Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s Canine Ambassadors Go Virtual to Raise Money for the Non-Profit That Gave Them Their Start

File this under “duties as assigned.” Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s beloved Canine Ambassadors, Ella and Elly, will be making themselves available to crash virtual meetings in an effort to raise funds for BC & Alberta Guide Dogs, the non-profit organization that gave Ella and Elly their start.

Starting Thursday, October 15^th, the public can book Ella and Elly to attend virtual meetings in exchange for a minimum $50 donation to BC & Alberta Guide Dogs.

“A lot has changed in our daily lives,” said Adam Laker, General Manager of Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. “One thing we’ve been hearing from guests who aren’t able to visit us at the moment, is that they miss seeing our Canine Ambassadors, Ella and Elly. We completely understand that, and wanted to offer the opportunity to visit with them virtually. We’re having a lot of fun with it, while also helping to give back to a very worthy cause.”

Fairmont Hotel Vancouver started working with BC & Alberta Guide Dogs in 2003, after adopting the hotel’s first Canine Ambassador, Mavis, from the organization. In 2016, the hotel adopted their second and third Canine Ambassadors from the organization – Ella, a six-year-old Labrador/Golden Retriever mix, and Elly, a six-year-old Black Labrador. All three dogs were trainees on their way to becoming certified Guide Dogs, however, their social personality ultimately disqualified them from continuing on in the program. Instead, the canines discovered their love of people perfectly suited them for a career in hospitality, greeting guests in the lobby and ensuring a feeling of home for travelers missing their own pups.

“This year has been challenging for BC & Alberta Guide Dogs, due to the lack of important fundraising events that we typically count on,” said Linda Thornton of BC & Alberta Guide Dogs. “As a nonprofit organization dedicated to professionally training Guide Dogs, Autism Service Dogs and OSI/PTSD Service Dogs for citizens of British Columbia and Alberta, we’ve had to think outside the box to continue raising funds. Considering it takes two years and upwards of $35,000 to train one certified dog, efforts such as Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s virtual-meeting-crashing fundraiser are so important to help us continue our mission.”

Ella and Elly are offering this helping hand – or paw – rather, for virtual office meetings, afternoon or evening ‘yappy hours’, or even tea parties with any tiny tots who miss seeing the four-legged friends. Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is asking booking inquiries to be emailed to hvc-rsvp@fairmont.com, and anyone looking to donate directly to BC & Alberta Guide Dogs regardless of Ella and Elly’s involvement, can do so online at https://bcandalbertaguidedogs.com/donorcentre/donate-now/.

For dog or cat owners looking to stay at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver with their pets in tow, the hotel is offering its Pet-Friendly Package, complete with a complimentary pet stay, pet-friendly amenities, complimentary parking, a discount on the best available rate, late check out of 5:00pm, and a room upgrade to the next room-type category (based on availability).