My mission in visiting “Tent-City” in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver was to help impoverished individuals in their role as pet owners.  I wanted to examine their animals and give practical advice on diet, exercise and general preventative medicine in a way that was manageable, given their financial situation.   The area was not what I expected.   An aura of peacefulness surrounded me, there were friendly faces amid the tents and personal belongings.  Lawn chairs were propped up together with people huddled in quiet groups.

We started filming with a very quiet, gentle man named “Sparrow” and his six year old mixed breed dog “Myshkin” meaning “Tenderheart”.   Myshkin was a real sweetheart although not very friendly with other dogs which prevented Sparrow from being able to exercise him enough!  The result was that Myshkin was overweight.  We discussed using a basket muzzle when in areas with other dogs or trying to walk him in quieter areas,  early morning and/or late evening.  Reducing food intake slightly and keeping treats to a minimum was a must!

Sparrow also had a second, slightly more geriatric counterpart!  Considering his grand old age of 18 years, “Jaguar”, Sparrow’s cat, was in pretty good health.  He was a slightly timid but very cuddly, a black domestic short hair.  Sparrow had rescued him when he was about a year old and had had him ever since.  As expected at Jaguar’s age,  he had a fair amount of muscle mass lost, which is normal as animals age and are no longer as active.  He had a great appetite and no other health concerns.  The only thing Sparrow had noted was that Jaguar had a small subcutaneous lump on the right side of his neck.  It had been there for quite a few years and had only slightly increased in size.  After examining the lump and weighing up risks involved with removal, we concluded that if it didn’t bother him and it wasn’t oozing or massively increasing in size, it was fine to leave it as is.

Jaguar seemed happy and content to wander about on a leash amongst us.  I had a great deal of respect for the care Sparrow had given Jaguar for so many years. The love and bond between owner and pet was very clear to see.

“BUNNY MUM”

“Bunny Mum” as she is affectionately known in the community was such a bright, sweet and interesting woman.  She had rescued two young bunnies from dire situations.  Her youngest bunny she had found hiding within a bush near English Bay, scared and obviously tame.   It is a devastating situation for a housebroken bunny to be abandoned in the wild.  Never having had to fend for food or fight off predators while in a captive environment, they have not developed the ability to forage or the knowledge of potential threats.  The slightly older rabbit had been found in a dumpster, in poor shape.  She had nursed him back to health with a good diet and lots of love and attention.

My main focus with the bunnies was to ensure that they were on an adequate diet to maintain their gastrointestinal function, while also keeping their teeth healthy and worn evenly.  Rabbits teeth constantly erupt and grow therefore their diet should consist of plenty of abrasive and fibrous plant material.  The fibre in this sort of diet helps keep the gastrointestinal tract moving forward to prevent impactions and ileus (where the gut becomes flaccid and stops pushing food material forward).  Bunny Mum had such a broad knowledge of their diet, upkeep and exercise needs … I had nothing left to teach her!  She was very animated in telling me that in the future she wanted to open a Rabbit Rescue Facility inspired by her intense love and passion for them.

Last but not least, surprisingly, a young dumbo rat made an appearance.   He was in great condition, very happy and full of energy …  he was hard to keep still!   He was young, around six months old and his owner had had him for around 2-3 months.   They were best of friends!

These individuals loved and cared for their animals as much as anyone could.  Despite not having a secure and permanent place to call home and sometimes being in dire situations, they were, at least in that moment, contented.   I feel much of this contentment is due to the unconditional love they received from their furry mates.  They are accepted and loved within a world where they have lost their way.  It was a true honour to be able to talk to these people about their pets and I know it was truly appreciated.

My goal is to help more in the future.

FOOTAGE COMING SOON!