Meet the Mindful Mutts Team! 

We are a team of animal lovers who empower humans to live and bond with their animals through science-based training and handling. Our core values include human rights, animal welfare, decolonizing our industry and ourselves. As a team and individually, we thrive on being outspoken about animal, human, and environmental rights. We encourage one another to continue the work of unlearning in our own lives so that we can more successfully learn together, and help educate our communities on ethical dog training and handling.

We care about our own mental and physical safety as much as we do for that of your dog’s. Staff breaks are paid and self-regulated to ensure we are all mindful of the need to take care of our brains and our bodies. Imagine an 8 hour day full of barking and picking up poop around the clock! It ain’t all puppy snuggling 😉 We have been working on becoming a living wage company, and are almost back to where we were just when the pandemic hit us in 2020 which means that we are not too far from meeting that goal. Also a big deal especially coming out of the pandemic…our permanent staffers now have HEALTH INSURANCE!!!

Interested in joining our team? We currently do not have any positions available but please do send us a resume and a little bit about yourself to info@mindfulmutts.ca if you’re interested in us keeping you in mind for future openings.

***PLEASE DO NOT APPLY IN PERSON***

Stefania Butkovic - Owner/Operator - she/her

About Stefania

Stefania has been studying in many different avenues to learn all about dogs. She is studying to become a certified science based dog trainer through The Academy for Dog Trainers. She regularly attends seminars and courses in an effort to stay up to date in her field of work and to continue her education in the science behind your fuzzbutts! Her husband Jon is known for being the local Dog Taxi Service and is Pet First Aid Certified through Walks 'N Wags. They share Cassie the 16 year old minpin. In November of 2021 they welcomed their first HUMAN PUPPY *wink wink* and named her Calliope Mae!

Read More: Lack of Industry Standards

Stefania is a plant-powered advocate for animal welfare. Before diving into formal education as dog trainer, Stefania saw a need to speak up about the dangers lurking behind closed doors of dog daycares. After working in some gruesome conditions at dog daycares to gain hands-on experience, some things she has witnessed are:

    • Dogs with mouths muzzled shut all day for barking
    • Dogs being grabbed by the scruff of the neck and tossed angrily into kennels
    • Prong collars used behind owner’s backs
    • Even water boarding of animals when groomers got impatient was not uncommon

The lack of regulation is something that should  be taken very seriously. We are working hard to make that message loud and clear to the public by educating our communities on the physical and emotional damage that can be done to animals in these facilities and by professionals who offer various types of care. Conditions were terribly stressful and abusive mentally and physically for the dogs, and challenges for human beings.

Educational info and seminar attendance:

CURRENTLY TRYING TO NOT PLATFORM OR CONTINUE TO PAY INTO ANY INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE NOT ACTIVELY AND PUBLICLY ANTI-GENOCIDE AND ADVOCATING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AS MUCH AS THEY ARE ADVOCATING FOR ANIMAL WELFARE AND SCIENCE BASED ANIMAL TRAINING. I HAVE DELETED THIS INFORMATION UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THERE’S NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE, INDIGENOUS LIVES MATTER WORLD WIDE. YOU MAY CONTACT ME DIRECTLY AT STEFANIA@MINDFULMUTTS.CA FOR FURTHER DETAILS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE SPECIFICALLY. FREE PALESTINE.

Low Stress Handling Certified in 2015.

Enrolled in The Academy for Dog Trainers in 2020, currently on hiatus due to a lack of child care.

 

Jelena Ukalovic (she/her)
petsitter

Jelena’s passion for dogs has led her to Mindful Mutts, Jelena regularly attends seminars etc to stay up to date on her knowledge about dog behaviour.  She has a chocolate lab named Duke who is the love of her life! She is Low Stress and Pet First Aid Ceritified.

 

Martha Bull (she/her)
Wrangler

Martha really loves the hands on aspect of working with the dogs. Education is important to Martha when it comes to animal care, it’s also something she can always use when parenting her two kitties at home. Martha is Low Stress and Pet First Aid Certified.

AJ Chapman (they/he)
Wrangler

AJ has never lived in a home without a dog, their passion for dogs started young. Ensuring each animal has the respect and compassion to have a full and happy live is a top priority. 

AJ has completed the YWCA Off Leash Program and while AJ isn’t sure what comes next in the animal industry, they would like to continue to learn and grow their knowledge about dog behaviour. When they aren’t found at Mindful Mutts, AJ will be found spending quality time with their dog, Laika. 

2022: YWCA Off Leash Program + Pet First Aid Certified

Becca Lewis (she/her)
Wrangler

Becca is driven by her passion for animals, she has had rescue dogs throughout her childhood and wants to see all animals prosper and living their best and happiest life. Becca is aiming for a career as a Marine Biologist, and spent the summer in the Ocean Wise Youth to Sea program. 

While Becca doesn’t have any dogs at this time she does have three cats named Spot, Dot, and Des. Becca loves to spend time with each pupper at Mindful Mutts and getting to know each individual personality. 

Beatrix Pascual (she/her)
Seasonal Wrangler

Beatrix has been surrounded by animals her whole life, growing up with chickens, horses, sheep, cats and dogs! It’s fair to say that her love and passion for animals got a jumpstart pretty early on. 

While Beatrix doesn’t currently have any animals of her own, she aspires to become a veterinarian. When she isn’t in school, you can find her spending time with, and enriching the lives of the pupperinos around her at Mindful Mutts.

Marina Yamada (she/her) 
On-Call Wrangler

Marina grew up in Japan and attended an international Brazilian school. While growing up she had owned and cared for a myriad of pets including her mini dachshund, a snake and a millipede. This sparked her interest in learning about their individual behaviour and needs, and speaking up for those that can’t speak for themselves.
 
Marina aspires to become a researcher in the field of Neuroscience, as well as one day she hopes to train service dogs. She is excited to continue to grow her education within the animal industry and more. She is Pet First Aid Certified.

Lowell Deranleau (they/them)
Wrangler

Bio coming soon!

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