Client stories
Every animal that comes through our doors has a story. Here are some of the pets, people and moments that make Lort Smith what it is.
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- Tails of Lort Smith
Archie
We defy anyone to find a lovelier cat than four-year-old domestic shorthair Archie. He arrived at Lort Smith with his three littermates at just four weeks old, with a severe case of cat flu.
Sadly, Archie caught the feline herpes virus, which he will carry for the rest of his life. The virus contributes to an ongoing problem with his sinuses, so Archie has constant nasal congestion. He is a chronic feline snuffler and the culprit of messy, wet sneezes. He also has skin and digestive problems.
Despite it all, "there is something very special about Archie," says his carer, Helen.
She has a beautiful gentle aura around her which transfers to the animal.
Helen, Archie's carer
A gold star patient
Archie was only expected to live for two years. He made the perfect "kitty-pig" for Dr Amanda, who had recently become certified in veterinary acupuncture.
Acupuncture has been used in veterinary practice in China for thousands of years to treat many ailments. For Archie, it has literally been life-changing.
"Dr Amanda's acupuncture treatment enables Archie's head to be relieved of his mucus by helping it to drain. He gets headaches so this helps relieve the tension in his head. It also covers a lot of his other health issues and keeps him on track," says Helen.
Dr Amanda holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. Since completing additional studies in Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine and acupuncture, she now also includes tongue descriptions and femoral tone in her clinical exam.
Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles into specific points on the body to achieve different effects. Unlike people, who often lie still, animals don't always give vets that luxury.
"On his first visit we were both worried about how he would respond to the acupuncture but he just sat there and let Dr Amanda do her work. She has a beautiful gentle aura around her which transfers to the animal. We have developed a great routine where Archie eats his treats throughout the procedure and then flops down to relax. He knows the drill!" says Helen.
"I have been working with Archie for two years now and through lots of positive reinforcement, coupled with his wonderful nature, he has become a gold star patient! He is very tolerant and mostly relaxes into his sessions, but does have certain spots he doesn't like the needles, such as his forelegs, which is common in a lot of animals as the area can be sensitive. In addition, there are acupoints that directly relate to his head and neck in his forelimbs which are often tender from his condition," explains Dr Amanda.
Dr Amanda aims for 15 to 20 minutes of needle time, but says even if an animal only gets five minutes before shaking or flicking the needles out, the acupoint has still been stimulated.
"The insertion of the needle stimulates the local tissues and will induce some local chemical changes which promote the energetic reaction we are trying to achieve," says Dr Amanda.
Archie has acupuncture in many different points, depending on how he presents at each session.
"Traditional Chinese medicine proposes that the essence of one's lifespan resides in kidneys. Archie has been unwell since birth. The essence of him has been affected, so I always try to boost his kidneys when he comes in," says Dr Amanda.
Good days and bad days
Archie still has good days and bad days. His skin and gut problems are now under control, but he still has congestion.
"Unfortunately Archie's sinus condition cannot be cured, but we can, and are, certainly making him more comfortable with acupuncture," says Dr Amanda.
As well as acupuncture, Archie has nasal flushes, a supportive diet and medical management.
"Both Archie and I can't thank Dr Amanda enough. She is such a gem and has helped Archie so much with his problems," says Helen.
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- Success Stories
Gigi
When Samantha and her partner Jai fostered an eight-month-old French bulldog puppy named Gigi, they were instantly smitten and talked about adopting her. But as responsible pet owners, they wondered whether their lifestyle was suitable for a dog with only three legs.
"Even though we're not super active, we like getting out in nature, going to the beach and camping. So there was a lot of consideration of whether we could integrate Gigi into that, and whether that was fair to her. But that was 100% just us putting limits on her."
Gigi had come to Lort Smith with a badly broken front leg, a dislocated kneecap, and nose and mouth issues that stopped her from breathing properly.
We have been blown away by how quickly she has adapted and the fact that it doesn't stop her from doing anything.
Samantha
Nothing holding her back
After four surgeries at Lort Smith, made possible thanks to the support of our generous donors, Gigi went back to live with Samantha, Jai and their fox terrier cross, Ari, and proved there's nothing holding her back!
