I rescued Bagel back in March of 2010 when he was just under two years old. He had obviously been abused, and was terrified of everything. Slowly, he and I worked through his anxieties and his gentle, loving personality began to really shine through. 

In June of 2012, the tables turned and Bagel offered me support after I survived my own experience with interpersonal violence. I can't begin to describe how helpful he was, and continues to be, as I suffer with PTSD and anxiety. 

His experience and my own with violence led me to where I am today. I'm currently working full-time as a case manager for at-risk youth, and am also in school at UNC-Chapel Hill to get my masters of social work. My goal is to work with adolescent survivors of trauma, and I also earned my certificate in Animal Assisted Therapy and am getting Bagel trained to work in behavioral therapy so that he can help me do just that.

Unfortunately, today veterinarians diagnosed Bagel as having a bulging disc in his back, causing permanent paralysis from his waist down if not corrected immediately with surgery, which was quoted at $5,000.

I've never done any sort of personal fundraising before, but being a smaller dog and not even 8 years old, Bagel has so much life left in him, and I can't imagine opening my practice without him by my side. Being in school full-time, paying for this surgery is sadly just not feasible. I would so, so appreciate any financial support, words of encouragement, positive thoughts, and prayers you are able to offer Bagel to help him get through this and continue to live a happy and helpful life.