New show Must Love Dogs spotlights rescues

Brady Oliveira, left, and Alex Blumberg star in Must Love Dogs. Photo by CBC

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In the premiere of Must Love Dogs, a stray has wandered onto someone’s property and given birth to puppies. It’s Brady Oliveira and Alex Blumberg’s job to get the dogs to safety. There’s one problem: the puppies are under a shed, out of arm’s reach.

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If the two don’t get to them, the puppies could succumb to predators, illness, bad weather or starvation. Blumberg tries to squeeze under the shed, but it’s no use. It seems as if they’re at a loss.

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Viewers can find out what happens next when they stream the 10-part docuseries, which debuted April 20 on CBC Gem. Each half-hour follows the couple as they volunteer with Manitoba-based K9 Advocacy, which helps rural First Nation communities manage the stray dog overpopulation.

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The dogs aren’t always eager to be rescued. Oliveira, who’s also the running back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, knows this well.

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“There were a few rescues in Season 1 where I just wish the dogs understood that, hey, we’re here to help you. Please just come to us … We’re gonna feed you, we’re gonna give you water, lots of love. Your life’s gonna forever change,” he says. “And unfortunately, they don’t understand that right away. Sometimes it takes time. It takes a lot of patience.”

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Oliveira got into rescue work through a friend named Ryan Klassen, who appears through Season 1. Klassen’s partner, First Nations nurse Jasmine Colucci, is the founder of K9 Advocacy. And about six years ago, Klassen invited Oliveira to join him on a rescue.

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Blumberg, meanwhile, took up the cause nearly 18 years ago.

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“My mom was always a big advocate for rescue dogs, and she volunteers for the Humane Society,” she says. “So I grew up around rescue dogs when it wasn’t really a thing. Back then, rescue dogs were unheard of or considered dangerous dogs or return dogs.”

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Blumberg later started a rescue adoption agency with her sister in British Columbia. When she moved back to Winnipeg, she started volunteering with K9 Advocacy. That’s where she met Oliveira.

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Although rescue work is fulfilling, it takes an emotional toll. The show tells the story of Stella, a dog they fostered and that gave birth on their couch. Blumberg cared for a weaker puppy, but it ended up dying.

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“That was probably one of the hardest moments for me personally,” she says.

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Blumberg, who’s also a real estate agent and an influencer, leans on Oliveira in times like that.

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“It helps a lot to have a partner like Brady, who fully understands what I’m going through and what it takes to be in this world,” she says. “He’s very calm, very level headed. He’s positive, like, celebrate the small wins. We can’t save them all.”

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Oliveira hopes the series provides not just entertainment but inspiration.

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“We’re on this earth to make it a better place,” he says. “If your purpose so happens to be dogs, this show is for you. I hope it inspires you to say, ‘OK, I want to get involved.’ Whether that’s going to your local shelter and taking a dog out for a walk or dropping off donations, or fostering, or adopting a dog — whatever the case is.”

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