From left to right: Mika, Nova and Tora pose for a picture. (Submitted photo/Pet Valu)

By Ian Gustafson

Local celebrities

Three Prince Albert dogs featured in calendar for Canada-wide fundraising campaign to support pets in need

Dec 3, 2021 | 8:00 AM

A family trio of Prince Albert dogs have been chosen as three of 19 pets to be featured in Pet Valu’s 2022 fundraising calendar that will support pets in need.

Tora, Mika and Nova were chosen out of 30,000 entries and are featured as the head photo for the month of August.

The calendar is now available at Pet Valu locations across the country for the price of a donation. All the donations will go to a Pet Valu initiative called Companions for Change aimed to support animal rescues and charities in Canada.

Sadie French, who now lives in Nova Scotia after moving from Prince Albert, adopted all three of her dogs here in P.A.

Nova is a two-year-old rescue from the Prince Albert SPCA, who French said was shy and timid when she first got her. Mika was adopted from New Hope Dog Rescue and Tora was adopted through a local breeder.

SIGA

SIGA and Northern Lights Casino main sponsors of the 31st PAGC Fine Arts Festival

6h ago

Workplace incident

City of Prince Albert pleads guilty to workplace safety violation, handed fines

8h ago

Lighting it up

P.A.'s Zablocki leads Regina to victory on Day 4 at Esso Cup

Apr 24, 2024

The photo featuring Mika, Nova and Tora was taken at a friend’s house in the city following a long walk. French explained she thought it was a cool contest and wanted to test her luck by entering.

“I just thought maybe it was worth our luck to try and enter. I think they’re adorable so I kind of thought other people would. We really grew a community at the dog park that Prince Albert has, and we spent a lot of time there with so many other dogs and that’s actually how I met a lot of other people in P.A,” she said.

Alison Preiss from Pet Valu head office told paNOW the contest to enter for a chance to win a spot in the calendar takes place every summer. She said with the funds they make off donations from the calendar are used for great things such as for charity and rescue grants that shelters and animal organizations can apply for.

She said she can’t speak for the judging panel but said when you think of summer fun this photo encapsulates it.

“You got the three buddies hanging out, it looks like they got the fire pit behind them, and it just makes me think of summer. They’re having a blast, one’s kind of kissing the other one so they’re just a cute trio,” she said.

This will be Pet Valu’s 10^th year of holding the calendar contest and have raised over $20 million and helped more than 80,000 homeless pets find homes.

–

Ian.Gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12