We’re well into the new year and that means we’re well into planning a couple of new fundraising events that we’re really excited about, and we think you will be too! As we get closer to the dates we’ll be sure to fill you in on the details.

What we can tell you right now is that this year our October gala will benefit the CTVRC (Central Toronto Veterinary Referral Clinic), located at 1051 Eglinton Ave W, York, ON.

The CTVRC has recently paired with the Canadian Animal Blood Bank to become a hub for blood collection and distribution to dogs across central and eastern Canada.

Their first blood collection clinic is happening Tuesday May 8^th. They are looking for young (1-8 year old) dogs that weigh over 23 kg (50 lbs) and are healthy, up-to-date with their vaccines and even-tempered. They ask that owners check with their veterinarian to ensure their pet is a good candidate (can be done over the phone if they are up-to-date on their vaccines). All qualifying and interested candidates should call the CTVRC at 416-784-4444 to schedule a time for collection.

During collection a small area on the dogs neck is shaved and 450 mL of blood is collected. The dogs are not sedated during this process, but it is not painful for them. The blood is then sent to the Canadian Animal Blood Bank for processing.

All dogs that donate will be given free microchip identification, a bandana, and a blood donor tag. They will also be able to receive a free unit of blood for each unit donated, if needed in their lifetime. For more information check out www.rrc.mb.ca

In the meantime, stay tuned for an upcoming big announcement regarding #PawsGala this year!

Firstly we want to extend a big thank you to everyone who came out to #PawsParklife on Saturday in Trinity Bellwoods. It was a huge success with over 100 dogs washed and over $1,000 raised.

Photo by JJ Thompson

We would also like to extend a special thank you to our wonderful volunteers, ET Canada’s Rick Campanelli and Angie Smith for hosting our event, the Queen West Animal Hospital for the expert advice and food, and Barkastic for the treats.

The most exciting part, though? We trended! Social media geeks will appreciate our trending status reported by @TrendsToronto.

Please be sure to drool over these amazing puppy photos courtesy of JJ Thompson (click here) + Ryan Emberley (click here).

Also, when you have a moment, go check out our new website! www.pawsforthecause.ca. High fives to Amanda Buchanan, Ed Knight and Andrew Kontra.

Last but not least, a few words on the Ontario Veterinary College. On Monday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with J. Paul Woods, Diplomate ACVIM for Internal Medicine, Oncology and the team behind the Pet Trust Fund. I spent the day touring the small animal hospital and can I tell you this much – our donations matter. I saw a dog getting an MRI, a dog just out of chemotherapy, I watched a radiologist examine brain scans to determine if there’s a tumour and I met a room full of cats and Sebastian the parrot who are resident blood donors. It was overwhelming to be in a place where everyone around you values the life of an animal as much as human lives. It was definitely a happy place for me. I am relieved to see where our money is going because these animals are sick and helpless without it.

Get your tickets for our gala yet? /events/. There may, just may, be something special happening for early buyers

Laura Serra
Founder

Hopefully by now you’ve tried our #PawsLemonade: on sale every Friday and Saturday throughout the summer. We’ve started our chef series with Chef Cory Vitiello from Harbord Room who served up a divine Strawberry Basil Mint Cilantro concoction last Saturday. This Friday we welcome food expert Jessica Allen and her homemade lemonade. Jessica is the incredibly funny and witty voice behind Foodie and the Beast, she is a freelance writer, she works at Macleans magazine, and last by not least, she is the editor of the new Terroni Magazine.

John Steinberg & Associates salon owner Paul Narciso and featured chef of the day, Cory Vitiello

And hopefully we’ll see you at #PawsParklife on Saturday! After all the hype, it’s finally here. Please join us in Trinity Bellwoods from noon to 5 p.m. where we will wash your dog while you talk to vets, try the Fetching.ca exercises, and mingle with fellow dog lovers. We also welcome Kerry Ford, educator and holistic wellness consultant, who will be on site to talk about dog health. Kerry is also our guest blogger this week, so please take a read below about the mind-blowing alternative medicine she does with animals.

See you Friday at #PawsLemonade or Saturday at #PawsParklife.

xo
Laura
Founder

- Old Dog. New Tricks -
Neuroplasticy What??
By Kerry Ford, R.H.N.

