Fundraising on the TCT: Bailey & Stoney’s Version

Hi folks! 

Thank you for finding your way to our fundraising page. Let me explain a little bit about our mission.

What are we doing?

A little over two years ago, I stumbled upon the Trans-Canada Trail (TCT) & quickly became excited about the diverse range of activities you could do on it: from hiking, to cycling, to canoeing & even backcountry skiing! I was also intrigued by the enormity of it, 28,000km to be exact. Completing such a challenge soon became a HUGE dream of mine. Now, I have finally been able to turn my dream into a reality & have started exploring Canada via the TCT.

When I first started imagining this journey, I thought I’d be doing it alone. However, that all changed when sweet Stoney girl came into my life as a foster pup. I thought I’d only be fostering her for a few weeks but we all know how the story goes… weeks became months & months became, well, permanent. So here I am, navigating how to do this journey with a new companion. Along the way, all of the love that Stoney has received from strangers has made me realize that it is imperative for us to raise funds for a charity close to our hearts. 

Who are we fundraising for?

Chiots Nordiques, a registered charity aiming to improve animal & public health throughout Indigenous communities in Quebec. They do this by travelling to said communities & offering veterinary services like essential vaccinations, treatment against parasite’s & sterilization.

Their mission stems from the issue of dog overpopulation in Indigenous communities. This has been a longstanding issue due to the lack of resources that these regions are faced with. In the communities they work in, 55% of them do not have access to veterinary services within 300km of them. This is huge! Therefore, there are often stray or wandering dogs who can be aggressive as well as higher risks of dogs getting sick or carrying diseases. This not only creates implications for animal health & welfare but public health too.

Chiots Nordiques offers sustainable & ethical solutions to help manage these problems through a 100% voluntary team. They also work directly with local council & decision makers in the Indigenous communities to ensure that they are respecting the needs, customs & values of each community they visit.

More info on Chiots Nordiques here: https://chiotsnordiques.com/en/

Why did I choose Chiots Nordiques?

When it comes to fundraising, I can’t bring myself to do it unless the charity truly aligns with me & part of that comes with seeing their work in action. This is why we (& I say we because Stoney’s really pulling the weight with this one) chose Chiots Nordiques. Firstly, I want to highlight that Stoney is from the Cree Nation of Eastmain in northern Quebec. This means that she was born & raised for her first few years in one of the communities directly impacted by Chiots Nordiques. Stoney was well loved in Eastmain but mostly wandered the community along with other dogs. Therefore, she fell pregnant with her second litter of puppies last year, offering a clear example of a dog who needed help & resources that were scarcely available to her. 

Eastmain Animal Care & Control recognized the need for preventative care within the community so organized for Chiots Nordiques to fly up for a weekend to offer a clinic. Over the course of the weekend 27 dogs were safely spayed or neutered and many were given core vaccines too. The entire clinic was supported & celebrated by the community & Stoney was one of the dogs who received essential care there. It was wonderful to see so many dogs getting the care they needed, resulting in a safer community for everyone.

Thank you for reading until the end & thank you for supporting us. If you’re not in a position to donate then please consider sharing our fundraising page.

~ Bailey & Stoney

Please note, if you are here from NZ & would like to donate to an NZ charity, see here for our alternate fundraiser for Pet Refuge NZ: https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/fundraising-on-the-tct-bailey-stoney

For more info on our journey overall, you can find updates on my Instagram page here: https://www.instagram.com/bailey_whitnack?igsh=Mnk4bDVlenowbWkz&utm_source=qr