Profile: Gracie

Gracie's with some potential adopters in the play room at Toronto Animal Services. They're a young couple, comfortable and experienced around dogs, who are looking to add another member to their family. Gracie walks calmly between the man, who gives her wholehearted pets, and the woman who checks Gracie's teeth, ears, paws and then gives her a hug. Gracie submits to the examination without complaint and wags her tail at the pets and leans into the woman's hug. The couple smile and clap their hands at Gracie and give her more pets and hugs. You can tell just by looking at them that they've already decided they want to take Gracie home.

This doesn't bode well for the two other families waiting outside the play room, looking in, who have also come for Gracie. The first come, first served policy means they'll have to wait for the decision of the couple in the room with Gracie. The second family's young girl is looking disappointed. The third family don't really think they stand a chance and start looking at the other dogs in the adoption room.

The first couple consult with the vet tech and mention that they have a cat. Does anyone know Gracie's behaviour around cats? The vet tech says no but they can find out quickly enough. There's a room full of cats just next door. So, they take Gracie into the cat room. No riotous noises come through the door of the cat room but still, when everyone walks back out a few minutes later, the woman looks crestfallen. Gracie didn't appear to like cats much or maybe she liked them too much. Either way, she failed the cat test and the young couple decide to leave her behind.

Ten minutes later, the second family with the now very happy daughter, is filling out Gracie's adoption forms. Gracie, for her part, is giving the little girl sloppy kisses.