Scribbled pieces of paper outlining the day, tasks harshly crossed off in blue highlighter. Coffee mugs swapped for to-go-cups and breakfast—a forgotten thought. Vet drop offs in one direction and airport pickups in another. This is the fast-paced-organized-chaos of a day in the life of a dog rescue Director.
“At the end of the day, everyone is driven by this passion of not letting these animals die,” said Briana MacLeod, founder and director of Heart Mountain Rescue
An entirely foster based rescue organization, Heart Mountain has no physical shelter and opts to have all their dogs stay in volunteers’ houses instead.
Dogs who have medical or behavioural issues specifically benefit from this model, having a real home to feel safe and de-stress in.
The majority of shelters in Calgary are not for profit, relying on government funding, fundraising and donors to keep their doors open.
“Sometimes we have a dog who needs so much medical attention that the veterinary costs wipe us clean for a little bit,” said Alexa Huntley, the Adoptions Manager and Vice-president of Heart Mountain Rescue.
“Every single decision we make is worth it, all our dogs get the best care they possibly can and we’re always proud of the outcome”.
So far this year, Heart Mountain has taken 101 dogs into their care, the majority of which need some sort of veterinary service.
Spaces are overrun, and financial support is a constant worry. The volunteers and organization members work tirelessly to find solutions, and continue to save dogs—many with a regular 9-to-5 job on top of it.
Often overlooked is the passion and love of dogs outweighing everything else in these people’s personal lives, relationships, mental health and sleep.
MacLeod’s day starts at 6:00 a.m. and she oversees behind the scenes operations as well as drop offs and pick ups of Heart Mountain’s three most recent rescues.