It’s time for your four-legged friend to shine.
Pet owners are invited to submit a video of their Fido's jaw-dropping twirls to the Betty White Day fundraiser online contest for a chance to watch their pup turn into a "pup star."
The Jan. 15 fundraiser, besides shining a spotlight on the most talented pets in the city, will also give pet owners a chance to learn how to enrich their pets' walks and teach them new tricks at the event — while their pooches lap up canine canapés and "puppacinos."
The fundraiser is a return of the #BettyWhiteChallenge that broke the internet last year — raising millions of dollars.
Actress, comedian and animal lover Betty White passed on in Dec. 2020. On what would have been her 100th birthday on Jan. 17, 2021, people world over decided to honour the Golden Girls star by raising money for a cause that she believed in: helping animals.
Given the success of the “challenge,” the fundraiser now is panning to be an annual event in New West and beyond.
In 2021, the Betty White fundraiser hosted by Leona Green at Greens and Beans Deli raised around $3,000 for Wild West Animal League, a local non-profit that supports animals in rural areas of B.C. This year's event, which will be hosted by Bosley’s pet store in Columbia Square, aims to raise $4,000, said April Fahr, director, Wild West Animal League.
“Last year, it was more of a community gathering where we had dog goodies and a small raffle,” recounted Fahr.
This year, there are going to be a range of activities including trainer demos, workshops on nose work, enrichment and tricks, a pet photo contest on social media leading up to the event, an online pet talent show, a raffle and more.
A bunch of New West-based companies including Pacific Breeze Winery, A Punky Puppy Grooming Salon, House of Comedy B.C., the newly-opened Zesty Lemon Clothing Co, Empanada Gal, Greens and Beans Deli, Starbucks Columbia Square, Save-On-Foods Columbia Square, Rocky Point Ice Cream, West Coast Seafood (part of New West Farmers Market) and Fahr’s own Bronte Pet Services will be part of the event.
“As most rescue non-profit organizations, we need funds year-round,” said Fahr. “We're so small and so grassroots that these organizations know that every dollar they raise goes directly to the community and goes really far.”
On a mission to help homeless animals
Wild West Animal League, founded in January 2020, aims to address the “homeless animal and overpopulation crisis” in remote communities of B.C. — according to the non-profit's website.
“We work with volunteers on the ground. We have a rep in Williams Lake (a city in the central interior of B.C.) who reaches out to communities along Highway 20 that are between Williams Lake and Bella Coola. For people who live out there, it's hard to get to the nearest city just because of the roads; some don't even have vehicles. So even getting to a vet for a routine appointment is a two-day process where you have to stay overnight at a hotel.”
Even if pet owners wished to spay and neuter their dogs, they would find it hard just to access the services, she said. ”Most people who have animals have noticed that there's a waiting list for most vets and the prices have gone up for procedures. If you're already low-income and you don't have a car, how do you make it? How do you get a ride to the city for the vet appointment? And do the aftercare for your pet and come back? It's almost impossible.”
As a result, there is a massive overpopulation issue in some of these communities, she added.
“When the temperatures go down to almost -50 C, we literally find dogs frozen solid in the snow. It's really bad.”
To avoid this, Wild West Animal League sends out vehicles to collect stray animals and bring them into the Williams Lake Veterinary Clinic to be spayed/neutered. “If they need extra recovery time, our rep will foster them at her house and then arrange for transport back.”
“Just in the two to three years we've been doing this, people are already telling us that there are fewer strays, fewer nuisance issues, fewer behavioural issues, because now animals are not roaming around having two three litters per year sometimes.”
Besides helping move stray animals to the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals) or to a rescue, they also provide donated food to animals in remote communities.
To be able to continue their work, the volunteer-based organization needs donations. And Fahr believes, the Betty White Day fundraiser will bring in enough for them to sustain “at least half the year.”
“Being grassroots, every penny counts; every dollar goes so far.”
Join the Betty White Day fundraiser at Bosley’s Columbia Square (1015 Columbia St.) on Jan. 15 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
