I hate tax time. Not gonna lie. I've never been good with numbers.

Thank goodness for calculators!

But handy adding devices aside, I've been chained to my desk the whole week long moaning and groaning over spreadsheets soon required by my ever so patient and understanding accountant.

Figures and Dollar Signs are madly spinning around in my head.

I'd rather be patting a beagle.

But it's part of running a charity, isn't it?

And the fact of the matter is, the very heart of the matter is that when all is said and done (and entered!), my heart is always filled with gratitude. To the point of tears really.

I may start with the Expense Report and shiver at the calculations as I go,

but when I get to the Income Report…that shock is replaced by awe.

The awe of YOU, no matter how corny that sounds.

But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

The purpose of my eblast today is to share my thanks to so many, starting with my own beagles --- including the one in the office window.

Neal & the Gang have been so patient with me. Every so often, I'd turn my head from my computer screen and say "We'll go for a Walk very soon! I promise!" They'd sigh and fall back asleep because they know better during Tax Season.

Rest assured, I did get them out for walkies this past week and I even squeezed in an emergency trip to hospital when Seven somehow traumatized his already traumatized/decaying lower canine tooth, spending an hour holding his paw while his veterinary team took turns applying pressure to stop the bleeding! That was one for the history books, I tell ya. And I thought I'd seen it all.

But back to the other books. Seven is doing well, not to worry. I suppose being the new foster guy in, he felt compelled to test the extent of my love and how better than by initiating a full blown medical emergency with lots of BLOOD. I think I've satisfied him completely.

So yes, my thanks goes out to my lovely beagles for hanging in there. Little do they know, they'll soon be playing in the mud at Wildwood Park for our Muddy Beagle Bunny Hop Meetup on Sunday! Gotta make it up to them somehow! I'm bringing plenty of towels!

Second on the Thank You list is my rescue partner, Deanna Barkhouse, for always being just a panicky text away when I need to solve a tax receipt mystery! Speaking of texts, Deanna and my other rescue partner, Erica Murray, really calmed the waters for me with their emotional support messages while I was holding Seven's paw with my other hand in hospital Thursday night. Bless you both!

Next on my list is someone I thank to myself every year. A former foster parent, an adopter of a BOB beagle, a friend in Rescue, and someone with a brain for biz! She taught me everything I needed to know about good bookkeeping!!! I'll never forget that trip to Staples those many years ago as she confidently threw essentials into my shopping cart, explaining along the way while I frantically took notes.

Jen Lementi, you continue to be the voice of reason in my head every year. I still use the very same blue milk crate for holding my files! And my original COPY stamp still works! I love my COPY stamp. How long do they last???

Anyway, I'll always be thankful to you for making this nasty bit of business a little less nasty.

That leads me to that patient accountant of mine who I'm sure is just as grateful to Jen for teaching me about spreadsheets. We go way back, when we both worked in the second floor offices at the Toronto Humane Society - Tim being in the Accounting Department and me being in the Fundraising Department down the fur-clad hall. And look at us now?!! Me saving beagles for a living and Tim running his own successful accounting business and always giving me the "Rescue rate" and a regular scolding for spending too much on vet bills.

God Bless Tim!

And last but you know…NEVER least, my thanks to YOU -

the reason my Income Report turned the sticker shock horror of my Expense Report into AWE.

So yeah, we spent a lot of moolah again last year, close to $70K --- veterinary costs being the lion's share as always!!!

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't as bad as the year before which was close to a staggering $100K!

I'm still shaking my head over that record breaking year.

Lord knows I worry about money. We take on tough cases. Beagles that need lots of veterinary support and we all know pet health care is costly. But I must say that I wouldn't trade our partner veterinary clinics for the world. They do their best to keep our costs down while not compromising on the stellar care our beagles receive year after year. They know we will spend whatever is necessary for the well-being and long-term good health of our homeless howlers. I think that's why they are all so good to us.

But back to YOU. We still have to pay those all important vet bills and you make that possible time and time again, whether it's to cover initial diagnostics for a newbie, essential surgeries, ongoing care for chronic issues with our long-termers, or (ahem) emergencies like Seven's and like (((sigh))) Algernon's back in January. I shudder to think what this year's Expense Report is gonna look like. But we'll worry about that when we get to it.

In this moment, I'm celebrating another year of survival and in a pandemic no less.

Not only surviving but THRIVING.

Our beagles THRIVE because of you.

The Income Report? Over $75,000 in support!!! That's YOU!!! All YOU!!! Your donations throughout 2021 added up to that incredible amount! And you know what THAT did? It saved some very deserving beagles. And it continues to do that.

Never forget the value of your gift to our beagles, no matter the size.

Like I always say, each dollar is like a heartbeat…no matter how corny that sounds.

Marna & the Gang at

BIG ON BEAGLES (B.O.B) Rescue