When Melanie Dry and her family battened down the hatches in anticipation of the approaching bomb cyclone on Nov. 19, the Saanich residents were most concerned about the risk of falling trees. Little did they know a danger of a different kind was on the horizon.
Woken in the early hours of Nov. 20 by the smell of smoke, Dry discovered a nearby building under construction on Quadra Street was ablaze.
Fanned by strong winds, embers from the fire drifted down Lodge Avenue, falling onto the homes of unsuspecting residents, including Dry.
“It was raining fire,” said Dry. “It was like something out of a movie, it was just insane.”
As well as making sure she got her family to safety, Dry also had four bulldogs to consider – her home is also the headquarters for the volunteer-run Victoria Bulldog Society.
“The embers were hitting the roof – we have two kids (ages six and two) in the house and four dogs,” said Dry. “Everybody was in shock, the kids were upset, we were upset, the dogs didn't know what was going on.”
With everyone safe, Dry and her partner went on the offensive, using garden hoses to put out small fires breaking out on their property.
"My pyjamas caught fire three times while I was outside, it was quite something," she says. "Very scary, it's a lot when you're concerned about the safety of your family and having a roof over your head at the end of this."
Thankfully for Dry and her family, their home survived the fire, but for the small dog rescue charity, the disaster will have long-term and far-reaching consequences.
As Saanich crews work to remove debris at the Quadra Street site, Dry and Victoria Bulldog Society volunteer Katy Mukai have begun the cleanup at the group’s headquarters.
Covered in soot and ash, littered with fire-damaged dog equipment and supplies, Dry’s backyard is a sight for sore eyes.
“Honestly everything outside at this stage is looking like it needs to be replaced,” said Dry. “There's ash everywhere, it smells like smoke. It’s not safe at this stage for the dogs to be here.”
The cleanup has forced the Victoria Bulldog Society to postpone all upcoming fundraising events, but the needs of the seven dogs currently in the group's care continue.
The society has officially been in action since 2020, but Dry has been volunteering her time to help bulldogs in need for nearly two decades.
Susceptible to a number of medical conditions because of poor breeding, Dry says many people are unaware of the financial implications of owning a bulldog.
“We take in most of our dogs for financial reasons,” she said.
According to Dry, because of vet bills, a bulldog surrendered to the Victoria Bulldog Society can cost up to $10,000 to care for.
The group recently spent $20,000 on one dog alone.
“We’ve been crying for donations,” she says. “And now we've been hit with a natural disaster.”
“It's a lot for a little society to take on at this stage and recover from,” continues Dry. “But we're happy everybody's safe.”
“It’s a complete redirection of energy for the society that has been planning all sorts of fundraising activities and events to try and deal with this mountain of vet bills,” adds volunteer Mukai. “It's about just getting back to a status quo, but the bills are still coming in for all the dogs.”
To help the society's recovery efforts, Dry and her team of volunteers are appealing for financial donations, which can be made via the group's website or by e-transfer. Dry says 100 per cent of the donations will go towards their work to rescue and care for unwanted bulldogs.
“We can come back from this, but it's going to be a lot of work,” says Dry.
To find out more about the Victoria Bulldog Society and donate, visit the group's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/VictoriaBulldogSociety.
