Who We Are

Helping BC pets since 2011.

We are unstoppable optimists working to ensure that no pet gets left behind.

Paws for Hope envisions communities that embrace all pets as family, ensuring they are loved, free from harm. We are guided by a Code of Ethics and our mission is to keep pets and people together, ensure BC pets survive and thrive, and support positive change in animal welfare.

This includes direct program delivery, grant funding, advocacy, and professional development. By filling the gaps with our own direct animal assistance and educational programs while simultaneously strengthening and empowering BC’s existing animal welfare sector, we’re moving closer and closer to realizing our vision of a province that provides the utmost care and protection for its companion animals.

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A Message from our Executive Director

When Paws for Hope Animal Foundation was first founded, we had some ambitious goals. Our mission, at the time, was to work collaboratively and build capacity so that British Columbia might one day have the kind of protective and progressive animal welfare system that it needs and deserves. It hasn’t been easy, but we have managed to accomplish a lot over the past nine years and I am so proud of how far we have come in such a short time.

We have established the Animal Welfare Advisory Network of BC, bringing together animal welfare organizations from across the province to jointly address issues affecting our communities. We have held dozens of free veterinary clinics for low-income residents. We have increased access to vet care through financial assistance programs that help both rescue organizations and low-income pet guardians and are helping to change community bylaws to secure bans on pet sales in cities across BC.

The work that we do, and the approach that we take to this work, represents the future of animal welfare in this province. We are continually focused on system-wide changes focused on prevention, intervention, and sustainability. We are very excited about the coming years and are grateful to everyone who continues to believe in and support our mission.

The truth is that we couldn’t do it with out our wonderful and compassionate volunteers and donors. It is so encouraging to see all these changes happening and to the feel the support provided by people like you—people who believe in our mission and who give their time, energy, and money to help keep pets and their people together, healthy, and happy. We are making change, ending suffering, and saving lives and it is because of you.

Kathy Powelson, Executive Director

Annual Reports & Financials

No Pet Left Behind

Saving lives

Paws for Hope Animal Foundation has launched an innovative program to assist pets whose people are fleeing violence.

Press Release

Better Together

Help for Bear

When Bear needed some unexpected veterinary care, our Better Together program made sure that he got the medical attention he needed.

Learn More

Our Partners

“Our forward-thinking, pioneering approach means we are continually focused on system-wide impacts to make our sector—and the province as a whole—better informed and more humane.”

Kathy Powelson

Thank you for your support

Thanks

Paws for Hope also thanks The River Foundation, the Burnaby Community Foundation, and the Randall Foundation for their support.

We are also very grateful to the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund distributed through the Community Foundations of Canada, Port Coquitlam Community Foundation, Coquitlam Foundation, Port Moody Foundation, United Way of Greater Victoria (and/or Victoria Foundation), The Maple Ridge Community Foundation, and the Vancouver Foundation.

Our Team

Paws for Hope is a small team passionate about animals and their ongoing care and protection. We’re even more passionate about finding a way to make animal welfare more sustainable in B.C. so we’re not stuck heads-down in emergency response mode unable to plan and build for the long term, especially important in a region that receives no government funding and sometimes limited corporate support for these animals.

Board of Directors

  • Dr. Shawn Llewellyn

    President

    [email protected]

    Dr. Shawn Llewellyn is dedicated to improving access to veterinary care for marginalized communities. With a degree in Animal Sciences from Dalhousie University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College, Dr. Llewellyn has spent his career advocating for better care for pets, regardless of their owners’ financial or social circumstances. As a practicing veterinarian at Scottsdale Veterinary Hospital, Dr. Llewellyn’s clinical focus is in community medicine, preventative health, and dental care. However, his most rewarding work is through his involvement with Paws for Hope, where he focuses on breaking down barriers to veterinary care. Dr. Llewellyn was honoured with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Humane Award for his leadership in developing Paws for Hope’s community-based programs, which provide veterinary support to people and pets in need. Dr. Llewellyn believes that no pet should go without care simply because of their owner’s circumstances, and he works tirelessly to ensure that marginalized communities have access to the care their pets deserve. In addition to his work with Paws for Hope, Dr. Llewellyn serves on the Investigation Committee for the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia and has been involved in animal welfare through both the CVBC and the Society of British Columbia Veterinarians. Dr. Llewellyn’s dedication to veterinary care extends beyond his clinical practice, and his efforts have made a tangible difference in the lives of many families and their pets. When not working, he enjoys hiking, gardening, and spending time with his partner and their two cats, Niles and Martino.

