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.
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