"We have been blown away by how quickly she has adapted and the fact that it doesn't stop her from doing anything," Samantha says.
"Now, when people see Gigi and make comments like 'oh, the poor thing' or 'how sad', it makes us realise how humans and animals are only limited by other people's perception, not their abilities.
"Our other dog Ari lost his eye in 2019 so we are well accustomed to life with dogs that are 'different' and know that these dogs are no less worthy of love … in fact, it makes us love them more!"
As animal lovers, we know every dog and cat deserves a happy and loving family, no matter what their differences are.
A way into adoption
Samantha knows it can be difficult to adopt a specific breed or type of animal, and encourages anyone with a passion for animal welfare to get involved with their local shelter to find the right cat or dog for them.
"For us, volunteering at Lort Smith and then becoming a foster carer gave us the opportunity to have other avenues into adoption," says Samantha. "Fostering is great, because number one, you can prepare yourself and your other pets for what it's like to bring a new pet into your house, and number two, you can foster fail if they are right for you!"
Looking at Gigi today, the word "fail" couldn't be further from the truth. This sweet little dog is absolutely thriving in her loving new home. And it's all thanks to the generous support of our animal-loving community.
A generous donation to Lort Smith today can help us heal, rehabilitate and change the lives of even more animals like Gigi. Please donate today.
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- Success Stories
Leo
Leo arrived at Lort Smith in April 2020. The 13-year-old ginger boy had fractured his hind tibia (one of the two bones in the lower back leg), and his humans could no longer afford his treatment. Putting Leo to sleep, they thought, was their only option.
Fortunately, they brought Leo to Lort Smith, a place of compassion and rehabilitation, with a strong philosophy on euthanasia. Our vets assessed Leo and decided he could be saved, rehabilitated and go on to live a meaningful life with a new human companion.
A lot of care
Leo had countless scans, surgery, treatments, fostering and physio. During this time, he was checked for hypothyroidism, a heart murmur and dementia, and had a myriad of other tests. Leo endured countless anaesthetics, pain medication and arthritis medication, as well as recoveries. Lort Smith and his foster carers never gave up on him.
A very vocal boy, Leo turned out to be mostly deaf, hearing only at the extreme ends of the sound spectrum. This didn't hold back his personality. Constantly chatting, and talking through his wisdom and experiences, became his hallmark, in the ward, in the cattery and with his foster carers.
A "rock star" for his work-from-home foster parents, he was the subject of an online Zoom quiz in a large multinational organisation, and the star of many a Facebook post, email conversation and Teams call. At first confined to a cage, he made up for the lack of space with his very loud meows. He was well known for "big chats" with the vet nursing and volunteer team at the hospital, and midnight chats with his foster carers, Paula, Craig and adopted cat Chow.
He has brought sunshine into my life.
Janine
Finding the right person
About seven months after he arrived at Lort Smith, Leo was ready to face his brave new world. But how to rehome this very special boy with his idiosyncrasies? He was not for everyone.
The universe conspired, as it so often does, with the sad loss of Janine's ginger boy of 19 years, Kitty. His loss left an unimaginable broken heart, and a profound grief that made every single day a challenge for Janine.
"Understanding the grief and feeling sad too, Paula checked in with me almost every day, and we continued our months of updates on Leo's progress," remembers Janine. "Something inside me wanted to help Leo, yet I didn't want to disrespect the memory of Kitty either."
So, with respect for the loss of Kitty, after a few weeks of getting ready, Janine and Leo had a date, and the human–animal bond could not have been stronger. Janine and Leo hit the jackpot!
Janine remembers a poem that resonated at the time:
"Sending you a whisper from heaven… I'm at peace with my purrs… please open your home and heart to another cat who needs your love and home."
When he arrived at Janine's home, Leo could sense the presence of the departed King Kitty, but he soon established his own territory, and took on the princely title he now carries. With routines to try and settle into – first breakfast, second breakfast, light lunch, early supper and dinner, complete with in-between naps, supervised walks outside, brushes and drinking magic shower water – it was inevitable: Leo couldn't be happier.
