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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday August 18, 2007 - 3 A dog's best friend By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF M ore than once, Joan Znidarec has opened her front door to find a box of kittens meowing on her porch. A Border Collie was once tied to her fence. Then, there was the Bull Mastiff. "I found him tied to my garage door," Znidarec said. "That was on Thanksgiving." Of course, there was the middle of the night visit from a woman she had never met. "She hit a goose with her car at two in the morning and came knocking on my door to see if I could help. I had to refer her to the Oakville Humane Society," Znidarec said. These animals don't end up at her door by accident. President of Labrador Retriever Rescue Ontario (LRRO), the 36-year-old Oakville resident has a reputation for helping animals in need. She has this year alone rescued 42 labs, and averages about 120-140 rescues every year ­ and that's just dogs. Then there are the other animals she has helped out, a list that includes donkeys, chickens and horses. This isn't a job. Znidarec doesn't receive any money for her tireless work. This is her passion. "I'm the kid who brought home injured skunks, raccoons, kittens, anything stray I would find," she said. "When I was in my 20s, I said, I wonder what happens to dogs that people don't want." That's when she came across the LRRO, where she's been involved for 15 years, the last five as its president. Her work involves rescuing labs from a variety of situations, including pounds or shelters that run out of space, families that can't handle their pets because of a break-up or for financial reasons, or a rescue from an abusive environment. After Znidarec rescues the dog, she'll find homes for them through the LRRO. The owner of several animals, a list that includes dogs, cats, a bunny and fish, Znidarec has left weddings and dinners on Christmas Eve to go rescue dogs. "My family has come to learn that I'm not very reliable when it comes to holidays," she said, smiling. "I always get a few dogs on Christmas Eve. "Unfortunately, there's a lot of people out there who treat animals as being disposable and don't do their homework before buying a pet." Making sure the life of that animal turns around is what keeps Znidarec hard at work. "I love what I do. The satisfaction and the feeling I get when I get those dogs into a good home is just unbelievable," she said. "When you have a passion like this, it's not just a hobby ­ it becomes part of your every day." It's a hobby that is not only time consuming, but costly, as she often drives all over the province ­ "to every nook and LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER TO THE RESCUE: Joan Znidarec, the president of Labrador Retriever Rescue Ontario, with Kodi -- one of the dogs she recently rescued. See Important page 7 · Wood & Vinyl Shutters, Supplied & Installed · High Quality at Affordable Prices · Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed · Serving Oakville with Shop at Home Service Authorized Vinylbilt Dealer www.shuttersetc.ca Shop at Home Service FREE