Kelly Ferguson’s best and most rewarding days are spent helping those who cannot help themselves.
The top honour of the Local Heroes’ Animal Ambassador award has rescued numerous animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and rodents.
Ferguson volunteers at the SPCA and Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society (MARS) while working full-time at CFB Comox.
“I’m incredibly humbled to be nominated,” she said. “Seeing the compassion in an animal’s eyes - it never gets old.”
Some highlights throughout her time helping animals in need include seeing a rescue from start to finish, helping animals prior to crossing the rainbow bridge, and ensuring every animal has respect and dignity.
“The best and most rewarding part of my days are spent helping those that cannot help themselves,” she added, and noted she was very surprised and humbled by the nomination.
Her nominator Carla Pederson wrote that Ferguson does her “utmost best” to find, rescue, rehome, or take in abandoned and unwanted animals that have met with unfortunate circumstances.
The work Ferguson does - she admitted - is not always easy or glamorous, but she enjoys every minute of it.
“Sometimes you are covered in mud or other things, but I can honestly say I am happy in gumboots in the barn shoveling hay, feeding hungry cats or bottle feeding days-old raccoon kids - there is no life like it.”