"He has brought sunshine into my life and it feels wonderful watching him in the courtyard, negotiate the stairs and enjoy life especially after his injuries and rehabilitation. No more setting the morning alarm, Leo meows when it's time to get up. I am so blessed to have Leo in my life to shower him with care and love," says Janine. "Lort Smith and Leo's foster family – Paula, Craig and Chow, are miracle workers and so kind hearted for saving Leo – they've given him a new life."
"It takes a village," Leo's foster family added. "And we are so grateful to have the opportunity to rehabilitate animals that deserve a second chance and bring their humans such joy."
If not for the care and compassion of Lort Smith, and the donors who make our essential care and treatment possible, Leo might never have had a second chance, and be living as a retired and treasured prince today!
Contributing writers: Paula and Janine.
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- Tails of Lort Smith
Phoenix
Phoenix is a two-year-old central bearded dragon. Her carers thought she was male, and it wasn't until Phoenix visited Lort Smith that they found out she was in fact female.
Phoenix's family have had her for about six months. They willingly took her in when her previous family had no time to invest in her.
"She was kept outside in a tank. I think the kids got bored of her," says Carly, Phoenix's new carer.
Phoenix was first welcomed into the family as a pet for Carly's son, but Carly admits she has become very fond of Phoenix herself.
"Phoenix loves to be tickled under her chin and snuggling up under our chin – which is not very comfortable for us," laughs Carly.
Phoenix is now fully recovered and back to her usual self. She is very loving and active, and has a cute personality.
Carly
A surprising diagnosis
Carly noticed Phoenix was sleeping more than normal, wasn't her usual self, and was vomiting what Carly thought was blood!
Dr Tristan, our Unusual Pets and Wildlife Veterinarian, is well known and much loved, especially in the exotic animal community. He did an ultrasound on Phoenix and could see something was stuck in her intestines, which needed surgery.
The operation went without a hitch. It turned out Phoenix wasn't vomiting blood, but blueberry juice! Dr Tristan found four whole blueberries inside Phoenix. He removed one from the incision area, two more were manipulated back out through the mouth, and a fourth was crushed and milked out with gut contents via the colon.
Phoenix recovered overnight in a humidicrib in our Intensive Care Unit before going home to a very relieved Carly.
Phoenix usually eats a diet of crickets, mealworms and lots of green veggies. Blueberries, like all sugary fruit, are OK as an occasional treat.
"Phoenix is now fully recovered and back to her usual self. She is very loving and active, and has a cute personality," says Carly.
And the advice she was given about feeding blueberries to Phoenix in future? "Cut them up!"
Carly was very impressed with the way Lort Smith looked after Phoenix.
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- Tails of Lort Smith
Pepper
Pepper the beaglier was just nine weeks old when she became part of Vicki's family.
"When I first met Pepper – she picked me. She sat between my legs and looked up at me with big eyes. I believe had I not taken her she would not be alive today," says Vicki.
You see, Vicki thought she was buying Pepper from a reputable Victorian breeder. She later discovered Pepper was actually born on a puppy farm in New South Wales. Without Vicki knowing, Pepper had been transported to Victoria and sold as if she was born in Victoria, under its stricter breeding guidelines.
"I think it's such an important thing for people to be aware of when buying from breeders, they need to check things thoroughly. This is where I went wrong," admits Vicki.
I cannot stress enough how critical it is for people to do their research and are diligent in where they are getting their pets from.
Vicki
A serious diagnosis
Just three days after she arrived, Pepper became very unwell and tested positive for canine parvovirus. This highly contagious virus attacks the lining of the small intestine, leading to loss of appetite, lethargy, severe vomiting and diarrhoea, often with blood. This can cause severe dehydration, shock and death, especially in small dogs and puppies. Infection comes from contact with infected animals or contaminated environments.
Vicki chose to transfer Pepper to Lort Smith. "I knew this could be a long-term game, but I was committed regardless of the financial implications. Pepper was a lifetime decision. And I knew Lort Smith offered payment plans.
"An old housemate/close friend adopted a dog from Lort Smith and the care Lort Smith provided was a testament to their authenticity in their care for animals," says Vicki.
Pepper spent nine days in hospital in our isolation unit. She had blood tests, intravenous fluids, pain relief and anti-nausea medication.
Our vet nurses tried to feed Pepper by syringe, but this didn't work, so she was fitted with a nasal feeding tube.
