Pet of the Week, Bella!

Meet Bella, a loving and energetic gal. This sweet dog is already doing some great things in life! She sleeps in her crate all night long and even lays down in it during the day when she’s ready for a nap. House training was a breeze. Bella goes to the back door when she needs to go to the bathroom and hasn’t had any accidents for a very long time!

Bella has been taking puppy classes and is sure to graduate at top-of-the class. She is a quick learner and is currently mastering the skill of walking on a leash and is a fine student! It’s been proven that good students are rewarded and Bella is no exception. Bella has been recently rewarded with walks at the off leash dog park because her recall skills are top notch and she’s learning so much.

Ms. Bella has met children and has learned that it’s not acceptable to jump on them or be overly excited around them. Families that lead active lifestyles and can dedicate time for daily walks and playtime for Bella would be the best candidates for this gal.

Bella currently has canine roomies, which she gets along with splendidly so a family with dogs would be fine. Not sure how she is around cats but with a little training – Bella is confident she can learn to love them too.

Interested in becoming Bella’s forever home? Fill out ouradoption application today.

Pet of the Week, Gem!

To say Gem likes a busy household would be an understatement. She loves her foster family, which includes 4 children, 2 dogs, 2 cats and 2 other foster puppies! She can be found playing with small and big dogs and loves everyone around her! When she’s not trying keeping up with all the activity in her foster house she loves to be cuddled and spend some one-on-one time with her human foster family. 

This happy-go-lucky gal is house trained and isn’t super high energy but enjoys her daily walks so if getting fit in the new year is one of your new years resolutions - Gem would be the perfect walking companion!

Gem is looking for a family to give her the security, confidence and love that she needs and deserves in her life.

If you are interested in becoming Gem’s forever family, fill out our adoption applicationtoday!

Pet of the Week, Micah

Micah is a very handsome, loveable dog that is searching for a new home. Micah loves people and loves to be wherever his people friends are. He has had minimal interaction with children so his current foster parents aren’t sure how he is around them. With that said, he has been nothing but calm and friendly with his current family.

A typical day for Micah includes lounging on the carpet watching the daily family routines pass him by. He loves to play outside and since his surgeries – he has become more and more active. This playful boy doesn’t bark or whine except for when he needs to go outside to the bathroom. At night Micah sleeps in his crate and is quite content with that never making a sound. He has even adapted to sleeping in on the weekends to let his foster parents catch up on their rest.

Micah had an unfortunate encounter with another dog so he is very cautious around other dogs of all sizes but seems to be improving everyday with how he reacts when he meets up with one. His foster mom believes that with more socialization, patience and encouragement – he will slowly let his guard down and be open to meeting and making new canine friends. It’s not known at this time how Micah is around cats, as he doesn’t live with any at the moment. 

Micah is looking for a family to give him the love and security that he needs and deserves in his life. If you are interested in becoming Micah’s furever family, fill out our adoptionapplication today!

Pet of the Week, Sara!

Meet Sara! Sara is a great girl that will love you with everything she has. This 1 year old is a bundle of energy and excitement. There isn’t a lot of downtime in her schedule, in fact her daily activities include play – walk – run – rest and repeat!

In addition to being sweet and friendly – Sara does find time to learn new things and has mastered the command ‘sit’ and is on her way to getting ‘stay, come and leave it’ under her belt. Sara is more motivated to learn by receiving praise and positive feedback over treats. With that said, she recognizes the sound of the treat bag opening and will come immediately to check it out.

This happy and affectionate dog would love to find her forever home with an active guardian that will take her for walks, play fetch and spend time teaching her new tricks and commands.

Sara has met other dogs at the off leash park and quite likes them – especially those that can keep up with her! Cats are pretty interesting too but not as fun as her dog friends. Once Sara realized they weren’t that interested in playing with her – she respected their space and moved on.

This sweetheart deserves a loving home that she can call her own. If you’re interested in adopting this lovely gal – fill out an adoption application form today.

Pets of the Week – Ollie and Riggs!

Riggs on left, Oliver on right.

Meet brothers – Oliver (Ollie) & Riggs. These young, handsome brothers are loving, affectionate, with a strong connection to humans. They both love chasing anything with a string, cuddling, napping and playing with each other.