July 11th, 2011
Paws for the Cause

As it turns out, you can teach an old dog new tricks. That, along with a few other mind bending theories, will have you looking at your retriever in a whole new light.
We’ve all been made very aware, through bumper stickers and t-shirts, and our ever-present catch phrases, that a dog is man’s best friend. We also know that we get quite a lot out of having our four-legged pals around. Yes, dogs have the proven ability to emotionally and physically heal the sick in hospital settings, lower blood pressure when were under stress, provide care as service dogs and guard dogs can even help us heal faster from mere physical contact with them. Their presence can catalyze great health benefits. How is this possible?
Dogs are profound creatures; there is something about them, unseen, that draws us to their energy and we intuitively connect. As it happens, there are scientifically proven reasons for why and how this happens.
Dog’s have the innate ability to heal us on a very deep level.

Shamans, who work almost solely on heart- mind instinct (read Stephen Harrod Buhner’s work to blow your mind) and intuition (right brain) – which is really just a function of the heart-mind itself – know the inner workings of plants as medicine and can communicate with them and heal through them because of this ability. We all have this ability to connect to and heal through nature. Our connectivity to our dogs is a great example of this.
Yes, we feed them, water them, walk them, pet them, love them and anthropomorphize them to death – but, animals are healers unto themselves.

As in every relationship we have in life, where the teacher appears in the form of a partner, your dog is your teacher, your mirror, and can reflect back to you an issue in your life. Is there aggression or fear present with your dog? This is often a sign of fear. Are they startled easily? Do they have separation anxiety? Do they worry, attach to you, attack when others walk in the room? Are they timid and shy? Do they have no desire to play? Chew the furniture? Do they lead you? Can you make a parallel?

Your dog will feed off of your energy until you decide to take the reins and change the tides. Being the spirit guides that they are, they also know when to enter your life, and when to make the transition out of it. In coping with this difficult time, know that they are also around in spirit to guide you once they have made their physical exit. In fact, they are more powerful than ever in this new space and time.
They serve a purpose for us, far beyond the scope of dinner companion, running mate, or makeshift pillow.
As humans, we function on left and right brain activity, although our modern world as stunted a great portion of our right brain capacity – our ability to remain in the present moment, creative, intuitive and tapped in to the universal consciousness.

Your dog functions almost solely on right brain activity. They are creatures of the now, not the past. They function on intuition, not on logical (analytical, reductionist) thought processes. For example, a dog can sense a thunderstorm an hour away or sense when a massive natural disaster is about to occur and will run for the hills while we remain behind wondering where they went.

A dog’s capacity to engage intuition and access information coming at them from outside their own bodies and minds is an important gift. They are here to help us tap into that knowing. We bi-pedals also have this gift. Over years of left brain conditioning through our civilized existence and educational and social rituals, we have lost the strength in this muscle. The good news is: we can rebuild it!

Ever heard of a brain science called Neuroplasticity? Simply put, it’s the brain’s ability to act and re-act in ever changing ways, which allows us to regain the strength in our right brain by engaging and re-engaging new neural pathways.

We tend to use the same neural pathways every day. As the grooves get deeper along these pathways, our habits, belief systems and thought processes get more deeply engrained, like the grooves on a record player. At the same time, our scope of learning and growing decreases outside these parameters. Our right brain enhances creativity, intuition, imagination, reconnection with earth and our space in it, our ability to detect imbalance in ourselves and those around us, and our innate ability to heal. It can be rebuilt.

There is an energetic, non-invasive healing modality called Bodytalk – which works not only with humans, but animals of all types – to heal the body at the very core of our issues. It is a therapy that allows the body’s energy systems to be re-synchronized, so they can operate as nature intended, by focusing on the communications of the body at a cellular level and reintegrating balance in those internal systems to heal any imbalances. It uses the intuitive and innate healing ability of your own body, to heal itself. The beautiful part of the therapy is that it can be used on your dog. In fact, your dog can be used as an integrative part of the therapy to heal themselves, you, your relationships, or an unbalanced family dynamic. The dog is often a conduit to the owner, the child, or the family as a whole. This is the power of your pooch, and a great example of the powerful connection we have to them.

We have a vast many connections with our canine friends: they bring life and light where there is a void. They are the furry embodiments of unconditional love and understanding. They are teachers and guides: we have more in common with them than we care to understand.

If we can honour them in this capacity, we have also honoured our own ability to grow and evolve to our own full potential as humans.

In the name of science and the love from man’s best friend, you CAN, in fact, teach an old dog new tricks; thankfully for us, our four-legged angels have a whole lot of patience.