Pepper also had multiple faecal transplants. This involves faeces being transplanted from a healthy donor dog into the unwell patient, to restore the balance of bacteria in their gut. For these, Lort Smith staff dogs came to the rescue!
"Lort Smith ensured I got communicated with twice daily. They were very honest about the fact they would let me know if it was time to say goodbye to Pepper, thankfully this never happened. They told me everything and answered all of my questions no matter how big or small."
"I cannot stress enough how critical it is for people to do their research and are diligent in where they are getting their pets from," warns Vicki.
Full recovery
We're delighted to report that Pepper has made a full recovery. She now goes to doggy daycare and socialises really well with other dogs and people.
"She is rather famous and loved in my neighbourhood for how cute and sassy she is. She has earnt me many free coffees and treats from cafes just because of how cute she is and because of her wonderful nature!" laughs Vicki.
If your dog shows signs of parvo, please contact Lort Smith or your local vet immediately.
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- Success Stories
Heidi
Heidi arrived at Lort Smith with a long list of injuries from a severe dog attack. It left her with a large wound on her back, a dislocated hip and deep bite marks all over her tiny body.
These injuries added to all the other medical issues this sweet little dog had to live with: losing an eye in a previous dog attack, being lame from a torn cruciate ligament, and having a mouth full of rotten teeth.
As soon as Heidi came into our care, our team got to work giving pain relief, cleaning her wounds and planning the surgeries she would need once she was stable.
It's hard to imagine how an animal like Heidi must feel when they come into our care. Sore, scared, unsure of who all these strange people are.
I saw her wag her tail the first night I brought her home.
Nurse Jessica
Caring for the whole animal
As supporters of Lort Smith know, when there's a sick, injured or vulnerable animal, we don't just stitch them up and send them on their way.
We care for them holistically. We address their immediate health needs, yes, but we also look at ways to prevent long-term issues, and we consider what's best for their emotional and behavioural needs too.
In short, we do everything possible for them while they're in our care, to set them up for the best life possible once they leave us.
Of course, our immediate concern when Heidi first came in was to ease her pain and work out the best way to treat her many, extensive wounds.
The most pressing was a large, gaping flap on her upper back, as well as multiple deep puncture wounds on her throat and rump. We cleaned, stitched and bandaged her wounds, put her on fluids and monitored her around the clock in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a few days to make sure she would heal.
"The first couple of days were tough, as we were not sure if the skin would hold or become infected," says Nurse Jessica. "She was on multiple antibiotics and pain relief. We just monitored her and hoped she would pull through."
"She did not wag her tail once the entire time she was in hospital, no matter how much attention or cuddles she received. She just sat at the back of her enclosure with her head down. It was heartbreaking to see this tiny dog look so … defeated."
We also take an animal's emotional wellbeing into account. We needed to operate on Heidi's dislocated hip, but because she was so flat and unresponsive, we weren't sure she was strong enough to handle surgery.
After two vicious dog attacks in a fairly short time, it's no wonder Heidi felt that way.
We knew the only way for her to recover from her trauma was to give her a safe space, somewhere she could be showered with love and attention, and shown she no longer had to be afraid.
But she needed surgery before she could go into foster care. It was a heartbreaking catch-22.
A turning point
Thankfully, on the third day, Heidi began to move. It was only to lick her bandages, which meant she had to wear a cone, but it was enough of a sign to our team that Heidi wasn't giving up, and that she was strong enough to be cleared for surgery.
The next day, our vets performed a right excision arthroplasty on Heidi's hip, and Nurse Jessica took her home to recover in peace and quiet.
The change in Heidi was instant.
"I saw her wag her tail the first night I brought her home," Nurse Jessica says. "I lifted her onto the couch with me, she looked up and her little tail began wagging. She curled onto my lap and went to sleep, perfectly content. She became an entirely different dog once I got her home."
Despite caring for animals all day as part of their job, many of our staff are also foster carers. They volunteer their time outside work to keep giving these animals the best care possible.
After a few weeks in foster care, Heidi came back to the hospital a different dog. Sassy, sweet and lapping up all the attention, we couldn't believe this was the same girl who wouldn't look any of us in the eye just weeks before.
