Author: Sam Henderson

Ryan served this country for almost 7 years, before being medically discharged due to injuries that had piled up. After two deployments, years of sacrifice, and a devastating leg injury, he was left with his dogs. Atticus, a 6-year-old rescue bonded to Ryan, helped him through some of his toughest days. But now Atticus needs support in return, after tearing his 2 hind ACLs, and having an unstable knee. He needed multiple surgeries to keep his quality of life.

HEALS supported Ryan and Atticus as much as they could. We used our network to connect them with donors, and raised money to help keep Atticus walking without pain. We were able to fund parts of Atticus’s surgeries, but we haven’t been able to fund them all. There’s still time left to help Atticus retain his quality of life. Even with Ryan’s support from his veteran’s disability cheques, we still need more help.

Atticus helped this veteran through tough times. Can we finish helping Atticus through the hardest time of his life?

Kalvin just recently fell ill. His belly was swollen and he was acting strangely lethargic. Emergency vets had to drain more than 2 liters of fluid from his abdomen, but that’s just enough to reduce his pain.  His family is trying everything they can, but with one out of work, they’re struggling to make ends meet without this medical emergency.

HEALS is currently working on saving Kalvin’s life. We’re leveraging our network and finding sponsors who can provide the care Kalvin needs. His family doesn’t want to see him slip away, and neither do we. This good boy deserves to be saved, and he needs your help.

Let’s keep Kalvin in his home, and in good health. Help save Kalvin today!

Molly, a one-year-old puppy, never left her owner’s side during their knee surgery. She cared for her adoptive mom and family when her mother couldn’t. And now she needs their help more than ever. Recently, Molly suddenly was unable to walk. For her mom, a single mom of two kids, paying for an uncertain treatment is something she couldn’t afford, especially after her own surgery. Specialists believe this issue is neurological, an especially dangerous and expensive field to have issues in.

When HEALS heard about Molly, we knew we had to step in and try to help. We raised funds to help pin down Molly’s diagnosis. Now, we’re working with our network to raise funds for her surgery, so that this puppy can live a full & happy life, like she deserves. Nobody deserves to lose a pet because they can’t afford to pay for their vet bills, especially at such a young age. It’s heartbreaking that it happens so much, but this story doesn’t have to end in tragedy.

Help us help Molly and her family. This dog has given her everything for them, and deserves all the help she can get.

Bane is more than a dog (or Batman’s arch-nemesis). He’s a friend, a lifeline, and the heart & soul for Stephanie, a young professional who has dedicated her career to helping children with disabilities. But now, she has a “child” with a disability of her own that needs help. Bane was diagnosed with severe pulmonary stenosis, a life-threatening heart disease, that if left untreated, would significantly reduce his lifespan. Stephanie tried everything; fundraising on social media, researching anything that had a chance of helping, and even relocating across the country in order to help him.

In a last-ditch effort, Stephanie reached out to HEALS, to help fund Bane’s surgery. We helped fund over $13,000 of treatment costs in order to save Bane from his new arch-nemesis, his own heart. The surgery, which required human-grade equipment, was a success! Bane’s treatment helped Stephanie stay whole, keeping the heart and soul she depended on so dearly.

The generosity of our network saved Bane. Batman must fight another day, it seems. Thank you.

Bianca’s mother passed away suddenly, leaving Apollo (the ancient Greek god of healing) to her. Apollo was one of the few things bringing Bianca joy in the weeks of turmoil that followed. Then he lost his mobility in his back two legs. Bianca, a mother of two, had no funds saved for an emergency like this, but she refused to let Apollo suffer. She was in a situation that no pet owner ever wanted to be in, choosing between two horrible outcomes.

Apollo had ruptured two discs in his back, causing nerve compression. When HEALS heard of this, we sprung into action, hoping to ease the burden on this overworked mother. Thanks to our generous network and donors, we made a difference in their lives. We were able to fully fund Apollo’s surgery, and help him on the path towards recovery.

Apollo healed many others, and we managed to heal him. His impact in his community is strong, and with your help, we saved him.

Filya served in a search & rescue unit, and sustained major wounds in combat, earning a Purple Heart and Distinguished Service Medal. Even after his time in the military was up, he still continued to protect and serve, offering comfort and support to those in his community. However, his biggest wound happened after the war, suddenly collapsing with no sign as to why.

We rushed into action, raising funds for our furry veteran. We helped discover the problems that Filya was having. After doing so, however, we decided to abandon this case after having trouble with his owner not agreeing with our decisions.

However, Filya managed to pull through even without our help, and he lives on today.

Last Christmas, Jennifer and her dog Bella put out an urgent plea for help. After coming into Jennifer’s life the day after her previous dog passed, Bella’s health took a turn for the worse. After recovering from Jennifer’s life has been a testament to strength, determination, and courage. She’s 3 years sober from heroin, is battling multiple sclerosis, and had to worry every second of the day about her near & dear Bella. Bella gave her hope when she needed it most, and HEALS gave Bella support when she needed it as well.

Thanks to our network of generous supporters, we were able to raise the funds needed to address Bella’s health issues. Bella got the surgery she needed, thanks to your donations, showing Jennifer that she’s not alone. We gave back to the dog that gave Jennifer what she deserved, unconditional love.

This Christmas miracle kept this family together, and left our hearts full of hope.

Less than a month ago, we discovered Oliver. He’s a service dog, and the only “child” his mother would ever have. He meant the world to her. Oliver had recently been having severe gastrointestinal issues, he’d barely been eating and had been vomiting constantly. His mom had just moved across the country and overdrawn her accounts, all in hopes to keep Oliver’s heart beating with her.

We raised thousands of dollars in just a few short weeks, Oliver fighting for his life during every minute of it. Our network and supporters tried everything to help Oliver, but his issues proved to be nigh on insurmountable. Oliver’s unexplained gastrointestinal issues broke his mother’s heart. Tragically, Oliver passed away before he could be saved.

We never want a pet to lose their life because of funds, but unfortunately it’s a common occurrence. Every donation we receive helps a pet receive urgent medical care. Let’s make sure no pet ends up like Oliver.