Starter Company Spotlight: Kelly Dolson
Meet Kelly, Owner of HealWell Animal Care (Helping Every Animal Live Well) – a practice that offers holistic care and healing to dogs, horses and small farm animals. After spending years as an ER nurse, Kelly felt called to a career that centered on working with animals in need of compassionate, intuitive and spiritual care. If you ever have the chance to speak with Kelly on the work that she does, you’ll be enamored with how much knowledge is present and how much love she has to give to animals.
HealWell Animal Care brings a soulful and empathetic approach to animal care in Collingwood and offers a wide range of services including laser therapy, acupressure, massaging, craniosacral therapy, adjustments, homeopathy and more.
Learn more about Kelly + HealWell through the Q+A below.
What is your favourite part about being an entrepreneur? Coming from a highly institutional setting, I now love having the freedom to create, manage and be solely responsible for my business. It’s very liberating being out from under the institutional rule.
What inspired you to start your business? What is your WHY? I have always loved animals and feel very connected to them. Why not work with your best friends?!
What services or products do you offer? The website does not have an inclusive list as I don’t want to overwhelm people who are new to holistic care. Services range from pain management, bodywork, reflexology, reiki, essential oils/crystal therapy/herbalism, nutrition, senior care management, who to know if you have a pet in pain, and how to assess your home/cleaning regime for substances that are harmful for your animal and you!
Tell us about your animals and what they mean to you. Animals are my inner prosperity code. They restore my faith in the universe and our planet every time I look at them. They are my teachers for discovering what truly matters and connects me to the unheard, unseen, unwitnessed and experienced planes of life. They lay the energetic tracks for my life that deeply resonate with me and in turn, it allows me to deeply resonate with them.
What is unique about your business? I don’t know of any other practitioner that has crossed over from human healthcare to animal health that possesses the diverse skill set that I have. The business is based on humanity, connection, and interplay with physical, emotional and spiritual levels.
Why South Georgian Bay? Why did you choose to start a business/live here? Like many, the pandemic caused a huge inner shift and forced me to figure out my “why” or purpose. I have found it by helping animals. Collingwood holds a magical and soulful component that openly welcomes all.
What does success look like to you – when will you know you’ve achieved it? Helping Every Animal Live Well and seeing the brightness to their eyes return, walk without a limp, lose or gain weight – it’s magical. I especially love seeing owners have inner peace knowing they have helped their animal without conventional care and seeing their bond strengthen through the process.
What’s one work-related skill that you’d like to develop, especially if you could do it easily? Being an empath, I feel and connect to both animals and people just by passing them on the street. Ensuring I am grounded and coveting my own energy at all times is one skill that would serve me well.
What is your favourite local spot to visit on a day off? Pretty River hiking trails with the hubby and our 3 pups.
What’s your favourite product or service that you offer? Reiki is my favourite offering. Being able to channel healing energy and see how soothing the effects are on the mind, body and spirit leaves me in awe of how much healing can happen without even being seen.
What was one new experience you tried that was completely unknown or uncomfortable to you at the time you tried it? I was planning a 2-week silent spiritual retreat in India prior to the pandemic. This is a bucket list item for me to live off grid, find inner connection and be guided through this process. It feels like it would be life altering.
If you won the lottery, what would you do? I’d open an animal sanctuary. The name would be Jack’s Place. Jack was our golden retriever who passed in June 2021 and has deeply inspired many aspects of HealWell.
___
Website: www.healwellanimalcare.com
Phone: 416-799-0444
Instagram: @healwellanimalcare