Anthro ~PAW +Lo’Gie
Kerry Ford, R.H.N.
Holistic Wellness Consultant, Educator
anthropawlogie@gmail.com

Kerry is a holistic wellness consultant and educator in the Toronto area with a longstanding background in holistic health modalities that include: Holistic nutrition (CSSN Honors Graduate), Bodytalk energetic therapies (Boydtalk Access, Mindscape), yogic nutrition, yoga and meditation sciences, raw food Alchemy, Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, and holistic and environmental care for humans and animals.

After losing her beloved 4 legged angel, Jazz, Kerry became abundantly aware of the strong connection that exists between animal and human and the incredible capacity that animals have to intuitively heal them and us as a collective.

Kerry currently practices in the Parkdale and surrounding areas, as a holistic nutritional consultant and educator to man and their best friend. She is currently attaining full certification in Bodytalk Energetic Healing Therapeutics with a focus on integrative healing for animals and their people.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and kept your pups cool and hydrated. On the Paws camp, we have a few exciting events on the horizon:

#PawsLemonade is back in business this Friday, July 8 at noon. We will be up and running every Friday and Saturday until Labour Day. Also launching this weekend, we’ll have local chefs and food bloggers featuring their own lemonade. Kicking off our foodie series is Chef Cory Vitiello from Harbord Room. He’ll be at the Paws Lemonade stand on Saturday, July 9, serving up their special brew. Click here for the info.

Tom Green at #PawsLemonade

#PawsParklife is almost here! Our first annual summer event in Trinity Bellwoods is July 16. We’ll have wash and grooming stations by donation. Make sure you swing by and check us out. We’ll be in the park from noon until 5 p.m. Stay tuned for more details on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, keep an eye out for the launch of our new website set to hit the interwebs on July 16.

On to more important news: our benefactor, the Ontario Veterinary College’s Pet Trust Fund. They submitted 26 research grant proposals for their winter trials in the following areas:

Cancer (7)
Diagnostic modalities (4)
Preventative health (2)
Therapeutics, pharmacology and toxicology (7)
Infectious allergy/immune mediated disease (3)
Surgery (2)
Behaviour/human animal bond (1)

A total of $517,940 in research funds was requested and $306,106 has tentatively been awarded to fund the highest ranking proposals.

In addition to our Paws for the Cause “Chloe” Award which will be granted to a veterinary student, a large part of our focus this year is the importance of the human and animal bond. We are very happy to announce that the Pet Trust fund supports a variety of projects in this area, including:

• Evaluating the benefits of service dogs for children with autism

• Looking at animal visitation programs in Ontario hospitals from a couple of different perspectives: can dogs be reservoirs for infection, and is visiting a human hospital hazardous to a pet’s health?

• How socialization and positive attention — a little TLC — can alter an animal’s perception of pain in a clinical setting and its impact on the effectiveness of pain relief medication

• Improving veterinarian-client communications, particularly in emotionally charged situations such as discussing euthanasia or the financial costs of treatment

Other studies at OVC:

• Focusing on the human-animal bond in terms of animal abandonment and pet surrender.  With the number of animals being placed in shelters steadily increasing, we hope to unveil the reasons upon why animals are being surrendered and the science between the human-animal bond in those circumstances.

• Studying the effects of pet ownership on young people who are homeless or at risk. The researcher believes pet ownership and the impact of the human-animal bond may be a factor in determining prospects for surviving homelessness or perhaps in the drive towards stabilizing lives.

If you have any questions, please email us at info@pawsforthecause.ca

See you at the lemonade stand,

Laura Serra
Founder

 

Getting aquantited.

Committee member @BestinShowFloyd has arrived on set.

Little Teo was a total natural.

The brilliant Bensimon Byrne team.

Bill has arrived. Dog gives good face.

Oh Eddie, you so fine.

But wait! There’s more — check out our Facebook page at Facebook.com/PawsfortheCause to see the rest. A big thanks to everyone involved. Stay tuned for the big reveal.

As you can see, our website is under construction – don’t fret, we should be up and running by mid-July. Speaking of mid-July, don’t forget about our Paws Parklife summer event being held on July 16 in Trinity Bellwoods. Swing by the park around noon – you won’t miss us – and get your dog groomed, chat with a vet, and hang out with other friendly dog-owners who are supporting our cause. We promise it will be a worthwhile venture and a taste of what’s to come at our big bash in October.

While our site is getting a makeover, please tune into our Twitter channel, @pawsforthecause (and our spokespup @BestinShowFloyd), since that is where we will release all new information. If you haven’t already, we’d love to be friends with you on Facebook, too: www.facebook.com/pawsforthecause.

