A Calgary rescue cat named Molly is helping to support animal rescue groups across Canada.
A photo take of Molly with a dramatic mountain background is on the cover of Pet Valu’s 2022 calendar.
Proceeds from sales at the pet store chain’s locations across the country will go to Canadian animal rescue groups.
The photo shows Molly on the roof of a vehicle with the mountains west of Calgary as a backdrop.
Molly was chosen from more than 30,000 photos submitted by pet owners all over Canada.
“I didn’t expect to even win — I was just like, ‘Oh. this is fun,'” Molly’s owner Cassie Weiss said.
“So honestly, when I got the call, it was amazing.”
It was quite a change from the day 11 years ago when Weiss found Molly, then a kitten, abandoned in the bush near a ball diamond.
“She was skin and bones, she was missing whiskers, she had a little chunk out of her ear,” Weiss said.
Animals have always been close to Weiss’ heart.
“I love horses — I grew up on a ranch,” Weiss said. “Ideally, one of my goals is to end up buying some land to train and rehabilitate horses.”
Many customers at a Pet Valu store in northwest Calgary on Thursday were eager to have the chance to support rescue groups.
“I do a lot of rescue work and so how nice that you do something to support that great cause,” customer Tammy Mowatt told Weiss. “So I’m going to get one of your calendars.”