GORE BAY—They say you can’t buy love, but you can certainly rescue it. Helping those in need and supporting those who facilitate the well-being of others are among the top initiatives for Ashley Whyte of Gore Bay and her upcoming 2026 Rescue Pet Calendar, with a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the calendars to be donated to a local charity, Manitoulin Pet Rescue.
Mrs. Whyte is a local commercial artist who is well known for her work around the Island including window paintings on business storefronts as well as the Manitoulin Colouring Book series which reached its fifth volume this year. The calendar, which will feature 12 heartwarming rescue tales and original stylized portrait illustrations of each pet, is a brainchild inspired by Mrs. Whyte’s very own history with a local rescue. For that reason, she is inviting the public to submit their pet’s rescue stories for a chance to be included in this one-of-a-kind project.
“The idea came to me after working with Boop, a stray Calico cat that my husband (Dylon Whyte) and I found one day in Gore Bay on the boardwalk in the late summer of 2021,” says Mrs. Whyte. “I think she was curious why I meowed at her the first time we met,” she laughed. “She timidly came over and head-butted my hand and so we called her Boop. She was obviously feral though, having no qualms about biting and hissing if you tried to get close and touch her.”
The couple didn’t expect to see the cat again after their first encounter as it is common for strays to come and go, however, much to their surprise this particular feline began to show up every evening to join them out on their walks around town.
Mrs. Whyte decided to post a photo of Boop on Facebook to see if someone was missing a cat, although it seemed unlikely given how aloof and aggressive she was.
The post led to an unexpected discovery both for Mrs. Whyte and the Manitoulin Pet Rescue (MPR). It turns out that Boop (formerly Duchess) was no stranger to MPR, having been previously rescued, fostered and adopted to a gentleman in Gore Bay in early 2017. She promptly escaped and in an unfortunate turn of events, her owner passed away while she was missing. Boop spent four years living outdoors on her own before being discovered.
“Kathy Jewell from MPR reached out as soon as she saw the post,” Mrs. Whyte continued. “It seemed that this tiny cat had a rather large tale. Imagine being born in a woodpile, rehabilitated and homed only to end up on your own facing the harsh elements for so long. She had no interest in coming indoors, however, let along being friendly and the rescue was at capacity at the time, so I let Kathy know I would look out for her since she showed up every evening for a walk.”
Mrs. Whyte says they spent the following 10 months working to establish trust with the stray rather than trapping and forcing her into a stressful situation. The couple gave the Calico time to choose to come inside and live a different life than just one of survival. “I feel it was imperative to her long-term success that she was given the option to choose for herself and she did, so much so that she preferred pets and cuddles to food by that point. When she decided she wanted to be inside full-time I made the call to Kathy to let her know Boop was ready for home. I wish I could have provided it myself, but my allergies have worsened over the years, and I knew I could not share our home forever, which honestly broke my heart.”
It would seem that in a show of trust and understanding, Boop calmly entered the carrier waiting for her one evening in June 2022, coaxed by soft encouraging words on Mrs. Whyte’s behalf. She offered reassurance that she was okay by purring and nibbling away at food while being transported to Mindemoya where she would be held at Kat’s Pet Supplies. A few months later, Boop’s foster became her furever home where she is well-loved and enjoys her canine companions, although not her feline roommate as much.
All rescue stories are welcome (they do not have to be from Manitoulin), explained Mrs. Whyte. Please send photos with your written stories to pets.rescue.stories@gmail.com Submissions will be open until November 30 and those that are chosen will be announced afterwards. Follow Ashley Whyte on Facebook for updates on this project.
