Dogs were always a way for Kira M鈥橪ot to deal with the trials and tribulations of life.
鈥淏asically, my stress release was always going to the animal shelter,鈥� she explained.
鈥淚 would go to LAPS (黑马磁力 Animal Protection Society) and ran the dogs. That was my stress release, going to spend time with dogs.鈥�
The stress was often the result of a traumatic brain injury M鈥橪ot suffered when she was eight years old.
Trying to help a shorter child use a zip line which was set up in a back yard at a wedding, M鈥橪ot was knocked off the unfenced portion of a deck and fell 14 feet, suffering a traumatic head injury.
The injury 鈥� a fractured skull and a severed temporal artery 鈥� affected her reading comprehension and ability to retain memory.
To this day, the 24-year-old still suffers from vertigo, dizziness and headaches.
Following her high school graduation from R.E. Mountain Secondary in 2006 鈥� which she said would not have been possible without her mother serving as her tutor 鈥� M鈥橪ot enrolled at the University of Fraser Valley with an eye on studying kinesiology.
鈥淚 was very involved with sport my whole life,鈥� she said. 鈥�(Kinesiology) seemed like a natural thing to do.鈥�
But her schooling lasted just a month as M鈥橪ot struggled with the memorization necessary for the course work.
During her last few years of high school, M鈥橪ot had spent time volunteering at LAPS.
鈥淭here was a German shepherd, Duska, who was distant to everybody; she didn鈥檛 relate to anybody,鈥� M鈥橪ot recalled. 鈥淪he was one very anxious, wound-up dog.
鈥淪he was a little crazy and didn鈥檛 connect with people, however, one day that all changed.
鈥淚 was walking her, she just completely connected to me; she started to respond to me.
鈥淔rom that day on, she would get excited every time I walked into the room.鈥�
That connection left a lasting impression.
鈥淚t was that moment and that connection which really reinforced the love that they show to you when you work with them,鈥� M鈥橪ot said.
Armed with that experience, M鈥橪ot decided to complete a dog trainer apprenticeship program.
Following that, she worked for a year at a Burnaby dog day care, Metro Dogs, before leasing space in Abbotsford for three years for her own business.
鈥淚 got a chance to build up my name, build up my clientele and get more experience,鈥� she said.
And after settling her head injury lawsuit in December 2011, M鈥橪ot had the capital to purchase her own property, a 7,200 square foot facility in south 黑马磁力 on 0 Avenue.
鈥淚 like the community feel of 黑马磁力; I am not a city girl,鈥� she said.
鈥淭o me, I am comfortable in that rural setting.鈥�
M鈥橪ot grew up on an acreage in Brookswood
Last month, she opened the doors to A Dogs Life K9 Centre, which is described as a 10-star resort for dogs and cats.
The facility provides large indoor heated kennels, Kuranda orthopedic doggie beds, secure outdoor yards, and much more.
The website describes the experience as like a day at the spa for pets, with the animals having a daily nap while listening to soothing music, plus the option of either an outdoor leisurely walk to enjoy the fresh air or a bath with a full body massage.
鈥淚 am trying to create a multisport dog facility; your one-stop shop for everything,鈥� she said.
While it may be a pet day care during business hours, in the evenings, there is a large sports field ideal for dog sports, as well as training classes.
In addition to M鈥橪ot, there is a part-time staff of four.
M鈥橪ot said she still has emotional ups and downs about her head injury, but wants her story to be an example to others that they can鈥檛 let life鈥檚 obstacles slow them down.
鈥淚f this never happened to me, I would be doing kinesiology and in a completely different field,鈥� she said.
鈥淏ut I very much love what I do and I have created a life with stuff that I am good at.
鈥淲hat I like to share with everyone is that it doesn鈥檛 matter if you have had an injury, it doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 do things any more,鈥� M鈥橪ot said.
鈥淵ou may have to work a bit harder, but you just keep going at it. If you sit around and do nothing, you will feel worse.
鈥淲hy not take advantage of life? You have a second chance, why not live it?鈥�
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