Ferdinand
Success Stories
Ferdinand
OH - 2018
I first would like to thank all of you for your generosity! You have no idea how much your donations mean to our family!
Our dog Ferdinand, was born in a barn on a friend of a friend's farm. We were told that there was a free puppy that needed a home, and after seeing him there was no denying that he belonged to us. As a puppy, Ferdinand was quite energetic. He definitely kept us on our toes! But all of the work that he required was worth every second in comparison to the love and comfort he gave us in return. At Age 2, Ferdinand had grown to be a large sized dog who love to play and snuggle.
Unfortunately, this summer the electric fence that normally kept him safe, shorted out and became disconnected. Ferdinand ran loose from our yard and was hit by a truck. When we scooped him up from the road we couldn't tell how hurt he was. We knew that his two right legs had been broken as we could see the bone penetrating through. We could not tell however, if his back and hips were okay. We rushed him to our vet ,who told us that our sweet boy would need surgery to both the front and back legs on his right side. My husband and I were worried about Ferdinand's back and hips because we knew if those were broken as well, we would likely have to put him down. The vet completed his X-rays and determined that only his legs were fractured and that everything could be done in his own personal office. We were so grateful that Ferdinand had a chance!
The second half of this story is where the Brown Dog Foundation comes into play. The vet informed us that the cost for the surgery and recovery for Ferdinand could potentially be two to three thousand dollars. This quote only included the expenses, if everything were to go well. Our hearts sank. The idea of putting down our dog, who was only 2 years old for something as simple as broken legs seemed unbearably tragic. We were already financially strapped and were unsure of how we could pay such a bill.
My husband and I emptied our bank account, borrowed money from family and applied for loans. To make matters worse, we had recently filed for bankruptcy due to medical bills (my husband was diagnosed with a kidney disease, at age 32). Therefore, we were ineligible for any institutionally funded loan. In a frantic and desperate attempt, I applied to the Brown Dog Foundation for a grant. I was greeted with a warm response telling me of a new program. They explained that the Brown Dog Foundation was willing to offer to pay part of Ferd's medical bills in the form of a VetBilling Repayment Plan,
The volume of hope and relief that this option gave our family was enormous. We were so happy to be able to try our best to bring Ferdinand home!
So, please know from the bottom of our hearts how grateful our family is to all of you. The emotional roller-coaster, of not knowing if your pet may live or die depending on financial means is heart wrenching. The people who have contributed to this foundation have become a God-send to us!
Sincerely -Thank You to All!
The Grove Family