'She's a hero': Cowichan Valley woman helps hundreds of people and animals in need
While Allara the dog is dressed to impress in a flower-print dress, her owner Judy Bobke is dressed in her best jeans.
“This is dressed up for me,” Judy laughs.
Judy says she’s usually too focused on rescuing dogs to care about clothes.
“I get calls [to help animals]," Judy says. “And it doesn’t matter what time of the day or night, I go.”
Which means the volunteer is often wearing pyjamas outside her house, and occasionally after being locked out of her car by one of her rescues
“A dog would jump up and hit the button [closed],” Judy laughs. “And I’m standing there going, 'You got to be kidding.'”
A comical inconvenience, as opposed to Judy’s devastating diagnosis.
“My whole world fell apart,” Judy says.
Judy says she couldn’t endure multiple health issues, including two bouts of cancer, without the unwavering support of her human friends, and the unconditional love of her furry ones. So she committed to pay it forward.
“It keeps me going every day to know that I can help people and animals,” Judy says.
Over the past few years, Judy has raised tens of thousands of dollars through initiatives like bottle drives to pay for her rescue animals' vet bills, support women's shelters, and help the low-income elderly with their bills.
Judy is currently planning a large fundraiser in the spring to support a youth centre run by the Cowichan Valley Mental Health Association that will be staged at Pride Motorsports in Cobble Hill.
“Judy is amazing,” says David Horner, who has fostered and adopted some of Judy’s rescue dogs. “She has a huge heart that gets bigger every day.”
“She’s a hero around here as far as I’m concerned,” says another member of the community.
A hero who — rather than donning a cape — will get into a Goofy costume to support sick kids on their birthdays or raise the spirits of patients waiting for serious surgeries.
“I just started crying,” says Kimmie, who received a visit from Judy’s Goofy in hospital. “It was such a beautiful thing to do.”
But Judy doesn’t want compliments for her kindness. “I’m very uncomfortable,” she admits.
Although she was recently notified that she’s rescued and found new homes for almost 500 animals, Judy was quick to credit all her accomplishments to people in the community she serves.
“It takes a village and I have a village,” Judy says. “And that gives me the hope to carry on.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ministers Joly, LeBlanc travel to Florida to meet with Trump's team
Two members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet will be in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday to meet with members of Donald Trump's team.
India alleges widespread trafficking of international students through Canada to U.S.
Indian law enforcement agencies say they are investigating alleged links between dozens of colleges in Canada and two 'entities' in Mumbai accused of illegally ferrying students across the Canada-United States border.
Teen actor Hudson Meek, who appeared in 'Baby Driver,' dies after falling from moving vehicle
Hudson Meek, the 16-year-old actor who appeared in 'Baby Driver,' died last week after falling from a moving vehicle in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, according to CNN affiliate WVTM.
Pizza deliverer in Florida charged with stabbing pregnant woman at motel after tip dispute
A pizza deliverer in central Florida has been charged with pushing her way into a motel room with an accomplice and stabbing a pregnant woman after a dispute over a tip, authorities said.
Christmas Eve stowaway caught on Delta airplane at Seattle airport
A stowaway was caught trying to nab a ride on a Delta Air Lines plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Christmas Eve.
2 minors, 2 adults critically injured in south Calgary crash; incident was preceded by a robbery
Multiple people were rushed to hospital, including two minors, in the aftermath of a serious vehicle collision on Thursday morning.
Hwy. 401 off-ramp shut down due to Boxing Day deal-hunters now re-open
A Highway 401 off-ramp west of Toronto that became so clogged up with Boxing Day deal-hunters Thursday that police had to shut it down out of safety concerns has re-opened.
Cat food that caused bird-flu death of Oregon pet was distributed in B.C.: officials
Pet food contaminated with bird flu – which killed a house cat in Oregon – was distributed and sold in British Columbia, according to officials south of the border.
Aviation experts say Russia's air defence fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns
Aviation experts said Thursday that Russian air defence fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured.