Losing a member of your family can be heartbreaking, often prompting those left behind to honour their loved one’s memory in a positive, uplifting way.
That’s what Lee Sitter of Edam is doing.
Some may say, “it’s only a dog,” but Ace, who was shot and killed when he somehow ended up on a neighbour’s property, was a member of her family and his companionship had helped her through a difficult time in her life.
“He was a purebred Siberian Husky and my very best friend,” says Sitter. “We all miss him very much.”
The circumstances of the death of her two-and-a-half-year-old Husky were devastating for Sitter. She has found it hard to understand why her dog was shot and has been unable to find answers to her questions about his death, even through the RCMP investigated.
The Animal Protection Act does allow for anyone to destroy a dog “running at large” and “attacking or viciously pursuing a protected animal” - animals such as cattle, Sitter points out, but she also points out Ace was used to cattle on his own farm.
While her questions remain unresolved, she is determined to honour Ace’s memory in a positive way. Sitter has established a fundraising effort she’s titled Ace to the Rescue, selling blue and pink bracelets inscribed with “Love is a Four-Legged Word,” picking bottles with her children and other activities. They are also accepting bottles and cash donations.
The bracelets, which Sitter is paying for out of her own pocket, will be sold for $5 each with all the funds going to the rescue centre. They will be available from Lakeland Veterinary Clinic and Just for Pets in North Battleford, the Turtleford Veterinary Clinic and from Sitter herself. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Whatever funds they raise will go entirely toward We All Need a Rescue, which is operated out of the boarding facility K-9 Country Lodge, just outside Saskatoon. Sitter says she recently visited the rescue centre and is impressed with how well the dogs are cared for and the centre’s dedication to rescuing abused and abandoned dogs.
Ace would have been three years old April 23. On this date Sitter hopes to present We All Need a Rescue with the funds she has raised as well as a plaque memorializing her beloved Ace.
