Vancouver Island duo provides free pet care for owners in treatment
Published 5:00 pm Sunday, January 25, 2026
The call would come in, a treatment bed ready, motivation high, everything lined up. Then the same answer, again and again.
“I don’t have anywhere for my dog to go.”
For Priya Sharma and Kayleigh Busch, it was one of the hardest patterns to watch while working in Victoria’s mental health and substance use recovery system.
Clients prepared to enter life-saving treatment were forced to turn it down at the last minute, not because they were unsure about recovery, but because they could not find safe, affordable care for the animals they loved.
Recovery Tails Society was born from that gap.
The Victoria-based non-profit, officially launched this month, provides free, temporary pet care for people entering treatment across Vancouver Island.
While clients focus on their own healing, their pets are placed in foster homes, cared for, and kept safe until they are reunited.
“We saw people decline treatment because pet care fell through,” Sharma said. “And for so many people, pets are family. They are comfort, stability, unconditional love.”
Both founders bring more than a decade of combined experience in outreach, intake, and treatment coordination.
Busch said refusal rates due to pet care were more common than many realize, especially for people without extra financial support.
“Even if they could find someone, could they afford it?” Busch said. “Most of our clients just don’t have that option.”
After realizing no similar service existed in Canada, the two began building their own.
A turning point came during conversations with a Victoria dog daycare, when they realized extended daycare was not only costly, but unfair to the animals.
“That’s when we thought, why aren’t we doing this with foster families?” Busch said. “Why not create a volunteer base of people who want to help in this exact way?”
Here is how it works.
When Recovery Tails receives an inquiry, either directly from an individual or through a support worker, Sharma and Busch will complete an intake and assessment covering the pet’s needs, routine, and expected length of care. Ideally, they are given three or four weeks’ notice, though sometimes placements are arranged in just days.
At this early stage, the founders will meet clients in person and temporarily house the pets themselves, allowing them to fully assess behaviour and needs before matching the animal with a foster home.
They maintain close contact with volunteers through weekly check-ins and cover all costs related to veterinary care, grooming, transportation, and supplies.
“We’re asking volunteers to open their homes,” Sharma said. “Our responsibility is to take everything else off their plate.”
Safeguards are built in, including emergency contacts, clear timelines, insurance coverage, and detailed policies should complications arise.
Clients also receive updates on their pets while in treatment, offering reassurance during an already stressful transition.
Since announcing the society, the response has been overwhelming.
Within days, Recovery Tails received dozens of foster inquiries, alongside offers of professional support from trainers and animal care specialists.
“It’s been really heartwarming,” Sharma said. “The community clearly saw this gap too.”
Looking ahead, the goal is simple. No one on Vancouver Island should have to choose between their recovery and their pet.
“If this is working the way we hope,” Busch said, “someone can say yes to treatment, and not worry about anything else.”
For those interested in volunteering as a foster home or to offer additional support, you can reach Priya and Kayleigh at RecoveryTailsSociety@gmail.com.
