“Her whole life she had a deep love for animals,” says Pat de Villiers, a long-time friend and Richards’ power of attorney.
Richards was an avid volunteer at the Peterborough Humane Society. "She would come into the shelter, take her coat off, say hi to everyone before starting her day and then she would spend all her time with the cats,” says PHS Animal Care employee, Susan Lashmar, who has worked at the shelter since 2002. “She’d snuggle them, help groom them and loved every minute of it. She would come in as often as she could".