Ollie is a "giver" and he can be found massaging his brother and sometimes even to his foster parents on occasion. Riggs on the other hand is more of a “receiver” – he won’t argue with a gentle massage from Ollie and if that isn’t going to happen he might stretch out, lay on his back with his legs in the air and have a quick snooze.

Riggs and Oliver are both very loving, sweet boys who want to remain together forever. They're still young cats and have the crazy 'kitten moments’ of pure play and bliss. They're great with other cats but a little intimidated by the current resident dog they live with.

This dynamic duo are gentle enough to be with children and would be a wonderful addition to a family. If you are able to have more than one cat and can give these bonded brothers a chance to stay together then please fill out an application today.

Pet of the Week, Mary!

Hi my name is Mary and I am seeking my forever home. My foster parents say I am full of love and enjoy meeting new people. I have recently learned how to play. This was pretty difficult for me because I was fairly insecure. My foster mom and I have been working to improve this by practicing with toys, meeting new people, and new furry friends.  My foster parents say that I am making daily improvement by showing them I want to play. I do this by bringing my toys over to them. They say this was one of the biggest milestones I have made.

One of my favorite games is to play tug-a-war. The other week I played tug-a-war with one of our new 9-week-old puppies. It was lots of fun and super cute! I have also been going to the doggy park where I have been meeting other dogs more my age. We seem to get along fairly well. The other nice thing about the doggy parks is I get to work on my figure by getting lots of exercise.

Mary and her foster sibling playing with toys.

I can be a bit of a romantic and I enjoy going for long walks along the river – playing in between the rocks and grass. I have been practicing fetching sticks near the river and bringing them back to my foster mom. I still have a bit of trouble with playing fetch but I am getting better at it. Soon I may even be able to play fetch with balls! I haven’t been allowed to go swimming yet because the river is too deep, but once the river becomes a little shallower, I may get a chance to go swimming. 

I tend to listen very well when my foster mom calls me. I am not quite comfortable with the "sit" command, but my foster mom is working with me on this and I'm sure I'll get it.  I really like having someone around most of the time. I have a hard time being home alone for long periods of time, so it would be great to find a home with people who are home a fair bit of the time. 

One of my most favorite times of the day is dinnertime! I love eating kibble. I love it so much that I can be known to have a little difficulty in sharing my kibble. But when treats and bones are served, I can be a good sharer with the other dogs. Although when all my bones get taken I can get a little sad.

I have an optimistic personality and can’t wait to see what the future holds. I would really like a chance to meet my forever home and get settled in.

Love, Mary

If you are interested in becoming Mary's forever home, fill out our adoption application today!!

Pet of the Week, Thelma!

Meet Thelma. When Thelma was rescued, she had a condition called Cherry Eye. She's had surgery and since recovered quite nicely. Now, she is looking for her forever home!

Thelma is a very energetic and loving girl who is always open to wrestling, running, walks or a nice cuddle while her people watch a movie. She gets along great with every dogs she meets and has been fine with the children she's met at PetSmart.

It was initially thought that Thelma shouldn't go to a home with small children, but her foster home has seen so much growth in her that they see the potential in her being alright in a home with small kids. She plays well with other dogs in the house, but when she gets over excited she can be a little bit mouthy which may not be great with small kids running around, too. She never hurts anyone, it's just a pinch and her foster home is working with her on this and seeing improvement.

Thelma is a very sweet and curious dogs who wants to follow you around all the time. She likes to see everything that is going on around the house. She also enjoys watching birds from the window.

Both of Thelma's foster parents work full-time, so she spends the day in her kennel, with no issue. She tends to whine a little in the beginning, but they know the kennel is growing on her because she will take her naps in there all by herself. Slowly but surely, it will become her safe haven.

Thelma loves to run in the backyard with her foster brother and chase the birds that fly from tree to tree. She loves being outside so much, the her leash walking skills are a work-in-progress. She is getting better, but she's so excited to be outside that she still pulls a little bit.

Thelma listens very well, especially when she is calm or food is involved. So, those obedience classes ARF offers with an adoption would be right up her alley!

Thelma's ideal home is a home that has patience for her to continue to become a wonderful dog. She has an amazing, calm personality while still being fun and energetic. She also has immense amounts of love to give.

If you are interested in adopting this perfect catch, fill out an adoption application here. She won't last much longer!

Pet of the Week, Rocco!

Rocco is a happy easy going puppy. He has a great personality and has been a joy to have in his foster home. They know he will make a wonderful addition to a very lucky home.

