Paws for hope better together program prof Dr Llewellyn was taking over my 13-year-old senior Papillon

Dr Llewellyn : 
 Dedication to Access: He is described as being dedicated to improving access to veterinary care for marginalized communities.

​Core Belief: He holds the belief that no pet should go without care simply because of their owner's circumstances.

​Advocacy: Throughout his career, he has spent his time advocating for better care for pets, regardless of their owner's financial or social situation.

An Expectation of Leadership

I trust that Dr. Llewellyn will keep his word, as my 13-year-old senior Papillon is under his professional care and is his responsibility. I hope that upon his return, he will recognize the importance of providing necessary vaccinations to an eight-week-old puppy, especially as she is being trained to be a certified service dog; I know Zoe will be mentoring her and passing on her legacy and training. My posts serve various purposes from necessary rants to personal documentation and they are vital to my health.

​This is a private, therapeutic journal I use as a grounding tool for my Complex PTSD and OCD. For me, OCD is characterized by uncontrollable, recurring thoughts that will not stop until I get them out, often by writing them down immediately to break the cycle of repetition. Using this blog as a tool for cognitive behavioral techniques allows me to organize these thoughts and calm my nervous system. When I am under extreme stress, my fibromyalgia flares, causing me severe physical pain that affects my ability to eat and sleep; writing is how I manage that.

​I have noticed a pattern My OCD makes me a very detailed person, and I have been paying close attention to every detail since 2024. Dr. Llewellyn is aware of my health struggles and has my doctor’s note on file. As the President of the Board of Directors, he holds the ultimate authority; while the Executive Director Kathy Powelson oversees daily operations, she works for the Board, not the other way around. I am seeking a review of this decision to ensure the well-being of my animals.

                                          

Paws for hope better together program When Personal Journals Are Used as Weapons:need for Professionalism and Reconsideration of My 13 year old senior Papillon Termination

​A Manufactured Excuse

It is deeply concerning that my private, therapeutic expressions have been monitored, nitpicked, and used as a manufactured excuse to terminate veterinary services for my 13-year-old senior dog. Actions speak louder than words, and the reality of this situation is defined by two things:

​Calculated Timing: The decision to terminate services was made while Doctor Llewellyn is away for three weeks. This timing appears to be an opportunistic move, as he is the one who took over Zoe's care, and Zoe is under his care.

​A Misplaced Focus: My blog is not a harassment campaign; it is a tool for my personal well-being. Using a client’s private health management journal to find reasons for termination is bizarre and invasive behavior for Kathy Powelson, the Executive Director, to take against a 13-year-old senior Papillon and a six-week-old puppy.

​The Welfare of My Animals

At the end of the day, this should be about the animals and about the care and welfare of my dogs. The fact that the focus has shifted to policing my personal writing instead of ensuring the well-being of a senior dog and a puppy is unacceptable.

​I left Dr. Llewellyn a message before he left about getting the puppy enrolled. As the Board of Directors president, I believe it is his decision to decide whether to take on the puppy, who is being trained to be a certified service dog. I had previously inquired about a puppy because Zoe, at her age, is showing signs that she will not pass the public access test for certification. I believe Dr. Llewellyn cares about my senior girl; that is why he took over her care when the previous vet was disrespectful and rude.

​Accountability and Advocacy

I truly believe that Dr. Llewellyn’s support has infuriated Kathy Powelson because she lost control. I have recorded calls because I saw this coming; I know Kathy Powelson is just waiting for an opportunity to terminate my senior girl. It is disgusting to terminate a 13-year-old dog. You can try to trigger me and provoke me to cause reactive abuse, but I will not give you what you want.

​This is not about me, and it is not about anyone else. This is about a 13-year-old senior dog and a 6-week-old puppy that I will be getting at eight weeks old to begin training with the help of the ministry. For you to try to take that away from me shows a lot about your character and intentions. You can terminate me, but I will fight it. I will do everything in my power to ensure that justice is served. I am a strong believer in the universe, and I know that it is watching this transpire.

​My Commitment

My puppy and my 13-year-old senior girl will not go without medical healthcare. I am on disability, and it is impossible for me to manage this care on my own. I will go without food to make sure my dogs have what they need. This termination is a scare tactic, but it will not work.

