You don’t end up with a nickname like “The Dog Whisperer” by accident. Our friend and partner Jacquie certainly didn’t.

She returned to her ancestral village in the Huu-ay-Aht First Nation a few years ago, where she found purpose working with the community to help the local dogs, and has coordinated numerous spay and neuter campaigns. 

Jacquie, our dedicated community liaison, has been leading an effort with Paws for Hope to bring much-needed veterinary care to her community of Anacla, a remote village on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. 

“When I first came back I was asked to foster a dog. So I fostered the dog. And this dog was not trained on a leash and not trained for anything,” she said. 

“And after a couple of weeks, he was really good on a leash so they started calling me Jacquie the Dog Whisperer.”

But now Jaquie needs help. Her own beloved dog Bebe was recently diagnosed with a torn cruciate ligament. The surgery is both urgently needed, and expensive – well outside Jacquie’s reach.

That’s where you come in. 

Paws for Hope has committed to covering the cost of Bebe’s surgery, but we need your help to do it.    

Jacquie has been a lifeline for countless Anacla pets and their families, and now is our chance to give back. Your donations will ensure Bebe gets the care she needs and at the same time, help support the important work Jacquie is doing in her community. 

“Owning a dog is one of the best feelings,” Jacquie said. “Just knowing that someone truly loves you for who you are, they don’t care what you do as long as you are there for them.”

Jacquie and Bebe’s story is far from unique. There is a critical and growing need for veterinary care in B.C.’s rural and remote communities where pet families are abundant but resources are sparse. 

British Columbia is a vast province, and that geographical reality means people must often travel hours to access veterinary services. At the same time, many people live on a low income or don’t have reliable access to a vehicle. Some remote communities just don’t have the capacity to manage a growing population of stray animals.

Part of our mission at Paws for Hope is to build lasting partnerships with local organizations, communities and First Nations in remote and under-served communities to remove barriers, improve veterinary access and improve animal welfare. 

We have been able to do incredible work like bringing mobile veterinary clinics to Anacla and supporting spay and neuter clinics that break the cycle of fear, hunger and pain for unowned, outdoor cats. 

Your incredible support is directly responsible for us being able to provide these services, and improve countless animal lives:

>> Spay/neuter surgeries for more than 200 cats in Port McNeil since 2020
>> Partner with local Dawson Creek group to help spay/neuter approximately 20 cats
>> Partner with a Prince Rupert group to spay/neuter 13 cats
>> Provide funding to the Village of Ashcroft to trap, spay/neuter, and release feral cats in four remote communities

We’ve also had a recent request for funding from Bella Coola, where the demand is vast. So far, we’ve only had the resources to cover spay/neuter surgeries for two cats. 

The need is ever-growing, but your generous donations allow us to step in and support this critical work. Without your help, it would be impossible and we thank you so much for being a part of this community.