Victoria resident Vicky Michaels, 66, was a few years into retirement, when her Shar-Pei cross, Hopi, passed away suddenly. As her home companion, the loss was a heavy sting, one that Michaels sat with for a year and a half until she started considering bringing a dog back into her life.
Coming across ElderDog, an organization that helps aging people and aging dogs, she felt inspired. Realizing she missed both the companionship and the daily walks, she decided to not adopt, but instead volunteer at the Victoria "Pawd" of the Canada-wide organization in March of 2023.
"It filled a gap for me because my heart was so badly broken. It had been just me and her," she said.
Now in her retirement, she works the equivalent of close to three-quarters of a full-time job some weeks, without pay, as a Pawd leader for the volunteer-run organization.
Michaels, who was previously on the board of directors of animal shelter BC SPCA, is driven by the organization's impact.
"If you look at some of the seniors, their little lapdog is all they have. They don't have family around, they don't have friends. Sometimes when they reach out to us, they don't have anybody," she said.
But equally important for her are who she sees as the real clients. "When I started this, I thought it was a social service sort of organization, but it's not. It's an animal welfare organization ... our clients are the dogs."
Clients such as a blind American Eskimo, who was thrown a surprise 18th birthday party complete with a little dog party hat, baked dog cupcakes and volunteers singing happy birthday.
Or, an aging dog who finds a new home with a similar-in-life-stage companion.
Or, "loveable Luke", a 20-month-old black lab who gets walked by ElderDog for 45-90 minutes every day of the week while his guardians are dealing with medical issues.
ElderDog will never turn away someone in need and does not require proof of means for use of their services, which include emergency and short-term fostering, grooming, dog food pickup and delivery and adoptions.
"We never say no. We say we'll do what we can."
Michaels walks dogs six days a week for pet owners who are unable to walk them themselves. While she had never before taken on a leadership role in her life, she quickly rose up in responsibilities at ElderDog and now leads the new Saanich-to-Sidney Pawd, created in response to the too high demand for the Victoria Pawd.
With the busy summer months ahead full of volunteer vacations, Michaels is looking for new volunteers, including ones willing to sub once in a while.
Vancouver Island is a hot spot for the organization due to the older demographic, she said.
She's also looking for a new education and outreach coordinator to coordinate and attend events on behalf of the organization.
The volunteers Michaels works with had nothing but glowing things to say about her.
"ElderDog volunteering is very gratifying but can sometimes be difficult. Vicky has helped clients not only take joy in seeing their beloved dogs get the walks, health care, and grooming they need but has also supported them through the loss of their beloved pets, providing in-person and emotional support," said Carol Van Doorn, a fellow volunteer. "She truly embraces all her roles and responsibilities with an open and giving heart."
Michaels stressed how much people at the organization care about what they do and how much they matter to her.
"They're incredible human beings," she said.