Now onto today’s blog. We received so much feedback from last week’s dog rescue posting that we wanted to offer you one more story. Meet our friend Alex Nikolajev and read her heartfelt tale of how a good intention to rescue a puppy was left with disappointment.

Thanks for reading,

Laura Serra

Founder

–

They don’t call it a process for nothing.

I was 19-years-old when I adopted my first dog from the Toronto Humane Society. She was a senior schnauzer-poodle mix – a schnoodle named Curlie. She was most likely surrendered by a puppy mill that no longer had use for her and prior to coming in to my home, she was adopted and returned three times. She had many temperamental issues and the homes couldn’t handle them.

Curlie

When I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one. Although she was a dog who was so weary of people and hesitant to trust, she leaped in to my arms during our first meeting and was so friendly that even the Humane Society volunteer was shocked. It was a done deal. When she passed away last year I knew it wasn’t the end of our love affair.

She opened my eyes to a world where millions of dogs are surrendered, abandoned or returned and are looking for a new forever home. It is why I’ve waited to adopt once again, recognizing that the time of my life must compliment the time to build a relationship.

Now that I’ve been working from home and living with my significant other in a condominium, we’ve decided that the time is right to bring a new addition to our family. Being 25 and still enjoying my youth, we decided upon a rescue dog before taking the big step and procreating.

After three months of looking we finally found the perfect little guy – a Maltese/shih tzu puppy from Loyal Rescue Inc. I completed our application and pushed submit, both nervous and excited to begin the process. I received a follow up email from the foster mom a couple days later and we arranged a telephone interview.

The questions were tough, my answers were challenged and the legitimacy of my experiences was verified through a detailed reference screening of past vets and dog-owning friends. Like any interview process, I overanalyzed my responses, harassed my references about their conversations with the organization and convinced myself over and over they were not interested in us.

Mowgli

Three days later, I received a call that we had been approved for a home inspection.  Relief and anxiety ensued. Was my home dog-friendly? Were we truly prepared to care for this little guy? The responsibility was overwhelming until I remembered that little face – my focus quickly realigned.

I narrowed in on what needed to change: no more flat iron on the floor, laundry detergent needed to be stored high and exposed wire covers were a thing of the past. My boyfriend and I did a walkabout of our own home and determined what we’d have to puppy-proof.

The home inspector came, along with her dog to sniff out the joint, and she was surprisingly impressed. She told me we had, “nothing to worry about.” This left me elated. I thought we were done and had secured the precious pooch. We were eager to bring our baby home.

When I received the final piece of the puzzle, an email from Loyal, I jumped for joy – again we had been approved. I immediately assumed it was for the dog of our choice (obviously). After finishing the email and scrolling down to the bottom, they let me know the pup of our choice had been approved for another family – one living in a house on an acre of land. Apparently they felt he was more of a ‘country’ dog than a ‘city’ dog.  After the tears, the fury and the acceptance ensued, I finally made peace with the decision.

I realized that while we couldn’t change our living circumstance in the short-term, the organization made the decision that best suited the dog and his needs. They also felt that when the right dog did come along, we would be a great fit.

I won’t lie, the process was long, complex and invasive. I appreciate the detail these volunteers put in to it, as they truly work to find the best home for each and every dog.  Although we are disappointed this time, we are happy to be approved and will continue our search with this organization and others.

Despite the final outcome, we both agreed, without a doubt, that we’d go through it all over again if it meant the chance to find a furry new friend. We know the perfect pooch is out there and I know my little angel Curlie is helping us along the way.

Alex Nikolajev

Twitter: @lexniko // blog: imalittle.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Email us at info@pawsforthecause.ca

I’m not much of an advice giver, per se, so I thought I would simply write about my experience as a rescue dog owner. Take from it what you will.

I first saw her on Petfinder.com: A wee little thing, just 10 weeks old. Found in a box, and abandoned with her mother, this sweet puppy was being fostered but was in desperate need of a forever home. Her story broke my heart, and her sweet little face sealed her fate (and mine): I was going to give her that forever home. I promised myself that if she came home with me, I would always have treats for her.

When I told my friends and family that I intended to adopt a rescue dog, I received mixed reactions. Although most of my friends were supportive and squealed, some definitely questioned my sanity. The words “rescue dogs have issues” were uttered. Like humans who have been through the ringer, rescue dogs often have emotional baggage – even my father was thoroughly unimpressed and asked me if I had considered taking meds. I believe his words were, “Oh Amy – just get a fish.”