  • Katelynn Denny

    Vice President

    [email protected]

    Katelynn is an employment lawyer and workplace investigator at Forte Law Corporation in Surrey where she advises clients on all aspects of employment law and workplace human rights. Katelynn is passionate about using her knowledge and legal skills to empower not only her clients, but others in the community. Her volunteer experience includes providing advice and support to individuals who have experienced sexual harassment at work. Katelynn was born and raised in the Fraser Valley and has been an animal lover her whole life. Having experienced the joy and happiness that animals can bring, she joined Paws for Hope to give back to the community and help provide support to pets and their families.

  • Kim Hawkins

    Secretary

    [email protected]

    Kim Hawkins is the Executive Director of Rise Women’s Legal Centre, a community legal clinic providing free legal services to women in BC. Kim came to Rise via Whitehorse, Yukon Territory where she worked for many years as a full time staff lawyer at a busy legal aid clinic, practising mainly in the areas of family and criminal law. While in Whitehorse she also spent two years as judicial clerk and served for four years as President of the Yukon Women’s Transition Home Society. From 2007 to 2008, Kim worked on strategic constitutional litigation at the Legal Resources Centre in Grahamstown, South Africa. She holds a J.D. in Law from the University of Victoria, and a Masters in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford. When she isn’t in the office Kim enjoys baking bread, yoga, and obsessively monitoring the tomato plants in her community garden plot. Kim was born and raised in Victoria BC, in the territory of the WSÁNEĆ (Saanich), Lkwungen (Songhees), and Wyomilth (Esquimalt) peoples of the Coast Salish Nation and is grateful to live on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Tsleil-Waututh (Burrard) and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) nations.

  • Martin Fish

    Treasurer

    [email protected]

    Martin is a CPA, CA and a certified PMP project manager. Martin recently retired from BC Hydro, where he worked for 15 years in a variety of roles in Finance, Technology, Asset Management, and Business Continuity Planning. Prior to joining BC Hydro, Martin spent most of his career working as a management consultant and as an external auditor for a number of international companies, including IBM, PwC, and EY. Martin is passionate about animal welfare and is excited to be able to use his finance and project management skills in advancing the goals and success of Paws For Hope. He lives in Vancouver with his partner and his rescue dog, Rory.

  • Sonia Gawlick

    Director

    [email protected]

    Sonia is a business strategy consultant, facilitator, and educator with over 20 years of experience working with private sector companies, not-for-profits, crown corporations, and international intergovernmental agencies. Sonia’s diverse professional experience and education (BA in Economics, a Graduate Diploma in International Management, and an MBA) enables her to provide objectivity, insight, and innovative solutions to organizational issues and strategic challenges. A lifelong animal lover, Sonia strongly believe in Paws for Hope’s mission of supporting families by helping keep animals and their people together. Through her role on the Board, Sonia is proud to give back and help build more compassionate, sustainable solutions for pets and their families. When not working, Sonia enjoys travelling, biking, gardening, and spending time with her family and their two cats, Mowglii and Coco.

  • Mark Sippola

    Director

    [email protected]

    Mark has over 30 years experience in building, running, and scaling a business. From 1991 through 2019 he was the CEO of a large West Coast service-based business with dozens of employees and hundreds of customers. At the end of 2019 he sold that company to a strategic acquirer and now spends his time coaching other business owners on how to scale their own businesses. As a lifelong animal lover and supporter of animal focused causes, the goals of Paws For Hope resonated with Mark. The human/animal bond is deep and should be supported. With his newly found spare time Mark is excited to join the Board of Paws For Hope to assist with increasing the growth and reach of its important initiatives. When not working with entrepreneurs, learning a new skill, or tending to his acreage, Mark can be found out hiking with his two rescue dogs, volunteering, or on the local tennis court trying to perfect his backhand.

Our Staff Team

  • Kathy Powelson

    Executive Director

    604.396.9297

    Kathy is the founder and Executive Director of Paws for Hope Animal Foundation. Prior to working in animal welfare, Kathy spent 20 years working in social services. Through her experience in the social services, Kathy recognized many parallels between animal welfare and social service work and is a strong advocate for linking the two sectors together to support healthy and vibrant communities. Kathy has a Master’s Degree in Criminology from Simon Fraser University and is a published author. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC with her husband, daughter, and cats, Nala and Cinnibar, and dogs, Henry and Barkely.

  • Cassie Preston

    No Pet Left Behind Program Manager

    604.506.9297

    Cassie has been an animal lover her entire life. Her love for animals but weak stomach kept her away from veterinary work, but her drive for social justice led her to help animals in other ways. After completing a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Psychology, Cassie moved to Vancouver to complete a Juris Doctor degree at Allard Law. She later volunteered with the BC SPCA briefing Canadian cruelty cases to contribute to the National Centre for the Prosecution of Animal Cruelty. Cassie continues this work today as a contributing member of Nationwide and Provincial groups working on the Violence Link. Cassie worked for a local cat rescue organization for four year. In that time, she developed a passion for helping the most challenging cats with behavioural and health issues. She also began fostering and has been hooked ever since. Cassie has fostered hundreds of animals and finds extreme joy in giving them a home while they recover from illness, acclimatise, await their furever home or return back home with their family after a crisis. Cassie lives in Langley with her partner and her two dogs and occasional fosters.

  • Dr. Emilia Gordon

    Director of Veterinary Services

    Dr. Emilia Wong Gordon (she/her) received her DVM from the University of California, Davis in 2005 and obtained specialty board certification in Shelter Medicine Practice through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in 2020. Her early experiences in animal shelters working with animals who were given up due to the life circumstances of their human families have driven her career direction for over 20 years. She has worked in general practice, shelter medicine, and in-home euthanasia settings and owns Haven Veterinary Services, a practice providing mobile and consulting services to animal shelters, rescues, and access to care programs. Dr. Gordon has been involved with Paws for Hope’s work for years as a volunteer, donor, and veterinary partner collaborating on our “pop-up” community clinics in supportive housing and social services buildings. She is thrilled to join the team on a part-time basis to oversee veterinary programs for the community as well as supporting animals in the No Pet Left Behind program. She lives in Vancouver with her partner, daughter, and two cats, Coral and Cooper.

  • Ariela Siegel

    Veterinary Programs and Community Care Coordinator

    604-834-7242

    Ariela Siegel is a Registered Veterinary Technician from Vancouver. Her love for animals began with some of the smallest — bugs! As a child, she loved to observe all insects and would sneak them into her room, creating tiny homes for them. That initial connection quickly grew into a deep appreciation for all creatures, big and small, though she no longer invites spiders into her home. Ariela has been an RVT for nearly 10 years and has worked in both general practice and emergency medicine, supporting patients and owners through every stage of care. She has volunteered extensively both locally and internationally with spay/neuter programs and community-focused wellness clinics, and it has been these experiences that have deepened her appreciation for the human-animal bond and accessible veterinary care. Outside of work, Ariela enjoys exploring nature, traveling, and the occasional boxing class. She is incredibly excited to be part of an organization that is helping change the way animal welfare is done by focusing on more inclusive, community-centered solutions for people and their pets.

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