Rocco is crate trained and happily runs in when it is time for bed and he sleeps right through the night without needing to go out.  Rocco also loves to go in his crate for naps during the day – he knows that every so often there is a tasty treat to be found in there.

House training is coming along really well.  Most of the time Rocco will let his foster home know he needs to go out by sitting by the door or whining a little if he cannot get to the door. He still needs to go out frequently, especially when playing.  Sometimes when he is too busy playing he forgets he needs to ask and has an accident, but these are getting less frequent all the time. After all, he is still a puppy!

Rocco loves any toy with a squeaker and chewing on antlers (you can get them at pet stores – best dog chew ever). He is learning to play fetch and loves a good game of tug.  If he were allowed to he would collect all of the slippers and shoes in his foster home and bring them into his crate where he would lay on them like a little dragon watching over his hoard of gold.  

Rocco is very gentle when taking treats and he is learning not to jump on people. His foster home is working on his basic obedience commands and he can sit on cue and is working on down, come and stay.  

Rocco's foster home cannot get over how well Rocco does on a leash.  He is more than happy to trot along beside you taking in the world. He doesn't love it when buses or loud vehicles go by, but is getting used to them.  He loves to meet people and other dogs and his whole body wiggles with excitement as he approaches them.  

The funniest thing about Rocco is that he really loves to lay on soft things.  He would much prefer a soft bed or a blanket to the hard ground.  He is always looking for ways to get into our older dog's bed and in the kitchen he will snag a dish towel to lie on if he can. 

So, if you loves walks, have a soft place to lay, and a few squeaky toys, Rocco just might be the dog for you.

Don't wait! Click here and fill out an adoption application today!

Pet of the Week, Hannah!

Meet Hannah! She is our gentle giant and is looking for her forever home.

She's been with us for a few months now, but is still a little nervous around people. She's more nervous around strange men, but she is getting better everyday. Typically, when new people come over to her foster home, she will leave the room and lay in her kennel. She knows her kennel as her safe spot and is comfortable there. After she's had a chance to assess the situation, she will come out to see what's going on. Usually, her curiosity gets the best of her and she will come out and lay down near everyone. 


Hannah has spent time in homes with other dogs, large and small and has gotten along well with all. At this time, she does not know how to play though. She will watch her foster brothers play and get excited about it, but has yet to join in. We have a feeling that it won't take long for her to let her hair down and play with the boys!


Hannah really enjoys being with her foster family. She will follow them around and wait patiently for head pats or belly rubs. She is a very affectionate lady, she just needs some time to adjust to strangers. Hannah is still learning how to walk on leash. She is getting really good at it, too. She seems to be a little bit nervous about side-walks and can get startled by vehicles, so her foster home tries to stick to pathways where it is quieter.


As of right now, Hannah has not met any cats and only a few children at PetSmart. She did not seem to mind the children, however she would likely be best suited to a home with older kids who understand that sometimes she is shy and nervous.


Hannah is a very calm lady and is looking for a home that can fill her with confidence and can understand that she likes to take things slowly.


If you haven't met Hannah yet, watch our website to see when she'll be at Chinook PetSmart for you to meet her. Or, if you think you might be her forever home, fill out an application today! She can't wait!

Running with your pet can keep you motivated and healthy!

ARF rescues stray and abandoned dogs and cats from rural areas and First Nations communities and places them in loving permanent homes while providing programs to reduce pet over-population. Many of our animals are rescued with medical conditions and require special care due to malnutrition, injury or disease. They all receive the necessary treatment and recover in the safety of a foster home before meeting their forever families.

It is widely known that having a companion animal in your home has many health benefits. Typically, dog owners have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, they live longer, have higher survival rates after serious illness and are generally happier compared to non-dog owners, so it’s not surprising that owning a dog, especially an active one, can provide you with a great source of inspiration and motivation. Needless to say, it’s not a shock to find out that we have some former ARF dogs helping their new owners train for various races in the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon on May 29th.

First I found Dawn. She is a volunteer with ARF and has just recently rescued her second ARF dog. She will be running the Centaur Subaru Half Marathon and by run day, this will be her 3rd half marathon this year. Her first ARF dog, Lacey (at left), came into ARF’s care under a year old, severely emaciated and with a litter of pups. Lacey and her pups were cared for and she was nursed back to health by her foster home. Dawn originally went to visit one of Lacey’s puppies and was playing with puppy Bently when Lacey came up to her, gave her a kiss and pressed her forhead against Dawn’s; they went home and filled out an application for Lacey that night.

