More than 40 animals have been rescued in the Kawartha Lakes since January 2025 alone, thanks to the caring efforts of Tail Trackers, a newly-formed volunteer pet rescue organization.
It all started with a litter of rabbits, which connected board members Liana Forsyth and Tail Trackers founder Jenny Miskelly.
A woman reached out to Forsyth, who cottages in the Kawarthas, on a Fenlon Falls Facebook group, and she responded with an offer to help. “Jenny reached out to both me and the woman who’d posted and asked if she could trap the bunnies,” says Forsyth. (Miskelly, coincidentally, was also in the process of recuing a litter of rabbits that had been dumped in the Blackstock area.) That’s how the two animal lovers, both with a background in rescuing abandoned pets, initially met, and “from there we started a conversation about how many missing animals there are in this area,” says Forsyth.
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Currently, Tail Trackers is a non-profit corporation that’s strictly volunteer-run, but Forsyth says they’re working on becoming a registered charity. The program officially began on January 19, 2025, with five board members in total, including Kawartha locals Kelly Richardson, Georgia McIntosh, and Lydia VandenBerg.
Through word of mouth and posts on social media, the group gets notified of pet owners who need help, or those who know of abandoned animals that need to be rescued. “Tail Trackers covers all of the Kawartha Lakes area,” says Forsyth. “We will (also) share posts just on the outskirts because, again, our goal is really to rescue and save whoever we can.” The bulk of rescues are dogs, followed by cats.
The process for rescue is fairly simple. Tail Trackers may get tagged in a social media post or sent a direct message about a loose animal. One recent example? “We had an elderly lady reach out to us about a month and a half ago in regards to a dog that had been staying on her property,” says Forsyth. They named the dog Cash. “He was dumped, and we were able to successfully capture him. We had to house him overnight because the shelters aren’t available 24-7. He was taken in the following day into the shelter and now he’s been neutered and he is up for adoption.”
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The team uses tech to help with their search-and-rescues. Miskelly has purchased a thermal drone “which is amazing,” says Forsyth. Other equipment includes a “humungous six-foot trap” she says, plus on-demand trail cams.
“We have multiple portable trail cameras,” says Kelly Richardson. “After getting permission from the property owner we strategically place them in the area where we’re searching for a lost pet. The cameras are linked by a cellular app, so we are notified as soon as the dog comes into view or is secured in the trap. That way we can respond quickly to get the dog safe.”
Through donations, they’ve been able to create rescue kits, which have all the essentials to help secure and temporarily care for an animal, including a slip collar, foldable water bowl, a water bottle, and treats: “All the necessities that if in fact you come across an animal, you’re prepared,” says Forsyth.
Forsyth also says that there are programs available to those who feel they can no longer care for their pets, rather dumping them to fend for themselves. “There are groups, including ourselves, who will help support you with cat and dog food.”
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Richardson has established Bo Duke’s Pet Food Bank, named after her newly adopted rescue dog, Bo Duke. “He showed up on our property on October 4 (last year) and we finally were able to lightly handle him November 26,” she says. Richardson lives in the village of Cameron. “I had a ton of support from our community while I was trying to help him. After we adopted him, I felt it was important to give back to the community in someway. That’s when we started the pet food bank.” Richardson says they’ve handed out more than 50 bags of dog and cat food.
The Lindsay Pet Food Bank is another nearby non-profit offering various forms of assistance.
“Tail Trackers Kawartha has become is a compassionate and dedicated team of volunteers working to reunite lost pets with their families, and give abandoned animals a second chance at a loving home,” says Richardson. “The volunteers’ tireless efforts not only bring hope in times of crisis, but also highlight the deep bond between people and dogs working together to create a safer more compassionate community.”
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