Help save Raising Canine (small business)
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Please help save a small business that has been significantly impacted by COVID restrictions and lockdowns for the past 15 months. The business is Raising Canine Dog Training and Dog Daycare started by Velvetanne Madro 11 years ago. She started her business from her passion for training dogs, using techniques that are force free, fear free, and pain free. She had witnessed, and still does see, so many dog trainers using outdated, physical and psychological intimidation type training methods that cause mental health issues for dogs such as severe anxiety disorders, panic disorders leading to reactive and aggressive behaviours. So many of these dogs get surrendered to shelters.
Her focus is also to provide a safe place people can bring their dogs during the day where the dogs’ physical and emotional needs were being met, rather than staying alone in a house or crate for 8 – 10 hours per day while their humans are at work.
Shortly after she started this business, she was diagnosed with breast cancer while going through a very acrimonious divorce, while trying to take care of her two young teenage daughters. It took over 5 years to fully recover physically and emotionally from her cancer and divorce, which took a devastating financial toll on her business as she wasn’t well enough to run it soundly.
She has since worked tirelessly, with long hours (average of 10 – 12 hours every day, Monday to Monday, to keep her business afloat. She also maintained her focus on educating humans with dog training methods that make “All dogs feel safe!” Her dedication has provided a service that guides, supports, and educates humans how to be humane and dedicated guardians for their puppies and dogs.
At 58 years old, she still loves what she does and it shows. She also wants to simply provide a basic standard of living for herself, as well as, for her staff. Her business doesn’t make a large amount of money to begin with. It isn’t a luxury type service, but a service that provides a huge benefit to the average family to properly raise their dogs with positive emotional and physical well-being.
Over the past 15 months, COVID business restrictions and 3 separate lockdowns in Alberta has caused a significant financial loss for her business. She did apply for CRA’s CEBA - Canada Emergency Business Account ($60,000 small business loan), but she is unable to pay it back due to the average 30% revenue loss each month, (approximately $120,000 total to date since March 2020). Revenue continues to drop as Alberta has yet to fully open it’s economy.
She also applied for the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy which provided a total of $5,191.57 over the past 15 months. This is an average of $346/month. Her business monthly rent is $9,701. As well, due to this long term revenue loss, the business now has zero cash flow.
As Velvetanne’s friend and loyal client, I am organizing a Gofundme to help her keep her business afloat over the next several months until Alberta has completely reopened the economy. Her business has been of such value to me and to all the people that use her service. You just have to read her Google reviews to see the effect she has made with dog owners in this community. In the past, she has also provided certain loyal clients with a reduction in price for her services if they were going through financial difficulties.
My dogs, Mac and Alex love going to Raising Canine. Velvetanne has become a great friend to me and other clients so I want to keep this small business going as small business owners are supposed to be the backbone of our communities.
I am setting a goal of $30,000 to at least help her pay back part of the CRA CEBA $60,000 small business loan. If $40,000 is paid back to CRA before December 2022, $20,000 from the total loan will be forgiven.
This will give Velvetanne a leg up to once more fight hard to keep her business afloat due to circumstances beyond her control.
Sincerely,
Diane Barron (Mac and Alex too!)
Her focus is also to provide a safe place people can bring their dogs during the day where the dogs’ physical and emotional needs were being met, rather than staying alone in a house or crate for 8 – 10 hours per day while their humans are at work.
Shortly after she started this business, she was diagnosed with breast cancer while going through a very acrimonious divorce, while trying to take care of her two young teenage daughters. It took over 5 years to fully recover physically and emotionally from her cancer and divorce, which took a devastating financial toll on her business as she wasn’t well enough to run it soundly.
She has since worked tirelessly, with long hours (average of 10 – 12 hours every day, Monday to Monday, to keep her business afloat. She also maintained her focus on educating humans with dog training methods that make “All dogs feel safe!” Her dedication has provided a service that guides, supports, and educates humans how to be humane and dedicated guardians for their puppies and dogs.
At 58 years old, she still loves what she does and it shows. She also wants to simply provide a basic standard of living for herself, as well as, for her staff. Her business doesn’t make a large amount of money to begin with. It isn’t a luxury type service, but a service that provides a huge benefit to the average family to properly raise their dogs with positive emotional and physical well-being.
Over the past 15 months, COVID business restrictions and 3 separate lockdowns in Alberta has caused a significant financial loss for her business. She did apply for CRA’s CEBA - Canada Emergency Business Account ($60,000 small business loan), but she is unable to pay it back due to the average 30% revenue loss each month, (approximately $120,000 total to date since March 2020). Revenue continues to drop as Alberta has yet to fully open it’s economy.
She also applied for the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy which provided a total of $5,191.57 over the past 15 months. This is an average of $346/month. Her business monthly rent is $9,701. As well, due to this long term revenue loss, the business now has zero cash flow.
As Velvetanne’s friend and loyal client, I am organizing a Gofundme to help her keep her business afloat over the next several months until Alberta has completely reopened the economy. Her business has been of such value to me and to all the people that use her service. You just have to read her Google reviews to see the effect she has made with dog owners in this community. In the past, she has also provided certain loyal clients with a reduction in price for her services if they were going through financial difficulties.
My dogs, Mac and Alex love going to Raising Canine. Velvetanne has become a great friend to me and other clients so I want to keep this small business going as small business owners are supposed to be the backbone of our communities.
I am setting a goal of $30,000 to at least help her pay back part of the CRA CEBA $60,000 small business loan. If $40,000 is paid back to CRA before December 2022, $20,000 from the total loan will be forgiven.
This will give Velvetanne a leg up to once more fight hard to keep her business afloat due to circumstances beyond her control.
Sincerely,
Diane Barron (Mac and Alex too!)
Organizer and beneficiary
Diane Barron
Organizer
Calgary, AB
Velvet Madro
Beneficiary