I Belong: Meet Henry

Sep 29, 20222 min read

Meet Henry | Associate Lead, Store 2126, Duncan, BC, Canada

Hello, my name is Henry. I've been with Store #2126 for three years. During these three years, I've gone through many changes in my personal life, and PetSmart has always been amazing to me. When I started, my wife was close to giving birth to my youngest child. My leader understood when I had to take time off because it was time for my baby to enter the world. With the loss of family members, PetSmart has understood the time needed to put loved ones to rest properly through our cultural traditions.

My home sits beside the Cowichan River, and last year, it was rising pretty fast; so fast that we received an emergency evacuation notice. I was at work at the time, and my leader immediately told me to go take care of my family and get them to safety. I even received a call from my District Leader because she was worried about my family and me; that means so much to me because I know she has over 400 associates in her district.

I am part of the Cowichan Tzinquaw tribe song and dance group. We do cultural songs and dances from the Cowichan Tribes. This is very important to me as it is a part of my culture that we share with many communities, not just our own. When performances arise, my leaders support me in taking time off to attend and participate in these events. I have even sung a few songs for associates on their last day with PetSmart, ensuring they feel happy and loved before they depart onto their next journey.

Theresa, my Store Leader, a friend since nine years old, a member of the Cowichan tribe, and a second-generation survivor reflected together on Truth and Reconciliation Day and what it means to us. Truth and Reconciliation Day is to know the truth about what our parents have lived through. To recognize that their resilience shines through in us, their children. We walk in their truth and hope to bring more understanding to our culture and how we live it in everything we do. As a part of the Cowichan Tribes, we are proud to say we love and respect all living beings and have a great amount of respect for PetSmart and the company’s values for our pet parents and their pets.

Continued education without judgment means we are truly healing as a nation and as a people. I'm very thankful for everything I have learned over the last three years at PetSmart, and I am grateful to belong, knowing I can share who I am with my store and district teams and now with all of PetSmart.

The Belonging Program’s “I Belong” Series harnesses the power of empathy through storytelling. This series is intended to give associates a greater sense of understanding, a bridge to gain new perspective, and a way to build connection to each other.