We gave her a full dental, including removing seven rotten teeth, and performed cruciate ligament surgery on her right leg. We wanted to make sure that when this sweet girl was finally adopted, she had the best chance at a healthy life.
"This is what I still find so amazing about Lort Smith," says Dana Keirs, General Manager – Nursing. "We don't just bring them in and make sure they get a home. We make sure they get the best possible home. And we make sure they're in the best possible shape when they go. We don't just do what we have to — we do everything we can to make that animal's life as best as it can be."
This is why Lort Smith is worthy of your support. Our team knows that caring for an animal goes beyond treating their immediate physical needs. They will always go the extra mile to give that animal the happiest life possible.
A generous donation to Lort Smith today will go so far in helping us keep saving the lives of animals like Heidi. Please donate today.
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- Tails of Lort Smith
Lenny
Lenny is a two-and-a-half-year-old Italian greyhound. He came to Lort Smith because he was having trouble urinating, and couldn't run around at the dog park.
Over many months, Lenny had countless blood tests, X-rays, ultrasounds and an abdominal CT scan. At first, Lenny was diagnosed with a blocked urethra caused by bladder stones, and he needed surgery. The surgery was successful. Our vets removed the stone from his urethra without any complications, and washed more than 30 stones out of his bladder.
We investigated further, as it's unusual for a young, seemingly healthy dog to have bladder stones. Tests showed Lenny had an extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (PSS). This is an abnormal vein connecting the blood supply returning from the intestines to the vein returning blood to the heart, bypassing the liver.
We really do believe that so many people being on Team Lenny helped him to come back to us!
Susie, Lenny's carer
A difficult decision
Lenny's devoted carers had many conversations with our vets about PSS and the surgical and medical options.
Dr Jonathon talked to a specialist surgeon about referring Lenny for surgery, as his presentation wasn't typical. The surgery was expected to cost more than $6,000.
"This was heartbreaking because we felt we were going to have to let Lenny go. Not long after this I received another call from Dr Jonathon who, after discussing with the specialist, was happy to perform the surgery at Lort Smith. Dr Jonathon had completed this type of surgery several times. It was quite the emotional rollercoaster that day!" remembers Lenny's carer, Susie.
After weighing up the pros and cons, the decision was made to go ahead with surgery. The alternative was that Lenny would have ongoing problems with bladder stones and neurological problems, and might only have had a few months to live.
Fighting back
Lenny had surgery in mid-April 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown. He spent a couple of days in hospital and seemed to recover well. But once home, he deteriorated. He was weak, not eating and losing weight. He went into our ICU, and his sweet little life hung in the balance.
Lenny had developed a severe infection at his incision site and in his abdomen (peritonitis), which caused some of his abdominal muscles and skin to die. He needed extensive surgery to remove the dying tissue and get on top of the infection, which was likely the result of his poor metabolic state due to his condition.
From an ultrasound, we also suspected he had developed portal hypertension. This can happen when a band is placed on the vessel too tightly, or if the band causes the shunting vessel to kink. Dr Jonathon loosened the shunt clamp while dealing with Lenny's infection.
Tiny Lenny struggled to recover, despite antibiotics, fluids and excellent nursing and medical care. He was losing weight and ended up in a serious downward spiral, with very low blood protein levels. As a result, he developed oedema (fluid build-up) over his face and legs.
"A plasma transfusion seemed to help Lenny's protein levels and his oedema improved. Unfortunately, Lenny then became anaemic. His little body seemed like it wasn't going to be able to heal when Dr Jonathon called and asked if we would consent to a blood transfusion. I later found out that Dr Jonathon had gone into work on his day off to bleed his own dog for Lenny's life-saving blood transfusion," says a very grateful Susie.
The blood transfusion was the turning point for Lenny, even though he still had a major wound that needed frequent dressings, medication and tube feeding to get his weight back up.
Back to his kooky self
"We were working from home so able to be full-time nurses for Lenny, with feeds every few hours and major wound dressings, and lots of love and care. Lenny's wound took months to completely heal and his weight has taken a long time to reach an acceptable level," says Susie.
Lenny's recovery at home was helped a lot by his adoring fur-sister, Miss Beats, a black cocker spaniel.