​No one can tell me what I can or cannot say. I am a 35-year-old woman, not a child, and I will not be treated like one. Kathy Powelson, you are the Executive Director, and I expect you to act with the professional standards that position requires. It is bizarre and deeply concerning that you are monitoring my private therapeutic journal to find excuses to terminate services. I have been in this program since 2021, and the constant turnover of staff is alarming; it is clear that something is not right when so many employees come and go. Furthermore, there must be someone in charge other than you while Dr. Llewellyn is away, especially given the rude, unprofessional, and accusatory way you communicate. I have the right to document my experiences and feelings, and it is not your place to police my persoknal journal.

Paws for hope better together program rebuttal

 Paws for Hope Better Together Program claim on my blog post content:

​The Termination Letter: They claim that my recent blog posts include "harassing and defamatory statements" about staff, specifically citing my posts as evidence.

​My Reality: My post is titled "Paws for Hope Better Together program rant". This is a space for me to vent my feelings, emotions, and thoughts as part of my cognitive behavioral techniques, which is a legitimate use of my personal blog, not harassment or defamation.

​Paws for Hope Better Together Program claim on Kathy Powelson’s reputation:

​The Termination Letter: They state that I have made disparaging and defamatory statements about the Executive Director, Kathy Powelson.

​My Reality: I am documenting the reality of my experience under her leadership and arguing that the program is not being run properly due to a lack of human resource support. Holding someone in a position of power accountable for their actions is not defamation; it is sharing my documented experience.

​Paws for Hope Better Together Program claim on program policy and puppy enrollment:

​The Termination Letter: They claim their refusal to enroll the puppy is based on a "longstanding policy" that prohibits adding animals after the initial enrollment due to funding constraints, and that this applies equally to all participants.

​My Reality: I explain in my blog that the organization does not have a human resource coordinator and that Kathy Powelson is refusing to help because she is biased against me due to my advocacy. I am showing that their policy is just an excuse to avoid helping me and my medically necessary animals.

​Paws for Hope Better Together Program claim on my behavior:

​The Termination Letter: They allege I have engaged in "harassing and unprofessional conduct" toward staff.

​My Reality: I maintain that this is a retaliatory, manipulative tactic used to silence my legitimate advocacy. My assertiveness is not harassment; it is an attempt to hold the organization accountable for their actions.

Here is what I wrote in the blog post I also have the blog post posted as well.But I'll post it here on the below Blog post "Truthfulness" (including the "Paws for Hope Better Together program rant") dated July 5, 2026 :

​

​I am making this post. I just kind of want to vent my feelings, emotions, and thoughts. The reality is that the Paws for Hope: Better Together program is not being properly run. You do not run a program without a human resource coordinator, and that has been the case since I have been in the program.

​Kathy Powelson does not prioritize animals or people. If she cared about animals or people, she would not be triggering people who suffer with complex PTSD. She knows I am already struggling with severe fibromyalgia, severe complex PTSD, and severe OCD. She knows how hard it is for me, yet she actively triggers and provokes me. This has led to what is known as reactive abuse. Reactive abuse occurs when a person is pushed to a breaking point by someone else's manipulation, hostility, or mistreatment, eventually causing them to react in an uncharacteristic way such as becoming defensive which the original aggressor then uses to paint that person as the problem. I would not be doing this if she had not caused this reaction. Yet, when I asked for help, she said, "No." What type of reaction does she think she is going to get from an owner that has that puppy and is terrified?

​If Kathy Powelson is an executive director and is denying a 10-week-old puppy vaccines, that shows exactly what type of person she is. That 100% shows her character. If she does not want to help a puppy, she should not be an executive director. She is supposed to abide by the contract just as much as we are as clients. She is not doing that. Just because the puppy is not enrolled in the Paws for Hope: Better Together program does not mean she cannot help an animal that needs vaccines. She is just refusing to do it because she is biased against me. She does not like me because I speak up, I advocate for my medically necessary dog who has a physician's note and my puppy. I do not allow Kathy Powelson to talk down to me. I do not allow her to get away with things. I address things, I show proof and evidence, and I document everything. I have severe OCD, so I always have the proof and evidence to back up what I say. I am not a liar. I do not manipulate, I do not gaslight people, and I do not treat people poorly. I believe in karma. What comes around goes around.

