TIFF’s biggest stars have been sharing the spotlight with a much furrier group of scene-stealers this year (and honestly we can’t decide who we adore more). Toronto rescue puppies have been hanging out at the celebrity portrait studio inside NKPR’s TIFF IT House downtown, where visiting stars have been stopping by for photo-ops and some serious puppy cuddling. And yes, they’re available for adoption (the dogs, not the celebs).
Courteney Cox, Sebastian Stan, Ayo Edebiri, Josh Hartnett, Sarah Paulson, Jon Hamm, Zooey Deschanel, Anna Kendrick, Luke Evans, Megan Rapinoe and Mackenzie Davis are just a few of the stars who have posed with the pups during studio visits throughout the festival season!
The puppies come from Project Paws Dog Rescue, a volunteer-run non-profit organization from Barrie that rescues dogs and helps place them in permanent homes. So, if you’re looking for your next four-legged friend, Dougie, Ziggy, Ash and Willie are among the pups currently listed for adoption as of publication!
The shepherd-husky puppies came to the rescue from a remote community in Manitoba as part of a litter of nine with their mom, Zena. Project Paws says the pups are still young enough that the rescue is learning more about their individual personalities, but their foster families are already working on crate and potty training (oh, and there are also a few more seasoned dogs in the mix, like Loki, a 9-year-old chi mix).
Each puppy has an adoption fee of $975, and interested adopters can apply directly through the Project Paws website. The TIFF puppy visits are doing some additional good, too: a donation is made to Artists for Peace and Justice for every celebrity who stops by the studio!
You can see all the cute pics by following @projectpawsdogrescue.