As retirement approaches, Saanich police Staff Sgt. Brad Brajcich embarks on a legacy where he hopes to grace homes and office spaces for one month of 2025.
Brajcich is among the officers and their pets photographed for the biggest fundraiser of the “live-saving” Balfour’s Friends Foundation 2025 Officers on Pawtrol calendar.
Balfour’s Friends helps low-income pet owners on Vancouver Island pay for critical veterinary care for their pets. Their primary client base is seniors living below the poverty line and people on disability.
“Sometimes the only living soul in these people’s lives is their pet … if their pet is injured, sometimes the only option is to surrender or euthanize,” said president Stephanie Munkley.
In his first appearance in front of the lens, Brajcich poses with Zyra, a rescue from Chile that kind of epitomizes why he chose to participate.
“She came from a horrific situation there,” the Saanich officer said. “I really thought the whole concept of financial aid to low-income pet owners is a good one … My family strongly behind this as well, we’ve always had rescue pets.”
It’s something that runs deep. His son, a UVic student, even works for the BC SPCA.
“I come from a strong belief in my family that we need to care for pets,” he said. “You don’t want to see animals suffer at all. That’s the whole idea, to help the owners and the pets.”
Officers on Pawtrol and Firefighters & Friends calendars are the foundation’s biggest fundraisers and more needed this year than any previous. Requests for help are up 49 per cent.
“It speaks to our economy, a lot of people are struggling. We’re just honoured to keep these families together,” said Munkley, who started the organization in 2012 named for grandfather Balfour Munkley.
Balfour served 27 years in the former B.C. Provincial Police and RCMP, thus the root of the calendars that featured local police officers and firefighters with their personal pets.
Munkley feels fortunate they haven’t had to turn anybody away.
“I dread the day we have to say no to somebody. We’ve had many veterinarians say we are the difference between life and death for these animals,” she said. “You’re literally helping to save a life. It really does mean the world to us that people support us and purchase the calendars.”
Photographers donate their time and expertise as do the uniformed models and their mostly furry friends. Bajcich was impressed with the amount of photo options and “incredible” skill of his photographer, Rich Wanbon.
The cause makes it easy to be OK with hanging in homes and offices across the region.
“I’m soon to retire too so it’s a nice gesture for me to leave, maybe a short legacy, in being in people's homes,” Bajcich said, noting he’s done media previously. “I’m used to having my face out there.”
The foundation offers up to $500 toward an emergent or surprise veterinary bill, because of sudden injury, severe illness or infection. They work primarily on the south Island and Gulf Islands.
Find a full list of where to find the calendars online at balfoursfriends.com including Saanich police headquarters on Vernon Avenue.
Folks buying the $20 calendar who live on the Saanich Peninsula could even get one hand-delivered in time for Christmas.