​Kathy Powelson has traumatized me and caused me a great deal of trauma, and her refusal to act while knowing the medical risk to my puppy is a failure of leadership. I reached out to the board of directors president, Dr. Llewellyn who is my senior girl's vet and took on her care and I left him a message before I knew he was leaving for three weeks. He is away, which puts Kathy in total power. And with her in charge, of course, nothing is going to get done. Of course, I am not going to get help or support. I have not been able to sleep, I have not been able to eat, and I am constantly scared of what the repercussions are. I am sure that there are other individuals in the Paws for Hope: Better Together program who are just as scared to stand up or say anything.

​Kathy Powelson's suggestion of a clinic in Vancouver is not a solution. It is not supposed to open for months, and a 10-week-old puppy cannot wait that long for vaccines. She knows this. She also knows I rely solely on HandyDART for transportation, and that an 8-hour round trip is physically impossible with my fibromyalgia. She knows that HandyDART strictly refuses to allow my senior girl on the bus because she is not a certified service dog a policy I am actively fighting at the Human Rights Tribunal. Kathy Powelson knows I cannot access these things, yet she offers them to make it look like she’s helping.

​Kathy Powelson continues to weaponize false allegations and interaction against me.

​I am just one person, but I know I am not the only one being mistreated. Many are likely too terrified to speak out, fearing retaliation. Kathy Powelson needs to be held accountable for her actions, her reactions, and the way she treats clients. My dogs are my life, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure they are safe and my senior girl cannot be removed from the program. Pause for hope. Better together program for me, writing a blog and writing about my experience. I wanna make that very clear. There is no way that my senior girl is going to suffer due to me, creating a blog and talking about my experience, like I stayed, I have the email, and I put it in one of my posts where it states that they were doing story on cbc news about the program.And they wanted people that were enrolled in the program to talk about their experience.Well, here I am talking about my experience.

Furthermore, I want to be clear that this is my own personal blog and social media platform. I am fully entitled to share my own life experiences whether they involve the Paws for Hope: Better Together program, HandyDART, or the Human Rights Tribunal and there is nothing in my contract that prohibits me from speaking honestly about my experiences or the behavior of staff. I am not creating drama or fabricating anything; I am sharing my truth, backed by the emails and recordings I have documented. This blog is a necessary outlet for my mental health, and I will continue to advocate for myself and my dogs when I am being mistreated triggered and provoked and react of abuse is real and has been going on for a long time.

Paws for hope better together program Global news story ....

 ​I recently came across a news segment featuring Kathy Powelson in the media, where Kathy Powelson was discussing the reality that Canadian families are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain pet ownership due to rising costs. It is quite a sight to see Kathy Powelson in the public eye advocating for the struggles of families, while meanwhile, Kathy Powelson is the same person who terminated my 13 year old senior dog and who will not enroll my puppy into the Paws for Hope Better Together program.

​It simply does not make sense. On one hand, Kathy Powelson is out there on the news raising awareness and seemingly begging for donations from the public to help animals. On the other hand, Kathy Powelson is actively causing me to struggle by denying my medically necessary 13 year old senior dog support and refusing to enroll my puppy into the Paws for Hope Better Together program. I specifically sought this puppy to be trained as a certified service dog to help me manage my fibromyalgia, complex PTSD, and OCD. By denying this enrollment, Kathy Powelson is directly hindering my ability to access the support I need for my health.

​How can Kathy Powelson advocate for the struggles of pet owners in the media while simultaneously creating those same struggles for others? Kathy Powelson is making it harder for a family on a disability income to care for their animals, which is the exact opposite of the narrative Kathy Powelson presents to the world. I am writing this in my journal because I am trying to make sense of these conflicting actions. When an organization claims to be about supporting animals and families, but then turns its back on a disabled person in need, I am left to process the reality of that situation for myself and my dogs.

Paws for hope better together programs actions speak louder than words

 The timing of this termination is not a coincidence. It is a clear indicator of a pre-existing agenda. I was being monitored, and the moment I created a space to document my reality and use my blog as a journal for my cognitive behavioral techniques to process my complex PTSD and my life experiences, Kathy Powelson seized upon it as a manufactured excuse to terminate my 13-year-old senior girl. This demonstrates exactly what I have been talking about. She has been looking for a reason to cut us off and kick us out of the Paws for Hope Better Together program. My blog provided the convenient yet entirely illegitimate pretext she was waiting for. Kathy Powelson should be ashamed of the situation she has forced upon me. I will not stop fighting for my dogs. I am their voice, and I will be heard.

