🌥 with periods of zoomies here in #Edmonton. There's squirrels. There's rabbits. There's even a skunk! A high of 6°C so perfect conditions to get outside and bounce around then roll in stuff. Excellent wet 🐾 weather. I'm Chesnyy, live on location, and apparently disturbing the 💩, with the #Yeg #Weatherdog Report Video description for inclusivity: clips of Chesnyy having fun in the snow

For those who have asked, we've created a fundraising page for the Kuno memorial trip. If there's funds leftover they just end up going into our entry fee fund, medical equipment maintenance fund, or the "maybe we can get a house one day" fund ❤️ spot.fund/vb51whqct

A woman with both legs amputated and a young rottweiler will embark on a epic 3095 Km journey to take the ashes of a remarkable Service Dog to the ocean. What started as an idea we tossed out on the interwoof will become a reality in August. If someone would have told me a few years ago that I could do something like this, I would never have believed them. Adapting to being non-ambulatory was hard and I had no confidence in myself. I had Kuno, my Service Dog, for almost a year before sepsis cost me my legs. I was working with a trainer to have him help me with mobility issues that were the result of some chronic health issues. He and I ended up learning all about life as a wheelchair user together. Everything good in my life today is a direct result of him. He helped me to overcome so many barriers, and find my way in a world that I no longer fit into. He gave me a voice for advocacy. He made me get outside every single day and gave me confidence to go out in the community, which was vital for my mental health. And he loved me through the times I hated myself, loathed my appearance, and felt like I was useless. He taught me that I am valuable and worthwhile. Without him I wouldn't have developed the skills or the confidence to make this journey. Thank you so much to those of you helping us make this trip a reality. There's no way I could ever afford this. I have a small fixed disability income, supplemented by teaching a few dog classes. We've already surpassed the funds needed for this trip. The extra money goes to mobility/medical equipment maintenance, entry fees to performance dog sports, and my goal to one day be able to live in a wheelchair accessible house with a yard so I can train a few service dogs for others in need. We're now into the planning phase of this journey. I even booked the hotel for the last part of the trip as it will be peak season and accessible rooms go fast. This trip will take us from Edmonton, Alberta to a competition in Cranbrook BC. Then to the lower mainland for a night. The next stop will be the Victoria area of Vancouver Island where we've located a company that rents adapted recreation equipment, including an all terrain beach wheelchair so Chesnyy, my young dog, and I can play on a beach and have fun in the waves. And toss some of Kuno's ashes into ocean breeze. I had always wanted to take him here. Many years ago I left an abusive relationship and escaped to a small community on Vancouver Island. It became my safe place. I loved the ocean. Although many of the places I found peace and solace at, I cannot access by wheelchair, I always wanted to bring Kuno to the Ocean. He loved to play splash, splash, bite in ponds and lakes. I'm certain once he figured out the waves wouldn't eat him, he'd have loved it. Unfortunately last summer I was sick with a serious infection and couldn't do the trip. I only really started to get back to my "normal" around Christmas, and even now, still have a wound that hasn't fully healed. And then Kuno died, unexpectedly in January. I was crushed. It's been a struggle to find motivation and my confidence went way down. I'm just starting to get back on track. Thank goodness for Chesnyy. I don't know how I would have coped with losing him if I didn't still have to get up, take a dog out and keep going forward. But it's been hard on her too. Though she doesn't understand where he disappeared too, I've seen the effect it's had. The stay on the island will only be a couple of days. Depending on which day we take the ferry back to the mainland, we'll either spend a day in the Vancouver area, or head straight to Summerland B.C. in the Okanogon and compete in a dog show. It'll be great. Rally obedience during the day, evenings by the lake. The hotel I booked even has a pool with a wheelchair lift I can independently operate! Then it's an 11 hour drive home. I'll probably split that into 2 days. This will be a very special journey. ❤️