Ethical Puppy Sourcing
When you think about adding puppies to a yoga class, it’s natural to wonder where they come from and how their backgrounds affect the experience. Ethical puppy yoga starts with ensuring that the puppies involved come from rescue organizations like ours that prioritize animal welfare over profit. This means avoiding renting puppies from breeders. Using puppies who have been well-socialized that live a life outside of classes and are in good health supports a genuinely joyful and compassionate atmosphere for everyone involved. Our commitment to that maintains the integrity in this unique practice and ensures puppies are not exploited.
Background Verification: We can confirm the background of the puppies in Pilates and Yoga because we are both the rescue organization AND the studio where the classes are held. We do not rent our puppies from breeders, having them dropped off in the morning for classes then picked up at the end of the day.
Health Screening: Our Pudgy Puppies have come into our care after being mistreated, neglected, starved and/or disposed of. After rescue they immediately go to the vet to be evaluated. If they need to stay at the vet then they do, if they can be treated through our medical fosters where they can be more comfortable then at the vet. Once they are back to health and vaccinated only then do they come to class.
Socialization Exposure: Puppies have socialization exposure all day every day as they live in foster homes where they are part of the family and engage in the daily life. Making sure they are not just brought out of the whelping pen to attend classes then returned ensures that the puppies don’t experience any stress during class.
Avoiding Overuse: Puppies should not be involved in yoga sessions excessively, as this can lead to fatigue and anxiety. Our puppies only do 2 classes a day and no more. They are given lots of downtime, their meal times stay the same and classes work around them not vice versa. They have their own suite filled with everything to make them comfortable so they can rest.
Making sure puppies come from ethical sources isn’t just about good intentions—it’s the cornerstone for a genuine, enriching puppy yoga experience. When puppies are healthy, happy, and respected, the joy becomes contagious. Your participation contributes to a cycle of care and kindness that extends far beyond the yoga mats.
We are an example of Ethical Puppy Sourcing in Action
We are the only puppy yoga studio in Toronto that exclusively uses rescue puppies that have been rescued and rehabilitated by us. Ticket price goes directly to those efforts with the goal of getting the babies healthy, happy and ready for their forever home.