Paws for hope better together program the Reality of My World: Why I am Speaking Out

 I am terrified. As I sit here today, in the physical agony that my fibromyalgia causes, which is a condition where stress and anxiety act like a wildfire on my nervous system, leaving me in debilitating, raw pain, I am looking at my 13-year-old girl and preparing for my 6-week-old puppy. I am terrified for their future, and I am terrified for mine. The reason I am so terrified is that I truly believe in my heart and soul that Kathy Powelson is acting with the intent to have my animals taken away from me. Her actions and her behavior suggest that she is trying to create a situation where it appears I cannot care for them, banking on the fact that I no longer have the support of her program. It is a disgusting strategy, and it is clear to me that she is weaponizing my disability and my strict income against me.

​Policy is Not Law

It is important to be clear: an organization’s policy is not the law. While Paws for Hope uses their internal Paws for Hope Better Together program enrollment agreement to justify this termination, that contract does not override my fundamental rights. A policy is merely an internal rule set by an organization; it does not grant them the authority to infringe upon my rights or to neglect the medical needs of animals. They are hiding behind administrative paperwork to exert control, but their policies cannot be used as a weapon to bypass basic accountability or silence my lived experience.

​Furthermore, as a person with a disability, I am protected under the B.C. Human Rights Code, which prohibits discrimination in the provision of services. My senior dog is a medically necessary companion, and my puppy is in training to be a certified service dog; these are not mere pets. They have every right to be enrolled in the Paws for Hope Better Together program that supports their medically necessary care, and no contract can contract out of the protections guaranteed by law.

​The Human Cost of Policy

This has never been about bullying or harassment. It has been about my survival. I am on disability and a permanent HandyDART client; my card is posted on this blog as evidence of my reality. I depend on this program not as a luxury, but as a lifeline. While all of this was going on, I got a call from a TransLink representative at the Standards department. We were discussing the fact that my senior dog cannot go on the HandyDART bus because she is not a certified service dog. I mentioned to her that I was getting a puppy and that the problem would be solved because the puppy would be trained and certified as a service dog. She was so happy for me. But then I told her the bad news: I had received termination papers stating that my medically necessary senior dog was being terminated from the Paws for Hope Better Together program because of a blog post I wrote. When I told her that, the representative was in total shock. They, like anyone else with a heart, could not understand how an organization could kick someone when they are already down.

​The Fear I Live With

How am I supposed to afford full-cost vaccinations for a puppy so she can begin her training and public access tests? How am I supposed to pay for the specialized Urinary SOS food and treats that keep my 13-year-old senior from developing agonizing bladder stones? I saved money for the puppy, but I did not save for the crisis Kathy Powelson has created. Because HandyDART policy prohibits non-certified animals, I am now physically stranded. I cannot get my dogs to the vet. Kathy Powelson has backed me into a corner where I cannot provide the medical care my animals need, and she has done it over a blog post.

​It has reached a point where I am facing the choice of going without food myself to pay for my dogs' veterinary care out of pocket. That is the reality Kathy Powelson has forced upon me. She should be deeply ashamed that her decisions have created a situation where a person is forced to sacrifice their own basic needs to keep their animals safe and healthy.

​My Right to My Truth

My blog is my sanctuary. It is where I process my complex PTSD, my OCD, and my daily battles. I have the right to freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is the right to express information, ideas, and opinions without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. It is the fundamental right to speak one's truth and to document one's life. Calling my blog a violation is a transparent excuse for Kathy Powelson to punish my 13-year-old senior dog because I refuse to be intimidated. I have not threatened anyone, I have not been violent, and I have not lied.

​I will be posting screenshots of every threat Kathy Powelson has made against me, as well as recordings of her interactions, including the times she has raised her voice and spoken down to me. Everyone will see the pattern of behavior where she creates excuses to terminate participants simply because she dislikes being held accountable by someone who advocates for their dogs. I will document everything here. This blog is where I vent, where I process my experiences with the Paws for Hope Better Together program, and where the truth about Kathy Powelson will be exposed.