With recent addition, Bumper (below), it was a little different. Bumper was also picked up by ARF as a stray. This poor little guy had been hit by a car, possibly several times. Lucky for him, he had no serious injuries, just strains and bruises. Dawn came to an ARF adopt-a-thon looking for more information on fostering dogs, with a long-term goal of finding a suitable companion for Lacey. Bumper and Lacey got along well when they met, so it was decided that Dawn would foster Bumper. It became apparent quickly that Bumper was going to be their next addition; they couldn’t bear to think about someone else adopting him, so they signed his adoption papers right away!

Dawn has been running more or less since she was in elementary school, but after graduating from high-school she stopped. Lately, she has been suffering from back and neck injuries as well as Endometriosis. Staying home in bed due to pain was not a life she wanted to live, so last year, she started to run again.

Like most people, Dawn enjoys running with her dogs. The dogs don’t care about pace or mileage and they remind her to enjoy what she’s out there for and sometimes, it’s really nice to run just for the sake of running. She says that they are her biggest motivation. Especially on days it’s really hard to get out. But with two sets of big brown eyes staring at her, it’s almost impossible to say no. They also encourage her to try new things; the different experiences running on pathways and hilly parks keep the dogs learning and keep her body in tip-top shape.

Not only is running with your dogs beneficial to you, but it’s also beneficial to them. Lacey has severe separation anxiety and Dawn finds that Lacey tends to have better days on run days. It has also helped Bumper with his fear of traffic. As noted above, he was hit by a car and since developed a fear of cars. Since he started running with Dawn, she has seen his confidence around moving traffic improve and he is getting better every day. The runs are great for the dogs because they get to work together and learn new things, like how to run with a coupler attaching the two leashes. At first it was very confusing for them, but they soon got it figured out and were running perfectly side-by-side.

Next I found Karen and Oliver (at left). Oliver is helping Karen train for the Jugo Juice 10K on May 29th. Karen adopted Oliver about a year ago. Oliver and his sister (Stella, below) came to ARF as an abandoned litter and the day Karen met him, she fell in love straight away. He is smart, cute, quirky and fun. What more could she want? He settled in to their home with two cats almost immediately and they haven’t looked back. Karen started running in the fall of 2010 and this will be her first official 10K race. She started running with friends for general fitness and loves the early morning experience along the river pathways.

Oliver only runs with her once per week because he is still growing, but she enjoys the runs she has with him immensely. She feels safer having him around and he has learned quickly how to keep pace and remain at her side when they are out and he loves the outdoors and physical activity. He is still a puppy though and occasionally gets distracted by a rabbit, but that is to be expected and he’s learning. She also believes running and working as a team strengthens their relationship. Because Oliver is such an active dog, taking him to different places keeps Karen on her toes. They enjoy running in and around Edworthy Park, but they also run the Douglas Fir Trail, so they are constantly changing up their terrain and running hills and rocky areas as well as paved pathways.

There are quite a few other ARF dogs that train with their owners and we always hear inspiring stories from our adopters. There is no doubt about it, rescue dogs truly know when they’ve found their forever home.

If you would like more information on how your two feet can help four paws visit our website at www.arf.ab.ca or recruit your friends to run for ARF's Rescue Runners or donate online!

Pet of the Week

 Hi, My name is Gypsy. I’ve been in foster care with ARF for a little while now, so they thought it would be nice if I introduced myself and let you know what I’m like. I’m about 3 years old and I had moved into a garage so I could have a litter of kittens. The people let me live there for a little while, but then I had to go. ARF took me in and found out that I really like people! I love to cuddle and get attention from people and I’m very inquisitive. I’m not afraid of new people coming into the house and after I satisfy my curiosity about them, I usually just curl up for a nap.

I love to play with bags; plastic, paper, it doesn’t matter. I love to jump into them and see what’s inside! I also like to burrow under newspaper, but my favorite toy is one of those circular tracks that has a ball inside… man, I could bat that thing around all day long!

I get along with other cats and kittens, no problems there, but I don’t know how I feel about dogs.

Well, that’s about it. If you think you have room for a beautiful and affectionate feline like me, fill out an application for me today! I hope to see you soon!

Love Gypsy