According to the naysayers, a dog shouldn’t live in an apartment, it should live in a big house, with a big yard, and lots of space to run and play. It needs more than one owner, preferably a family, to take care of it. I don’t have any of those things. Apparently single women with demanding jobs have no business adopting a puppy – not surprisingly, I disagree with the naysayers. Thankfully, so did the rescue group that screened me so thoroughly I thought I was in a police interrogation room.

A member of The Dog Rescuers Inc. spoke to me at length on the phone after receiving my application for “Sicily,” a Beagle / Black Lab mix puppy. Once they ascertained that I legitimately wanted to adopt Sicily and didn’t want to BBQ her, they arranged for a home visit. They jiggled cabinet doors, pulled at electrical cords, opened my closets and went through my home, pointing out what would need to be “puppy-fied” if I was approved for adoption. It felt like a yard sale – at one point, I considered asking them if they wanted my coffee table.

After a long conversation about what it takes to be a committed dog owner, I was told I was approved to bring Sicily home. The thoroughness of this rescue organization made me feel good about my decision to adopt from them. They don’t just give you a dog because you want one: They make 100% sure you’re the right kind of person.

When I went to pick up Sicily, it was the first time I had ever seen her in the flesh (or rather, in the fur). One look at those big brown eyes, floppy ears, and single white paw, and I was done like dinner. The person I was picking her up from indicated that she was quite timid, might not be great around kids, and not the most outgoing. I didn’t care. I had a feeling they were wrong about her – call it an instinct.

Now named “Lily”, this ball of fur has been my four-legged partner in crime for just over two weeks and she is a completely different dog. She loves kids, she loves to play, is super vocal, and is the life of the party in her Puppy Pupils class (run by the wonderful dog-trainers at Follow The Leader). If a dog comes out of its shell when it is comfortable and secure, then I think it’s safe to say Lily is ridiculously happy. She is sweet and funny, and I could not love her more if I tried.

I will say, however, that I am totally exhausted. My work has suffered because I often work from home and am distracted by a needy puppy. At four-months-old, Lily is teething and crate training at the same time. She hates the crate more than I hate fennel (that’s a lot), and she has major separation anxiety. Sometimes when she howls, I join her. The first week I had her she howled so much that I bought Starbucks gift-cards for the neighbors on my floor to apologize for the noise and thank them for their patience. Sigh.

Having a puppy is HARD WORK, and every now and then I look at her and think maybe I’m not so good at this. Lily obviously thinks otherwise: Although her English language skills are sub-par, she just.this.second rested her head on my lap, snuggled into my hip and started snoring. I think that means I’m doing just fine.

My apartment may not have an ‘east wing,’ but there is plenty of room for Lily to play. The forest is just a block away, and it is huge. We go there every morning to run and explore. Watching her smell every single thing and discover her new turf is amazing. Without her tugging me into the woods, I wouldn’t have seen that huge patch of Lily of the Valley – now a bunch sits on my kitchen table.

Before Lily was in my life, you couldn’t wake me unless you played the cymbals next to my head and when you did wake me, I might have tried to punch you. Now I get up early willingly, waking to a sweet little face, excited to see me and dying to play. Not too early, though. I’ve been blessed with a dog that likes to sleep-in. Oh yes, I’m bragging.

I chose to rescue a dog over going to a breeder because in my ever so humble opinion, homeless animals need us more. These sweet little beings ended up alone and miserable through no fault of their own, and it doesn’t take much to give them a good life. A dog doesn’t care about your Eames chair or your skylight, he just wants someone to feed him, provide him with shelter, and love him forever without question.

At the end of the day, my adoption wasn’t approved because of the size of roof – it was about the size of my heart.

- Amy Miller, Toronto, ON

Have an idea for the Paws blog and want to be featured? Email us at info@pawsforthecause.ca

1. Louis Vuitton fall/winter campaign

We always knew that high-fashion and highly cute pups went hand and hand and now Marc Jacobs does, too. According to WWD, dozens of canines auditioned but only seven pedigreed pairs made the cut.

2. The Drool Hunter

The only thing the Paws team loves more than Carli Mia is her blog. What can you expect there? News and Pawlitics (the dish on breeders and such), Dog Bite (recipes!) and of course some Doggy Style (get your mind of the gutter. Or leave it in there, but we’re talking about clothing for pets). You can also follow her on Twitter @TheDroolHunter.

