A local veterinarian is honouring the memory of her “heart dog” with a new initiative to help families struggling with the cost of emergency pet care.
Dr. Valerie Millette launched the Pet Fairy Fund this summer in memory of Chili, the dog that inspired her journey into veterinary medicine and remained her loyal companion for 18 years.
“My younger brother and I saved up our allowance and bought her out of the local newspaper back in the early ’90s for $25,” Millette recalled. “She was 11 months old, scared and scraggly, but she quickly warmed up to us and wiggled her way into our home and hearts.”
Chili bonded with each member of the Millette family in her own way—patiently sitting through long grooming sessions with her mother, howling along with her father, and playing tug-of-war with her brother. For Valerie, though, Chili was something more.
“She was my best friend and confidant as I figured out my way through adolescence,” she said. “She loved me unconditionally at a time in my life where I couldn’t help but feel judged.”
Chili remained a source of comfort when Millette’s father passed away unexpectedly during her teenage years. She lived to be 18 years old, supporting the family through grief and even sharing in Millette’s early veterinary studies.
“She developed almost every disease I was learning about in school,” Millette said. “I went into debt to cover her tests and medications because she meant that much to me.”
That experience shaped her desire to create a fund that would help others facing similar hardships.
“The allocation of funds is situation dependent,” Millette explained. “Sometimes it might cover a hospital stay and surgery that may otherwise have resulted in euthanasia. Or, it may assist with medical tests or treatments to better understand and treat a condition.”
She expects the fund will most often help during emergencies such as urinary blockages in male cats, traumatic accidents, or gastrointestinal blockages caused by pets swallowing foreign objects.
“These conditions are not often anticipated or planned for when people adopt a pet,” Millette said.
The fund, originally started as the “Tooth Fairy Fund,” has already helped families in need. In one case, a young dog required urgent dental surgery that the owner could not afford.
“When I told her about the fund, we were able to cover the surgery,” Millette said. “It resolved a painful and serious infection, and gave the dog a chance to live life to the fullest.”
For Millette, the initiative is a way to balance the financial realities of veterinary medicine with compassion. “Economic challenges are heightened when combined with the helplessness people feel when their pet is sick,” she said. “It’s important to support decisions with empathy and respect. Everyone’s situation is different.”
And at its heart, the fund carries on Chili’s legacy. “Chili dog is so very alive in my heart, and I speak of her often as I counsel people,” Millette said. “Like all dogs, Chili was selfless and giving, and loved unconditionally. When people donate to this fund, they serve her memory well.”
Millette hopes the Pet Fairy Fund will become a permanent fixture in her practice. “I would love for this fund to be well ingrained—something very familiar to our clients,” she said. “When people donate, they are honouring their own animals, helping a family in the community, and supporting a local business all at the same time.”
Anyone wishing to contribute can donate in cash, or by e-transfer to petfairyfund@gmail.com.