"Beats loves Lenny like a sister/mother. When he came home from his surgeries, she sat next to his bed just keeping a vigil. She was very reserved when Lenny was in hospital, she wasn't interested in games and was often hard to be close to."
"Lenny is great now and back to his usual kooky self. He is happy, playful, energetic and more loving than he ever was. He likes to run around the bush and on the beach. Lenny loves to lay in front of the fire until he is nearly cooked and he enjoys being wrapped in a blanket on one of our laps."
"Nearly losing Lenny affected our little family so much, as well as our extended family and friends. It felt like he touched so many hearts. Not only did we have the amazing love and care from Lort Smith we were surrounded by love and care from our community. We really do believe that so many people being on Team Lenny helped him to come back to us! We are eternally grateful to everyone who cared so beautifully for him and for us."
"Special mention to all of the staff at Lort Smith that were providing this care during COVID-19. On a number of visits to Lort Smith we were met by staff running out to our car in the pouring rain to get him and take him inside. They were consistently friendly and loving toward him even under such challenging circumstances," says Susie.
Lort Smith continues to monitor the regeneration of Lenny's liver.
You can follow Lenny on Instagram: @miss_beats_and_lenny
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- Success Stories
Marshmallow
From the moment Marshmallow came into our care, we knew we had quite a character on our hands!
At just four months old, he was a tiny little thing who had clearly been attacked by a dog. His right back leg was fractured and he was covered in bite marks. Yet after some pain relief, he gobbled up all his dinner with no problem, and even asked for more!
"That sounds about right — he is obsessed with food and would eat all day if he could!" laughs his new adopter, Quynn.
Quynn was first fostering Marshmallow while he recovered from surgery to fix his broken leg.
But after seeing him fit in so well with her dog, Duke, and her cat, Cracken, Quynn decided to make it permanent.
"He just settled in perfectly with his big fur brother and sister. I have a thousand videos of them together."
It has been great to see him enjoying life like nothing even happened.
Quynn
Full of beans
While our vets gave Quynn strict instructions to keep Marshmallow confined to let his leg heal, the little cat had other ideas!
"His leg definitely hasn't slowed him down. He was always full of beans, broken leg and all. But we got through the four weeks confinement and then he was able to play!"
Now that Marshmallow is all healed, he's loving life in his new home.
"His favourite spot to be is on top of the cat shelf I built looking out the window. He, of course, has his cheeky kitten moments but loves nothing more than a cuddle and spends most of his time purring.
"It has been great to see him enjoying life like nothing even happened."
Without the generosity of our donors, cats like Marshmallow would struggle to find the unconditional care and support you help us provide every day.
A donation to Lort Smith can help more animals like Marshmallow get a second chance at life. Please donate today.
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- Success Stories
Biscuit
While the COVID-19 pandemic affected us all in different ways, for Brendan, it was both a blessing and a curse.
As a photographer and musician, he was left without a way to earn an income. But being at home also meant he was able to care for his beloved dog, Biscuit.
Her hip had "popped out" twice before, and both times she was treated without surgery. But our vets had told Brendan that if it happened a third time, she would need surgery.
As luck would have it, it happened at the beginning of lockdown, right when Brendan's gigs were cancelled.
"There were so many sleepless nights," he says. "She is my life as I don't have family."
In a way, I'm fortunate there was a lockdown so I could be with her when she needed me most.
Brendan
Finding a way forward
Lort Smith offers a range of options to clients going through financial hardship. We worked with Brendan, who had shown such dedication to his dog, to find the right way forward for both him and Biscuit.
Our surgical team removed the ball part of Biscuit's hip joint and created a new false joint, so she could walk without pain.
Brendan did everything he could to make Biscuit's recovery as easy as possible.
"She slept on the bed with me. I had to carry her outside so she could go to the toilet and I hand fed her … I even built her some stairs next to my bed, so she could get up and down easily."
Brendan says Biscuit is now strong enough to play ball in the backyard again. She can also jump onto his bed without needing the stairs!
"In a way, I'm fortunate there was a lockdown so I could be with her when she needed me most," he says.
This is such a happy story, but it was only possible because of our supporters. We can only support loving pet carers going through financial hardship because we have the support of our wonderful community.
Donate today, and help us keep people and pets together when times get tough.