Siksika man opens dog sanctuary to get nation's strays off streets

Pickles, a young, lab-mix puppy, was the first dog put up for adoption at the Soulway's Sanctuary and Rescue Shelter.

She was found hungry with a scar on her head, wandering around the Siksika Nation, east of Calgary, with a pack of larger stray dogs.

"She was in a little pickle when we met her … We decided to take her in and make sure she was taken care of," said Wayne Solway, who created the shelter this fall with his husband Donavan.

"Every dog has their own little personality, and Pickles has an amazing little friendly personality."

The couple paid out-of-pocket for Pickles to get her shots, said Wayne, and they're predicting she's the first of many pooches to find a permanent home through the business. 

At least eight kennels, heated for winter weather, are available for stray dogs found on the Siksika Nation, and those in need of doggie daycare. 

The kennels exit into a wood-panelled pen on the Solways' property near Cluny, Alta., with toys, tires and a space for dogs to exercise. 

Wayne, who spent 20 years working in hotel management before moving to the nation, said he started the shelter because he often sees stray dogs in "sad situations" through his work with Siksika Public Services. 

"We regularly get calls at my work of dog packs and dog bites, people in the hospital because of dog attacks," he said.

"The fact that they're running around in packs and homeless and starving and sick and nobody to take care of them, it's not right."

Wayne's husband Donavan is the shelter's lead kennel handler. 

"Having a sanctuary was always my biggest dream and I never thought I would actually have it. It was a silent dream," he said.  

"And then I met my husband and we both were animal lovers, and we had this space and room in our hearts."

The couple said they received a grant from the Siksika Nation, but took on most of the construction and start-up costs. They're raising public donations and plan to apply for grants to grow the business.  

Wayne said he's making necessary adjustments to meet the standards of the Canadian Animal Task Force, which would allow the sanctuary to house dogs seized by Siksika Animal Services. 

For now, they're enjoying the challenge of getting the shelter and daycare off the ground.

"It's the greatest thing in the whole wide world … I used to work in restaurants. This is a lot better," said Donavan.