11/17/2025
๐พ Meet | Vanessa, Ralph, and...Ralph ๐พ
Growing up, Vanessa always had a loyal companion by her side, her dog Ralph. In fact, she had two Ralphs! โYup, my first two dogs, they were both named Ralph.โ Wherever she went, Ralph was there too. He showed her what true companionship looks like, and how powerful the bond between people and their pets can be.
Vanessa remembers her second pup Ralph, a German shorthaired pointer, sitting quietly beside her while she played with her little doctorโs kit. "Iโd listen to his heart with a toy stethoscope, check his ears, and look into his eyes. Heโd just sit there patiently and let me do whatever I wanted.โ
That bond inspired Vanessaโs path in science, medicine, and animal care. But for her, itโs never just about medical outcomes, itโs about emotional ones too. "Stats say that of the number of people within a city that have pets, only 50% of them have access to vet care. So there's 50% of owners out there who can't get to a vet regularly. And often, the people who benefit most from the love of a pet are the ones facing the biggest barriers. Thatโs why we have .โ
Through initiatives like our Pet Pantry and rabies/vaccine clinics, VCA Canada provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in food, care, and services each year. From supporting local humane societies and rescues, to funding surgeries and offering medical advice for displaced pets, weโre committed to making sure families and pets in need are never left behind.
Vanessa says she often thinks back to her younger self, sitting on the floor with Ralph, listening to his heartbeat with a toy stethoscope. "Ralph never once got a bill, and thatโs the kind of care and compassion Iโm proud to help bring to communities today.โ ๐
