Bear's Paws: The Dogs of Cat Lake...

The vets and volunteers of the Cat Lake Friends of Animush Dog Rescue share some of their stories and experiences:

...and the dogs wait outside the door until they know we are safe inside for the night..."

It astounds me that they meet us when we arrive, they walk beside us during the day, they wait outside the door when we work, guard us on our walk home and they wait once again outside the door until they know we are safe inside for the night. They are there again the next day... our friends, the dogs of the north. It amazes me that these dogs trust us so much and want to be our friends just as we trust in their loyalty to us. How can we bring about that same trust and loyalty between us and the members of these northern communities?
Sandy Setley. Veterinary Technician

"Bella would not be with us today if not for their compassion and care".

I can honestly say my life changed when a curly haired golden retreiver named Bella came to our family. Bella lived the first 3 years of her life underneath a trailer at Cat Lake First Nations reserve. To prevent her from being bred, she was taken to an island and left with one small bag of dog food...which she promptly gorged herself on. However, the boys still found her attractive and she did manage to have 2 litters of puppies before she was 3 years old. That's tough on a very young dog. She was an easy dog to play 'dress up' with and unfortunately some elastic bands stayed around her neck for a long period and eventually grew into her skin. One of the veterinarians tenderly removed them under anaesthesia when she came to the spay/neuter/vaccination clinic.

Bella came to us in the summer of 2010, shortly after her surgery. She is the most loving, affectionate and appreciative dog! Her big dark eyes allow me to see into her warm soul. These dogs seem to know they have been 'rescued' and ask for nothing other than to be loved. I am forever grateful to the vets, techs and support staff that volunteer their time to run these clinics. Bella would not be with us today if not for their compassion and care. Many people comment on how lucky Bella is now... but it's me that won the lottery!Leslie Flaherty - Erin, Ontario.

The Cat Lake Friends of Animush Dog Rescue was created in order to bring services to the dogs of remote Norther Canadian communities. These are places that have no animal control or animal services. In the north, unruly and "dangerous" dogs are culled (shot) in order to protect people who do not have a real sense of animal care and welfare. Sick and injured dogs usually meet the same unfortunate fate.
This is not because the people of the North are cruel to animals, it is simply because they have no resources with which to care for them. There are no "dog whispers" or trainers available to them. No vets, no pet stores....nothing.
The Cat Lake Friends of Animush Dog Rescue is made up of a group of die-hard dog lovers - people who go out of their way to provide free services for these wonderful dogs in need. They are animal-right activists and educators. They give of their services freely and don't ask for anything in return.

I owe them thanks for helping me save my Bear, and that is something that I cannot repay.
Please, help me donate to this wonderful cause by voting for BEAR in the Toronto Pet Daily Photo contest. We're not asking for donations, just votes.

With the help of the Cat Lake Friends of Animush, we managed to rescue and find homes for some of these wonderful, loving dogs...