By Marc Lostracco

Photos by Marc Lostracco/Torontoist.

With the recent completion of a swanky new dog park in Allan Gardens arose the installation of two gigantic fibreglass mutts, and though they may seem like they came from a lawn ornament production line, the man behind them is already known for his quirky statuary around Toronto.
Rendered in a completely natural neon blue and green, the plastic pooches and their creepy, anthropomorphic eyes are the work of artist Stephen Cruise. Montreal-born Cruise is probably best known for uniform measure/STACK, the huge bronze thimble perched atop six buttons at Richmond and Spadina. Other notable works by the sculptor are the Places In A Book series along Spadina, a major commission for Trudeau Park, the tile art in Don Mills station, and Room 412 at the Gladstone Hotel.
Despite its somewhat cheap theme-park-mascot vibe, the piece is strangely charming and a highly visible reminder along Carlton Street that fleabag fidos need playgrounds too. Entitled Animalis (latin for “having breath or soul”), the double dogs loom over their more animate counterparts, who frequently christen the concrete podiums with a lifted leg. Everyone’s a critic.