I'm emailing to thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing financial assistance for my dog's surgery.
January 1st, I adopted my dog, Moose. I saw a Facebook post from a friend of a friend saying they were needing to re-home an older chihuahua and, if no one adopted him, they were going to take him to the pound. I had been thinking of adopting a dog and the post seemed like a sign to me, and I decided to take him in.
Soon after adopting him, I realized his previous owners hadn't taken the proper care of him. He had fleas, which he is allergic to, an ear infection, and did not have a great quality of life. When I adopted him, he rarely wagged his tail and his ears were pinned back. I took him and loved him and worked on getting him back to being completely healthy and free of any infections/pests. Over the last three months, he has completely changed as a dog, and I'm grateful I decided to adopt him because he has been everything I've ever wanted in a companion and more. I cannot fully express the love I have for Moose.
Last week, my family went on vacation for my spring break, and we left Moose with a friend. On Friday, I said goodbye and we headed to San Antonio, Texas. Monday, Matt, my friend and dog sitter, texted me about how worried he was because Moose had puked several times. He took him to the vet, and, as it turned out, Moose had pancreatitis. He was given medication and sent home. The next two to three days, Moose's condition worsened, and after taking him back to the vet, he was sent to BluePearl overnight. Matt had kept me updated the entire week and until this moment, I did not realize how serious his condition was. I was worried, but I thought he would feel better, and that was not the case. After an ultrasound, I was called and told there was a foreign object in Moose's small intestine that was causing the obstruction and causing his vomiting. He needed surgery to get it removed. I asked if there was anything we could do and they told me without this surgery, he would die.
When I asked how much the surgery was, they told me around $5500, and I started to cry. The previous days had been an emotional rollercoaster, and I wanted to do everything in my power to save my friend, but I had already spent $1700 on tests and blood work and his ultrasound, and there was no way I could afford anything else. I am a last semester college student, and I was laid off from my part-time job in February. I have been relying on my family to aid my finances until I graduate, and I could not afford any further care. It killed me because Moose and I had spent a great three months together, but I was not ready to let him go. How could I compare his worth to any monetary amount? I could not afford his care, and I was not eligible for any form of credit. Not only this, but I hadn't been able to see him in a week because I was out of town. Too upset to call the vet, I relied on my family to call and tell them I would have to put him down and take him out of his pain because I couldn't pay for it. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. The arrangements were made and, since I wished to be there, I asked for them to wait until Saturday so I could see him before his passing. The clinic said this was possible and it was decided.
Friday evening, I got a call from a vet at the clinic, suggesting that Moose might be a candidate for a grant. We applied for the Frankie's Funds grant, and, amazingly, we were approved. Having spent the entire day trying to accept that Moose would not be in my life anymore, it was such a surreal experience when we got the call that he was approved and his surgery would be that night. It felt like such a blessing and something I was so fortunate to hear in one of my lowest moments. I will never forget the kindness the clinic and this organization has shown to me and Moose.
Today, we picked Moose up and took him home, and he is recovering. I am forever grateful and indebted to Frankie's Funds for aiding me when I needed it the most, and providing Moose a longer and happier life. I'm so thankful for what Frankie's Funds has done for me and even more thankful for what you have done for Moose. He now gets many more months to live happily and healthy, and I'm thankful I could continue to be his forever home.
Thank you so much.