​The Power Vacuum

Kathy Powelson is making unilateral decisions while the Board of Directors president, Dr. Llewellyn, is away. I do not know how such a decision to terminate a medically necessary animal could be made without his input. It seems Kathy Powelson has nothing better to do than nitpick my blog and watch my every post to find excuses for her actions. The effort and energy she puts into monitoring me should be directed toward the actual mission of the program: enrolling my puppy and ensuring my senior dog receives the care she needs. Instead, she is using my blog as a weapon.

​The Truth Will Come Out

Kathy Powelson claims to be an animal lover, but her actions prove she cares more about silencing criticism than ensuring an animal’s health. She has consolidated all the power, creating a toxic environment where people are too scared to speak up for their dogs. Well, I am not scared. I have documented every threat and every interaction. I have contacted major news outlets and a prominent, high-profile reporter who will help ensure this situation is investigated.

​To Kathy Powelson: You should be ashamed of the domino effect your decisions have had on my health and the lives of my dogs. I will not stop fighting for them. I am their voice, and I will be heard.

And also, you can see in my previous post. I called it, I knew that Kathy Powelson would terminate my senior dog. I called it cause I knew that Kathy Powelson was just looking for a reason. And I knew Kathy Powelson would use my blog. My blog is not for you Kathy Powelson to read. It's not for you, it's not meant for you again. I've already explained that. And I've explained it numerous times but it just proves my point. I knew that you were looking for a reason.And you used my blog as a reason to terminate an innocent thirteen year old senior Papillon shows a lot about your character. It shows the pattern of behavior and it's the pattern that i've been talking about.This whole time.

Paws for hope better together program response to my thirteen year old senior dog being terminated

 ​I am writing this because I refuse to stand by while my 13-year-old senior dog is punished for my personal expression. I have just received notice that my senior dog has been terminated from the Better Together program.

​Let me be clear: this decision has nothing to do with the care of my dog, and everything to do with Kathy Powelson taking personal offense to my private blog.

​The Reality of My Blog

My blog is a personal space, a digital journal where I process my life, my complex PTSD, and my day-to-day experiences. It is where I vent, where I speak my truth in the moment, and where I navigate my mental health. There is nothing in my Better Together agreement that prohibits me from maintaining a personal blog or expressing my opinions.

​When I share my thoughts about an interaction with staff or my frustrations with the program, I am exercising my right to free speech. Using these personal reflections as a "breach" to justify terminating a senior dog is a clear misuse of power. It is an attempt to silence a client by targeting the animal who relies on the program for medical care.

​The Facts

​Targeting, Not Policy: My dog’s care is overseen by Dr. Llewellyn, yet Kathy Powelson has inserted herself to make medical and enrollment decisions. It appears Kathy has been looking for any excuse to terminate us since 2024.

​Disproportionate Action: This organization previously denied my 6-6-week-old puppy access to vaccines, and now they have moved to cut off my 13-year-old dog entirely because of one blog post.

​Contradictory Standards: The Better Together program was founded on the idea of supporting the human-animal bond and encouraging participants to share their experiences. I have done exactly that I have shared my experience. Now, because that experience is critical of leadership, I am being punished.

​My Message to the Board

I have sent the following formal request to the Board of Directors:

​"I am writing to formally request an immediate review of the decision to terminate veterinary services for my 13-year-old senior dog. The notification I received cites my personal blog and social media activity as grounds for termination. I have reviewed the 'Better Together Enrollment Agreement and Consent Form' in its entirety, and there is no provision within that contract that prohibits me from maintaining a personal blog or expressing my personal opinions. Using my personal expression as a justification to withdraw care from a 13-year-old animal is a disproportionate action that negatively impacts a vulnerable senior dog who has done nothing to warrant a service interruption. My dog relies on the consistency of the care provided through this program. I am requesting that the Board re-evaluate this decision, as it is based on conduct that falls outside the scope of our signed agreement. I ask that you prioritize the health and welfare of my dog and reinstate the services necessary for their continued care."

​Why I Fight

I am not fighting for myself; I am fighting for my dog. She is the one being forced to pay the price for Kathy Powelson’s hurt feelings. If a Director of an organization is more focused on policing a client's private blog than ensuring a senior dog receives medical care, the organization has lost sight of its mandate.

​I will continue to advocate for my dog’s right to care. I am speaking out because silence only empowers those who use their position to punish the vulnerable.