Josie the Papillon mix isn’t your typical puppy. Due to a heartbreaking past and unfortunate circumstances, her life expectancy is not much. At only 8 to 12 weeks old, Josie isn’t expected to even live to be a year old. But she’s not ready to give up. Life-changing surgery can increase her lifespan to over 10 years, which is what it should be. This surgery can’t be completed without generous donations though. The Carthage Humane Society in Missouri used to be able to cover surgeries like this, but because of COVID-19, fundraising events have been canceled. So, Josie needs your help to get a second chance at life.
Josie’s Story
The long-haired black and white puppy was found running around the parking lot of Race Brothers Farm & Home Supply. Something was clearly wrong because she seemed wet, exhausted, and stressed. Plus, she was putting herself at risk of getting hit by a car. So, a good Samaritan stopped by and brought her to safety. If he hadn’t, she might’ve frozen to death in the frigid rain.
For most dogs, the story ends there. But when Josie arrived at the shelter, things got worse. The shelter noticed her abnormal heart rates simply by holding her, and they quickly concluded that she had heart murmurs. While she was getting spayed, the vet also confirmed that Josie had a severe heart murmur, which could be heard on both sides of the body as opposed to just one. She was given 8 to 10 months to live.
The staff were determined to keep Josie safe, so they traveled to another vet to get more detailed information. That vet found that Josie has an enlarged heart, which is most common in small female dogs. Without expensive open heart surgery, poor Josie might not make it to see the new year. So, the shelter did what they had to do to save her.
Help Save the Sweet Pup!
Normally, the shelter has enough money saved up for emergencies like this. Yet, COVID-19 has made that cushion disappear. No fundraising events means minimal funds for the organization. But now, they’re more desperate than ever to raise some money.
The surgery will likely cost between $5,500 and $5,800. So, they started a fundraiser on their Facebook page to help raise these funds. So far, they’ve collected about $1,500, but they still have a long way to go to save Josie’s life.
“We’re just hoping more people will respond,” said Chelsey Klamm with the shelter. “She’s so young, so adorable — just a sweetheart. At eight weeks of age and at 4 pounds, she’s still a baby and deserves a chance.”
If you’re interested in donating to Josie’s surgery, you can reach out to Carthage Humane Society via their Facebook page. You could help save this adorable puppy’s life!
H/T: joplinglobe.com
Featured Image: @CarthageHumaneSociety/Facebook
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