With a profound love for those without a voice of their own, Jodi Lane is a person to be admired. Determined to change the way our society regards animals, she fights her courageous battle one dog at a time. And one meal at a time.

When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine. And that is exactly what Jodi did.

Passion and compassion for animals led Jodi to found K9 Crusaders, Northumberland County’s very own and highly reputable dog rescue organization. After losing her Cairn Terrier, TJ, to lymphoma in 2013, Jodi turned her overwhelming grief into a drive and passion to save animal lives. She understood the horrific and traumatic lives of some animals, and took it upon herself to see that dogs are given a second chance at a happy and well-loved life. These dogs are often removed from high-kill gassing compounds and fostered in loving and caring homes until their forever family is found.

As an advocate for animal welfare, Jodi recently made a life-changing transition from a vegetarian lifestyle, to vegan one. This was fuelled by her ability to form a connection that there is no difference between the animals we call family and the animals we eat – “I now understand that not everything on this planet is ours to take, and just because we can, doesn’t mean we should”. Through her Facebook blog “Livin’ On the Veg“, she encourages and supports others to make thoughtful, conscientious choices about what they eat, use and consume. She also runs Boom Vegan, a web-based business selling merchandise that promotes cruelty-free living.

Jodi aspires one day to create an all animal species sanctuary and will never stop her mission to spread the message of kindness and compassion for all living beings.

Gah Jodi, you had us at “compassion for animals”. As a strong supporter of K9 Crusaders, we honour your dedication and commitment to giving new life to animals who were disregarded and disposed of by those they loved most.

A little more about Jodi:

Age: 48

Occupation and Business Name: K9 Crusaders, Boom Vegan, Livin’ On the Veg

What’s your favourite part about what you do? “I have always been drawn to helping dogs with major barriers to adoption, such as old age, special needs or medical conditions. I love providing them with quality care, food and love and watching them transform. When we take on a dog who has been terribly neglected or abused, it is amazing to watch how they respond to love, and how incredibly resilient they are. The dogs that most of the world seems to overlook are the ones most satisfying to place. Let’s face it, finding a good family for a puppy is not that difficult …but finding a safe, loving, forever home for a senior dog with allergies who has never been socialized, and is terrified of people as a result of past abuse or neglect? Now that is a rescue win!”

What is one way you practice self-care or self-love? “When things are highly stressful, I do meditate. I have a great meditation coach, Joanne, who has helped me learn how to quiet my mind so that I am able to problem solve and make decisions which can be difficult when all the background noise and chaos in my life gets to be overwhelming. Meditating also helps me to relax and focus, and clarify my priorities.”

Who is a person you admire, and why? “The person I have considered my mentor since starting my rescue is Dr. Lex of Northumberland Veterinary Service. He has a wealth of knowledge, and infinite compassion for rescues and he has saved and improved the lives of countless K9C animals. Every single appointment I have attended with Dr. Lex has been a learning experience. He has spent a great deal of not just treating our animals, but also teaching me so much about animal health and wellness, and I know that I am a better, stronger rescuer because of him.”

What has been your biggest challenge in accomplishing your dream? “My biggest challenge is finding time to do it all. I have so many ideas and goals, but it takes time to nurture them to bring them to life. There never seems to be enough hours in the day!”

What’s your best advice for a woman becoming an entrepreneur? “Know what drives you and never lose sight of that, because when things go off the rails from time to time, you need to be able to tap into that thing that inspires you and gets you fired up!”

What is your favourite quote? “Another world is possible.” Philip Wollen

Where would you go on your dream vacation? “This changes a lot, but right now it is on my bucket list to visit Italy, and ride the Gondola in the city of Venice with my husband!”

What’s your favourite season? Why? “Fall – 100%. I am a person who enjoys darkness, so shorter, duller days relax me and fill me with a sense of calm. I am all about pumpkin spice and corn mazes, warm sweaters and rainboots, falling leaves and finally turning off the ac and opening the windows to breath in the crisper, cooler autumn air after a long hot summer!”

Who is the one person in the world you would like to sit beside on a long flight and what would you ask her or him? “I would love to sit next to the Dalai Lama and ask him how he counters negative emotions, such as anger, outrage, self-doubt, and fear, and how he keeps the faith in a world that seems so filled with suffering?”

What’s your favourite place in the world? “My favourite “place” actually lives in my memory, and it is more of a time, than a specific location. It is the time before my kids were grown up, and before my Dad passed away. I have so many amazing family memories that I keep safe in my heart, and I visit them often.”

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned through K9 Crusaders? “Too many to list to be honest. Some good, some not so good about people and their capacity for kindness as well as cruelty. We do however try to stay focused on the inherent good we see in people. We have so many amazing supporters, and without them, we would not be able to do what we do.”

THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!!!

What is one memorable success story from your work with K9 Crusaders?

“There are many, but one that stands out is the story of Noelle. We rescued her shortly before Christmas a few years ago, from a high kill gassing pound in Quebec. It was obvious she had recently had puppies, and the person who surrendered her claimed that she had found her as a stray. Shortly after, one of our rescue connections in Quebec saw the same woman selling Noelle’s puppies, who were much too young to have been taken from her. Her online post stated that Noelle had died and she was selling her 9 puppies. We worked with our contacts to secure 8 of the 9 the puppies and get them to safety. It was an amazing reunion that took place in the wee hours of the morning after one of our volunteers in Quebec drove them through the night to return them to their mother. Noelle’s story went viral online, and we were eventually able to successfully place all 8 puppies and Noelle in safe, loving, forever homes”.

Honour. Cherish. Nourish Yourself.

because when you look around, life is pretty amazing.

Do you know someone local to Northumberland County who deserves recognition for her perseverance and dedication to self-care and growth? Nominate her to be illuminated in our magazine, Empowered!!