Burns Lake resident Shirley Lindroos recently dropped off her seven-year-old dog named Babe at Bakers Acres Kennels so that she could receive medical treatment out of town.
Although she lives on a senior's budget, Lindroos makes sure her favourite companion gets regular grooming and the best possible care. Much of this care is due to the fact that Babe has actually saved her life several times. Lindroos has type two diabetes, and when her blood sugar is dangerously low, Babe can sense it and react, allowing her owner to take the necessary measures to improve her health.
Babe once woke her up in the middle of the night because her blood sugar was too low. She said that if Babe hadn't woken her up on time, it could have led to a diabetic coma.
Surprisingly, the Chihuahua Pomeranian mix has never been trained.
"She's an amazing dog," said Lindroos. "She knows when something is wrong with me."
Her dog also has many reasons to be thankful for. Babe was rescued from a puppy mill in troubling conditions when she was one year old.
"When I found her, she didn't know how to play and she was scared of everything," she said.
Baker Acres Kennels' owner Brandie Baker is familiar with Lindroos' dedication to her dog and the history they both share.
After Lindroos dropped Babe off at the kennel on Nov. 21, Baker gave Babe a free grooming, but decided she needed to do more. She then posted on the kennel's Facebook page asking the community to donate $20 for Babe's future grooming appointments.
What happened next was that Baker received an overwhelming response from the community. Some people donated $100, others went out of their way to drop off donations at the kennel, and there was even a donation from out of town.
Within less than a week, community members donated $483 to make the Christmas of a senior citizen one to remember.
"I was blown away," said Baker. "I just couldn't believe it."
Baker said she was overwhelmed, but held her excitement for seven days, not saying a word to Lindroos. She wanted it to be a surprise.
When Lindroos returned home from her medical treatment on Nov. 28, Baker stopped by for a visit. She was carrying a $283 coupon for a veterinarian clinic, and gift certificates worth of monthly grooming appointments up until September 2015. Babe's owner could not have anticipated such gesture.
"This is incredible," said Lindroos with pure gratitude in her eyes.
"Babe's worth it," she said. "I don't know what I would do without her."