I came across Redemption Paws while looking up animal charities in Toronto, and to my delight, discovered that they had their very own tarot deck for sale! No, I really do not need a new tarot deck for my collection. And yes, I realize I already have a ton of animal-themed decks on my shelves. But: while I’ve seen (and very much appreciate) indie tarot creators who donate to animal charities, this is the first time I’ve seen an animal charity itself produce a deck. Which means that instead of 5-10% of the proceeds going to the charity, I figure the full profit from this deck must go to supporting this dog rescue’s work, right? Plus, the art is cute, and the shop happened to be on Black Friday sale when I checked, so I figured I may as well go for it.

No regrets. The deck came in the mail today, and already I’m in love. They’re standard tarot size, in a tuck box, and they riffle shuffle really easily. A quick note to beginners that the deck does not come with a guide, so you may need to look up card meanings online (I recommend Biddy Tarot).

Illustrated by artist Fikri Hidajat, this deck features colourful and playful doggy riffs on traditional RWS imagery. Take for example the anthropomorphic royals and court cards. The Empress has her sceptre and sheafs of wheat, and the Emperor has his majestic backdrop of mountains. And I don’t know why, but the floppy hats and serious expressions on the Page of Pentacles and the Page of Cups make me laugh.

My favourite cards though are the ones where dogs are just being dogs, without the anthropomorphism. How adorably silly is this Fool? How fiercely protective is this pup in the 7 of Wands? And how much does the 9 of Cups doggy’s joy burst beyond the card’s borders?

I also love how the artist reimagined the Strength card. Not sure what kind of dog this is, or why they’re carrying a little pup in a sling, but the posture reminds me of those St Bernard rescue dogs who carry life-saving supplies up mountains. That’s clearly not what’s going on in this card, but I feel like this dog conveys a similar kind of strength in carrying a pup like this.

And of course, superhero doggo flying along with the wands in the 8 of wands. How adorable is that cape???

And finally, the 10 of Pentacles card is heartwarming in its depiction of a dog who has found lasting comfort and security with their trusted human. I do admit that as someone who lives with cats, this card also made me giggle. I feel like associating family and legacy with a beloved human is such a dog thing; my cat-themed decks may show cats lounging on pillows or enjoying saucers of milk, but I don’t think human beings tend to feature in them at all? Sigh…

Anyway, if you’re in the mood for a new tarot deck, or thinking of giving one as a gift, if you’re a dog lover and especially if you’re in the Toronto area looking to support a local animal charity this holiday season, the Redemption Paws tarot deck is available online for only CAD32. That’s similar in price or cheaper to a lot of mass market decks, and it’s for a good cause!