Priority Pups
Dogs Who Need You most
We cannot stress enough how much we need YOU right now. We are currently overwhelmed with escalating vet bills, an influx of owner surrenders, and urgent calls from shelters pleading with us to help save dogs on the brink.
Meet some of our priority pups who need your help the most:
Atlas
Before rescue stepped in, Atlas was likely hit by a car and left living in his owner's yard for weeks without medical intervention. It took time and advocacy to secure his surrender so he could finally receive the care he had waited far too long for. When he finally went in for Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO) surgery in one hip, doctors discovered he would need to have the same procedure done to the second hip, too.
FHO surgery removes the damaged part of the hip joint to relieve pain and allows dogs like Atlas to walk, run, and live comfortably again. While this was a bigger surgery than anticipated, we will never deny a dog the right choice for their best life, no matter the cost.
In addition to his bilateral FHO surgery, Atlas is also attending weekly physical therapy appointments where he will work on strengthening his muscles through water treadmill walks and other therapy sessions.
His surgery totaled around $5,800 and his ongoing physical therapy will continue to add to that total, however, we will never give up on helping this sweet pup have the best life possible!
Avalon
Avalon is currently still with one of our shelter partners, but we’re paying for her medical treatment until she’s healthy enough to travel to TLC and find her forever home.
We believe she was either stepped on or hit by a car as a puppy. In either case, she’s had some major trauma, to the point that two of her legs are deformed and amputation is possible.
She’s currently undergoing physical therapy to strengthen her legs and ensure she’s healthy enough to travel.
Koda
Koda has a severe congenital heart defect called pulmonic stenosis. Without surgery, his life expectancy is around two years.
The good news — and the reason we’re fighting for him — is that Koda can live with a normal life expectancy. He’s getting a $5,000 balloon valvuloplasty that can “fix” this heart defect by opening his narrowed heart valve, reducing the pressure on his heart, and giving him the full, healthy life he deserves.
It’s a highly specialized procedure where a tiny catheter is guided through a vein to his heart, and a balloon is inflated to carefully stretch the valve so his heart can finally work the way it should. A successful surgery often cuts the pressure by 50% or more — enough to change everything for a dog like Koda.
You can learn more about Koda by watching his 6ABC Shelter Me debut.
Charlie
Charlie arrived to TLC with a severe heart murmur AND he is Heartworm positive. He was passed over by other rescues for care. We said yes without hesitation.
Charlie Boy is headed into surgery for a very severe case of Heartworm Disease after seeing the cardiologist this week. We knew he had a heart murmur. What we didn’t expect was just how serious it truly was.
Charlie’s Heartworm Disease is so advanced that the worms have likely caused his heart murmur. There are simply too many of them living inside his heart. Because of this, traditional Heartworm injections aren’t an option. Instead, Charlie needs the worms physically removed from his heart. Without this surgery, Charlie will not survive.
Charlie will undergo a heart surgery to quite literally save his life. His foster has been by his side & will be with him every step of the way.
Extra TLC
We’re dedicated to improving the lives of dogs in need, including those with medical issues requiring surgery or special care.
While TLC covers care costs, we rely on community support to continue providing these services and give dogs a better future.
We're at a critical point. We need YOUR help, whether it's a donation, sharing this post, or spreading the word.
Your contributions, no matter how small, can make a life-changing difference for these deserving dogs.
Please consider helping us stay afloat and continue our life-saving work.
Even if you can't donate, sharing this post to spread the word will be immensely helpful.
Thank you for your continued support, we're incredibly grateful for this compassionate community.
Together, we can help these dogs towards a brighter, healthier future.
We will be sharing updates on each of these pups as they become available.