march 21.12: meeting my first sleddies
Before the 2010 Whistler sled dog cull there had been talk of retired sled dogs needing homes, but after the cull and when the decision was made to find homes for the survivors of the cull, a lot of rumours started swirling about how adoptable sled dogs would be. Even within the rescue community, people didn't think they would be very adoptable... they would get bored, they couldn't like living in homes, some even said they were feral.
Like any dog being re-homed, how well former sled dogs do with adapting into new home environments depends so much on how they lived previously.
The feral sled dog myth was busted from the moment I laid eyes on them in their kennels and further busted once we got them into the indoor gym. They had arrived the day before (you can see Vixen blowing her coat) and were still a bit unsure of their new surroundings but they loved the attention and quickly bonded to one of the shelter staff, Carl.
Introducing Magic, Cuddles, Galute, Vixen, Luna, Shrek, Stella, Shazaam, Comet and Ash!
Like any dog being re-homed, how well former sled dogs do with adapting into new home environments depends so much on how they lived previously.
The feral sled dog myth was busted from the moment I laid eyes on them in their kennels and further busted once we got them into the indoor gym. They had arrived the day before (you can see Vixen blowing her coat) and were still a bit unsure of their new surroundings but they loved the attention and quickly bonded to one of the shelter staff, Carl.
Introducing Magic, Cuddles, Galute, Vixen, Luna, Shrek, Stella, Shazaam, Comet and Ash!
march 26.12: sleddies + the tv crew
As part of a fundraising effort for the shelter I created a photo book of images of all the animals I'd photographed at the shelter. It was a day-in-the-life look the showed all the work the staff put into helping the animals - dogs, cats, bunnies, rats, birds.... - that came through their doors. I reached out to local media to help spread the word and they came to the shelter to interview myself and shelter manager at the time, Penny Stone. We made sure interviews were done in the gym so we could include the sleddies... even in the background!
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the daily, shaw tv march 26, 2012
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ctv vancouver island, march 27, 2012
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april 1.12: at the shelter
When the dogs arrived, they would get checked over and vaccinated if necessary in the shelter's giant indoor gym. It was sweet to see them love the attention and then go play... and then come back for more pets and attention.
Gracie, in the first two photos I later found out had been adopted by the father of a childhood friend. She saw a social media post I'd made about the Whistler dogs and ended up sharing a photo of Gracie and her dad with me. Tears.
row 1 (l-r): Gracie; Gracie; Comet; Ash
row 2: exercise in the gym (x2); Abby, ChiChi, Gracie; Abby
Gracie, in the first two photos I later found out had been adopted by the father of a childhood friend. She saw a social media post I'd made about the Whistler dogs and ended up sharing a photo of Gracie and her dad with me. Tears.
row 1 (l-r): Gracie; Gracie; Comet; Ash
row 2: exercise in the gym (x2); Abby, ChiChi, Gracie; Abby
june 12.12: new arrivals
I have no idea why I only have two photos- and only kennel photos at that- from this day. It hurts my heart! I've gone through archives of arrival dates, adopters and dog descriptions to figure out the dogs in the photo on the left... but am still searching...
left photo: TBD
right photo: wendy + yamaha
left photo: TBD
right photo: wendy + yamaha
august 8.12: SUDDS fundraiser
my sleddie radar is always on, but this guy was easy to spot when his adopted human brought him to a fundraiser to say 'hi'... Galute declined a bath however... smart guy.
december 12.12: ford's christmas photo
I was a volunteer photog for the pet photos with santa at the shelter this year so before santa arrived we got some portraits of the shelter dogs for their adoption profiles. Here's Ford with one of his favourite volunteer dogs walkers from the shelter.
I remember Ford got adopted by a shelter volunteer and he got loose and was running around my neighbourhood but I never did see him. He was eventually found safe. It was the beginning of many more 'find the missing sleddie' excursions I would end up on in the coming years.
The adoption didn't work out and Ford came back to the shelter. He did go on day-trips and overnighters with some volunteers and then one day his sister, Trudy arrived at the shelter (for adoption) and it was so sweet to see them reunite. I have video somewhere...
I remember Ford got adopted by a shelter volunteer and he got loose and was running around my neighbourhood but I never did see him. He was eventually found safe. It was the beginning of many more 'find the missing sleddie' excursions I would end up on in the coming years.
The adoption didn't work out and Ford came back to the shelter. He did go on day-trips and overnighters with some volunteers and then one day his sister, Trudy arrived at the shelter (for adoption) and it was so sweet to see them reunite. I have video somewhere...