3. Miles to Style

Second to helping dogs, the Paws team is also pretty into fashion. Okay who are we kidding, most of us either work in fashion or spend our days glossing over magazines, scouring fashion websites and blogs, or tweeting our latest outfits or shoe purchases, etc. etc. You get the idea. Boy, were we happy to find the Miles to Style blog because it combines our two favourite things with unique ideas that are on trend. If you’re a fan of matching outfits with your dog, her Miles & Me photos will be the perfect inspiration.

4. The Pet Network 

This Twitter feed is perfect for people looking for a resource on global news, issues and events about pets.  On their website they feature online webisodes, “Pet Docs” and one four-part series on police dog squads is particularly worth watching >> click here.

5. Dog Casting

We receive an overload of emails from dog lovers looking to have their most precious pups featured in our ad campaigns or in our runway show. You think Beyonce’s a diva? No way. We deal with real b*tches – just look at the doodoo we have to deal with:

–
As you can see, we like to have fun over here at Paws for the Cause

Here at Paws, we are constantly talking about the inexplicable bond we share with our pets – the five new Purina Hall of Fame inductees are a fine example of the power behind this connection and how the love of an animal can warm your heart and save a life.

Here are their stories:

Alexis and Moose

Moose from Trenton, Ontario

Moose, a lovable two-year-old Whippet, alerted owner Jolene Sararas in the nick of time. Jolene was in the kitchen watching her three-year-old daughter Alexis, who was playing in the backyard with Moose. Moose ran into the kitchen to get Jolene’s attention and after numerous attempts, began barking and jumping furiously in the backyard. This uncharacteristic behaviour finally got Jolene’s attention and she proceeded to the backyard to find Alexis with her neck caught in their wire gate. Jolene frantically freed her from the gate but Alexis was barely conscious. She was taken to the nearest hospital, and luckily, suffered no permanent injuries. Moose is no longer considered an “ordinarily smart” Whippet in the Sararas household – they now call him “Moose the Wonder Dog.”

Scooter and Missy from Cherhill, Alberta

Scooter, a 12-year-old Australian Cattle Dog and Missy, a six-year-old Border Collie, saved Glenda Mosher from a potentially fatal cow attack. While herding, the cow suddenly turned and charged at Glenda. The cow was relentless in her attack, but before it turned fatal, Scooter and Missy courageously intervened. In an effort to rescue Glenda, Scooter jumped at the cow and nipped her on the nose, and Missy – the more docile of the two dogs – bit the cow’s hind leg. The dogs continued to run and bark until they chased the cow away. Glenda was bloody, broken and bruised but miraculously still alive.

K’os from Peterborough, Ontario (This one made my eyes water!)

K’os, an obedient French Neapolitan Mastiff with a sweet temperament, went from family pet to family hero when his protective instincts helped save Hunter Guindon’s life. Hunter was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and one night his parents were woken by K’os who was barking and jumping and running between their room and Hunter’s. They were immediately concerned by his behaviour, as K’os seldom barks and is usually a very calm dog. After checking the front door for an intruder, they followed K’os into Hunter’s room to discover him on the bed, standing over Hunter, who was violently convulsing. Hunter was having a severe seizure and was rushed to the hospital wherehe was later diagnosed with epilepsy. Although the Guindons know that Hunter’s epileptic episodes will continue, they take comfort in knowing that K’os is always by Hunter’s side, not only as a beloved family pet, but also as Hunter’s true hero and protector.

 Service Dog of the Year: Stinky (Winnipeg, MB)

Stinky, a ten-year-old Rottweiler with extraordinary compassion and an unusual name, offers unconditional support and kindness to Canadian soldiers who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Stinky is part of the Manitoba Search and Rescue’s (MSAR) Elite Psychiatric Therapy Dog Program, founded by her owner, George Leonard. One of the major components of this program is providing constant emotional therapy via psychiatric dogs to Canadian soldiers suffering from PTSD. Elite psychiatric service dogs, like Stinky, help soldiers with this dangerous condition through companionship and unwavering affection. Stinky, the lead dog in the program, has provided unconditional love and encouragement to many soldiers diagnosed with severe cases of PTSD and depression. A number of these soldiers have come forward and shared the life-changing experiences they had with Stinky and her ability to give them hope through their darkest hours. According to these soldiers, Stinky helped save their lives by helping them realize life is worth living once again.

Do you have a similar story to share? We’d love to hear it and feature it on an upcoming post. Email us at info@pawsforthecause.ca