Getting one dog to pose for a photo can be a struggle in the best of times.
Getting 55 to do it is what a dog-walking group from Nanaimo, B.C., was able to accomplish recently, however, all in an effort to raise funds for a good cause — emergency boarding for the pets of those fleeing domestic violence.
"I was definitely a little nervous," said Brii Goritsas from the group, Pooch Pack Adventures.
"I thought in my head, ‘Who’s all going to be here? Who’s staying?’"
Pooch Pack Adventures arranged 55 dogs on a large log in the woods near Nanaimo, posing them together for a carefully crafted photograph.
Even for the most seasoned dog walker, the task of getting dozens of dogs to sit still — on a fallen tree no less — is still a challenge.
"We were sweating," Pooch Pack Adventures owner and operator Kim Sirett said with a laugh.
The dogs are used to going on daily hikes and posing for small group photos of around 10.
This latest fundraising effort also follows a similar one the group did seven years ago involving 40 pooches.
"But to do 55, some of these guys haven’t seen each other in a while, so they were pretty happy," Sirett said. "A little excited, but we got it."
After several commands and plenty of treats, the group managed to get the dogs to sit just long enough to snap that special photo, which has since raised thousands of dollars to help provide emergency boarding for pets whose owners are fleeing domestic violence.
"It’s a huge struggle for families that are in situations of domestic violence and owning pets is just another huge obstacle," Sirett said.
She says some people may stay in an abusive relationship longer if they xjmtzyware worried about their pet’s safety or can’t take their companion where they’re going.
"There’s a lot of domestic violence that many of us aren’t aware of that’s going on," Sirett said.
Goritsas says it was "beautiful" to hear what cause she and the rest of the group were supporting with their photo.
"It made me really happy to know that we do it for a really good reason," she said. "We’re not just coming out here, we’re doing it for good things."
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