…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago (426+ words) A new Rover.com survey finds that 60% of Canadian pet parents plan to dress up their pets this year for Halloween, with" 46% saying they will wear a matching or complementary costume. When it comes to the animals, 66% of pet parents plan to dress up their dog, while 44% plan to deck out their cats in costume. For nearly half of pet parents, or 43%, Halloween is their favourite holiday to include their pet, and despite ongoing economic pressures, 58% will be purchasing their pet's costume, while 33% plan to either DIY or reuse a costume. Over one-third or 36% are expected to spend between $20 and $49 on costumes, while some are prepared to go as high as $100, with 2% saying there's no price too high for their pet. The poll found that classic costumes like witches, spiders, and ghosts are the most popular choice for dogs (50%) and…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago (635+ words) Health and financial issues are at play for the elderly. Despite a recent Ipsos poll showing that 84% of Canadians aged 55 and older recognize the mental health benefits of pet ownership, only 44% actually have a furry companion, with 21% citing age as a barrier to having a forever friend. "One of the hesitations that many older adults have is that they're concerned that if they were hospitalized or if they pass away, or even other absences like just even travelling, that they may have difficulty properly caring for those animals," said Philip Tedeschi, a University of Denver professor, and founder of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection. "So one of these things that we've seen that's quite an interesting trend is we've seen older adults who share a pet with another friend so that they can have a safety plan in case they…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago (468+ words) He was brought to Toronto after surviving a 2024 North Caroline hurricane Who better to find under the Christmas tree than Lyle, a three-year-old, mixed-breed, dog? He's naughty and nice, having survived a 2024 hurricane in North Carolina and is now seeking some "time, patience and a quieter lifestyle," to thrive in a new forever home after being at the Toronto Humane Society for over a year. "He is adorable," said THS spokesman Lucas Solowey. "He was transferred into the shelter with a group of 10 dogs that came in from North Carolina back in October 2024. So he's been with us for over a year and we're really looking to place him. He's a great dog. There are a couple of challenges but overall he's a sweetie who really is loving." MEDICATION CAN BE TAKEN WITH FOOD Solowey said Lyle, who is on…...

7+ mon, 19+ hour ago (816+ words) Exceptional Journalism Powered by Media Innovation. Our Mission: Keeping Canadians in the know with ambitious, trusted and high-quality journalism. Delivering high-value and data-driven marketing solutions to businesses and advertisers. Our Vision: To be the most innovative media company in Canada with thought-provoking journalism that audiences crave and strong platform solutions that help businesses succeed. Dog walker Kristin Freeland and Derek " out with his dog, Henry " were at Stanley Park in the King-Wellington Sts. area" talking about "the latest attack" by a coyote; this one apparently Tuesday morning near a condo building in the Tecumseth-Wellington Sts. area. Freeland showed grainy images on her mobile phone of a mangy looking coyote at the back doors of The Summit, at 735 King St. W., which quickly approached one of her clients and his 55-pound dog. "They tried to go out to the back of their…...