A senior dog in Delta will soon have a happier smile thanks to the efforts of a Semiahmoo Secondary alumna.

Naomi Gantug 香蕉视频直播� now 23 and living in New Westminster 香蕉视频直播� said she was moved to help 香蕉视频直播淟C,香蕉视频直播� a dachshund she met shortly after starting work as a veterinary assistant in Delta. Gantug sat in on the dog香蕉视频直播檚 appointment when her owner brought her in for 香蕉视频直播渁 painful snout.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淵ou couldn香蕉视频直播檛 touch her nose at all,香蕉视频直播� Gantug said of LC (whose initials stand for Little Cutie) at the time.

Examination determined that the plump canine had dental disease, and needed 香蕉视频直播� at minimum 香蕉视频直播� a thorough cleaning, with extractions also a possibility.

Listening to LC香蕉视频直播檚 owner consider how he would afford the procedure was 香蕉视频直播渉eartbreaking,香蕉视频直播� Gantug said, explaining that the gentleman, a widower with a broken arm, talked of skipping meals to save up for it.

At that point, Gantug asked if he had heard of the online fundraising platform, gofundme, then offered to set up a to cover LC香蕉视频直播檚 dental bill.

Setting a goal of $1,000, Gantug said response to the ask was initially slow, but grew over a course of about three weeks to just over $700 香蕉视频直播� reducing the owner香蕉视频直播檚 tab significantly, to around $100.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 going to be a big, happy day,香蕉视频直播� Gantug said of this coming Saturday (May 1), when LC is booked to have her much-needed dental work.

The day will also include a weigh-in for LC, who Gantug has made a point of taking for walks on her work days, as an additional way of helping.

The fundraising campaign was Gantug香蕉视频直播檚 first effort of that kind, but far from her first inclination to help others 香蕉视频直播� she has had a heart for helping for as long as her dad can remember.

Grant Gantug recalls that even as a youngster walking home from school, his daughter would use a twig to flick snails and slugs off the pavement and onto grassy areas, in an effort to move them out of the path of bicycles and passersby.

In 2012, while in Grade 10 at Elgin Park Secondary, she helped, alongside Semiahmoo Rotary Club, to deliver wheelchairs to disabled children in the impoverished community of Hermosillo, Mex.

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Fifteen years old at the time, the teen said after 香蕉视频直播� in a letter to Peace Arch News 香蕉视频直播� that the experience helped her finally understand a saying she香蕉视频直播檇 heard many times; that of those to whom much is given, much is expected.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e come to recognize our guilty tendency to gain blind spots in our views of life while being blessed to grow up in a developed country,香蕉视频直播� she wrote. 香蕉视频直播淲e are stuck behind these impediments until we encounter something that can free us. Not everyone is given the chance to experience such an epiphany, and I香蕉视频直播檓 glad to say that, for me, it was because of this trip.香蕉视频直播�

During her post-secondary studies, Gantug volunteered three of her four years at the University of Western Ontario; first in the university hospital香蕉视频直播檚 lab, then two years in its intensive care unit.

The latter was her favourite, said Gantug, explaining that being able to console those who were distressed brought immense satisfaction.

香蕉视频直播淏eing able to be there and be a present listener,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淎 lot of people who are coming into the ICU, a lot of them are very anxious and very stressed.香蕉视频直播�

As with many others, the pandemic set Gantug on a new path. When it hit, she had been gearing up to follow her 香蕉视频直播渋ntrinsically motivated香蕉视频直播� childhood dream of going into medicine, with an aim to specialize in plastics. But, while dog-sitting over the summer, she stumbled onto a somewhat different track 香蕉视频直播� veterinary medicine.

During one of her weekly visits to see her parents in South Surrey, she brought one of her clients香蕉视频直播� dogs with her, and her dad commented on how she interacted with it.

香蕉视频直播淗e said, 香蕉视频直播榊ou香蕉视频直播檇 be an amazing vet 香蕉视频直播� why don香蕉视频直播檛 you think about (doing) that?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen I look back, I香蕉视频直播檓 like香蕉视频直播� Everything unfolded so naturally.香蕉视频直播�

Gantug is now focused on learning as much as she can as a veterinary assistant, and plans to apply to veterinary school 香蕉视频直播渁s soon as I can.香蕉视频直播�

Some say additional help in that field can香蕉视频直播檛 come soon enough. Professionals and charitable representatives alike have raised the alarm in recent weeks over a growing shortage of veterinarians in B.C.; a shortfall that is projected, without action, to reach 500 by 2024.

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The BC SPCA on April 24 launched a pledge campaign asking government to fund 20 additional spaces for B.C. students at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine; spaces that were relinquished by the province of Alberta in 2018. Located in Saskatoon, Sask, WCVW is B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 regional vet school.

Gantug said she can香蕉视频直播檛 apply until she gets more experience under her belt, but expects to reach that point in February, which will be the one-year mark of her time at the Delta vet clinic.

Her dad, meanwhile, sees big things in his daughter香蕉视频直播檚 future.

香蕉视频直播淚 may end up having another Dr. POL in the family one day:-),香蕉视频直播� he said, referring to the popular Dutch-born veterinarian whose Weidman, Mich. veterinary practice is the focus of a reality TV show.