Join the Walk to Save Pets! Community Veterinary Outreach Celebrates 21 Years with Nationwide Fundraising Challenge

Community Veterinary Outreach Celebrates 21 Years with Nationwide Fundraising Challenge

This fall, Community Veterinary Outreach (CVO) will mark its 21st anniversary of providing essential veterinary and human healthcare to pets and people in need across Canada. Instead of traditional ceremonies, CVO is hitting the road to raise funds, as the demand for services reaches record highs. Last year, CVO served the most clients and pets in its history, many of whom were facing homelessness and struggling to care for their pets due to rising living costs.

“Across all our regions, the need for support is greater than ever,” says CEO Dr. Melanie Barham. “With the cost of living soaring, many clients have lost their homes, but no one should have to give up their best friend because of hard times. This is about community care—keeping pets with the people who love them.”

To help meet these rising demands, CVO is hosting its second annual Cross-Canada Community Challenge from October 1-31, 2024. Participants will log their activities to symbolically walk across Canada, covering the distance between all 11 CVO locations. Last year’s event raised over $50,000, and this year, the goal is $100,000 to provide critical veterinary care for pets in need. Participants can register individually or as teams, with giveaways, prizes, and a virtual speaker series featuring experts in veterinary medicine throughout the month.

“I’m thrilled to celebrate 21 years of service with our incredible volunteers, community partners, and supporters across Canada,” says Dr. Michelle Lem, founder of CVO.