Step Up for the Pups 2025

Step Up for the Pups: Sunday May 25, 2025!

Again this year, we're holding our annual Step Up walk to raise funds for our dog rescue efforts!  All money raised will be put toward medical care, including surgeries, ultrasounds and other needed procedures.

for the dogs.  Funds raised will go towards the medical care of dogs in our foster programs. 

You can walk wherever you'd like, with or without a dog.

Participants can compete and win prizes!

Register to Walk (with or without a dog) by clicking on Create a Fundraiser (above).

Sponsor/Pledge a Participant by clicking on Fundraisers (next to About Campaign above) or by filling out the form at the bottom of this page and choosing a participant in the drop-down box to support.

Once again this year, we’re hoping as many people as possible will take part in our Step Up for the Pups walk and help us help dogs! 

We continue to receive owner surrender forms on a daily basis as people struggle with affordability issues, lack of time and commitment and regret acquiring a dog during COVID. Shelters contact us weekly because they are at capacity, which seems to be an "across the board" challenge as adoptions sink to all time lows.  

In 2024 we assisted almost 200 dogs on their journey to a better life. “Making life better one dog at a time” has become our unofficial motto.

By participating, you'll be enabling us to help dogs like the 3 parvo-positive puppies who required immediate intervention to save their young lives, Flash who needed orthopedic surgery for a malformed patella, and Pippa and Juniper who each had a genetic heart condition needing PDA surgery to close the leaking blood vessels. We also helped Mollie who needed several surgeries to remove the mast cell tumours that plagued her skin, Story who came to us pregnant with 4 pups, and little Heidi who developed hemorrhagic gastroenteritis but pulled through thanks to our dedicated primary veterinarian. In 2024, we took in 64 shelter dogs, 47 puppy mill dogs, 51 owner surrenders and 5 northern dogs. We also sponsored 13 dogs who originated either from other rescues or were owned dogs in situations that called for a hand up, not a handout.

As we continue with our mandate, it's important to underscore the commitment we have to the cause. Last year we spent almost $250,000.00 on the dogs we took into the rescue. There have been significant increases in the cost of veterinary care, including basic procedures, surgeries, food and medications. We take in many seniors and most of them required dental cleaning and/or extraction surgeries.  NONE of the puppy mill dogs were previously spayed or neutered and many of them had dental disease from poor diet, atrocious living conditions and giving birth every 6 months. Owner surrendered senior dogs came to us unvetted for years, so we had to play catch-up, only to find out they would need our Forever in Foster program because they were palliative.

Last year we helped fund two spay/neuter clinics in Ontario, and purchased surgery packs for a spay/neuter clinic in northern Manitoba. Through our Blackie’s Fund and Leg Up programs we were able to sponsor spays and neuters, dentals, boarding, flights, emergency surgeries and behaviour training for both shelter and owned dogs. Intervention and prevention have become two actions we passionately embrace.

Our Forever in Foster (FIF) program helped over 30 dogs last year – a record number. Lovingly cared for and cherished in their final stages of life, our FIF dogs receive unlimited TLC, and receive gold standard healthcare, specialized diets, and regular grooming (all paid for by the rescue). We currently have 19 dogs in the Forever in Foster program.

We hope you will join us in the annual Step Up for the Pups walk so can replenish our coffers again this year and continue to make life better for dogs, one dog at a time.

Speaking of Dogs Rescue is run solely by volunteers. Our dogs are lovingly cared for in foster homes until we find just the right home for each and every one of them. We are an all-breed dog rescue with a focus on senior dogs.  

For more information, please visit speakingofdogs.com