11/17/2025
🐾 Meet | Vanessa, Ralph, and...Ralph 🐾
Growing up, Vanessa always had a loyal companion by her side, her dog Ralph. In fact, she had two Ralphs! “Yup, my first two dogs, they were both named Ralph.” 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 doctor’s kit. "I’d listen to his heart with a toy stethoscope, check his ears, and look into his eyes. He’d just sit there patiently and let me do whatever I wanted.”
That bond inspired Vanessa’s path in science, medicine, and animal care. But for her, it’s never just about medical outcomes, it’s 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. That’s why we have .”
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, we’re 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 that’s the kind of care and compassion I’m proud to help bring to communities today.” 💙
