Waggy Butts and Happy Mutts is fundraising
Bring Echo Home: Vietnam Dog Survived All Odds
Hi. I am Alexis, I'm trying to complete the final step in getting Echo home. I was on a solo trip in Vietnam purely for travel, not specifically for dogs, but since I'm also the founder of a dog rescue named Waggy Butts & Happy Mutts, of course, a dog ended up being involved...
Here's the story:
I was riding my motorbike when I saw Echo (what I named this sweet dog) so I brought her food. She was extremely emaciated, and her leg was severely injured. I don't even have the words to describe it properly...she needed a vet immediately.
Echo & I were on the small island of Phu Quoc, off the coast of Cambodia, in Vietnam. Being on a small island meant limited resources, limited vet help—limited everything. However... we found a vet: Dr. Trang.
Echo required an immediate leg amputation, along with other extensive vet care.
Echo also had a fever and parasites and tested positive for Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasmosis, both potentially fatal tick-borne diseases if left untreated. She is currently being treated, which is another reason she's alive today.
I told the hotel I had to check out early, explained the situation, and they were AMAZING. They let me stay with Echo in the room.
I had a week with Echo before I had to come back to the USA. I taught her how to start to walk again on 3 legs, I gave her medicine, and any part of "travel" was behind me; this was about Echo now.
I had to leave without her. USA/ CDC regulations are (reasonably) complicated, but I know how to get her back.
Here's the hurdle: The total remaining estimated cost is approximately: $4,335–$4,835
She would have died. She was skin and bones, walking around with barely a leg. No one even let me in the CAR with her for an ER visit, I got on the back of a local's bike.
Unfortunately, dog meat is still a reality in some areas of Vietnam, making Echo's rescue even more urgent.
Echo needs help. Believe me when I say I know I can't rescue every dog. I see it every day as I run a dog rescue. This one we CAN save. I just need the help to do so. She has beat all odds.
We want Echo to be a Waggy Butts & Happy Mutts (my dog rescue) dog. She will go into foster, she will be adopted into a lo, and she will be a part of my rescue. I want to stress that these fundraisers are separate from our daily general funds.
That's why I've created this GoFundMe.
Thank you so much for your support—it means everything to Echo and me.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Alexis & Echo
COST BREAKDOWN:
Already paid personally: $1,000–$1,300
Remaining Costs: $4,335–$4,835
Total Cost (Overall): $5,335–$6,135
Echo’s journey to safety has been a long one, and we are working hard to get her to the U.S.!
Costs Covered So Far: $1000-1300
- Emergency medical care & leg amputation
- Crate, food, supplies while caring for her
- Blood parasite treatment (the #1 cause of death for dogs there)
- Antibiotics & vaccinations
- Microchip & certification
- Boarding at a veterinary clinic since January
- Flea / Tick Preventatives
Remaining Costs to Bring Echo Home: $4,335–$4,835
- Boarding at Vet Clinic (Jan - Present): $300/month
- Rabies Titer Testing sent to UK from Vietnam (CDC Requirement): $312
- Ferry and land transport from Pho Quoc to SGN Airport
- IATA Approved Crate for Travel + Supplies: $100-150
- Echo's flights (Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) to Taipei (TPE) and then to New York (JFK) with a passenger: $1,600+ (most affordable way when compared to Cargo Shipping or Relocation Companies)
- "Excess baggage fee" dog + crate under 70 lb on Eva Air: $460
- U.S. Import Costs at JFK ARK Pet Oasis: $1,013.31+ (Required to land & be deemed healthy for entry). This includes the following: Terminal Collection ($175); Pet Oasis Day Care ($163.31); CDC Compliance Review & SafeTraQ Entry ($325); ARK Import Service Charge ($125); CDC Veterinary Inspection & Rabies Vaccination ($225); Additional Boarding if Needed ($108.88/day); Additional CDC Services: $520
- Miscellaneous Expenses (e.g., unexpected vet costs, additional supplies, transportation fees, and minor administrative fees): ~$200–$300
How You Can Help:
Every bit of support helps—whether it’s a donation, sharing this post, or spreading the word! Let’s get Echo home.
Donations are tax-deductible as they will be going to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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