Hi everyone,

My name is Randi, and I’m reaching out with a heavy heart to ask for help saving my sweet dog, Gigi.

Gigi is my 7-year-old Rottweiler and the heart of my home. She’s been my rock through some of the hardest times in my life—always full of love, loyalty, and snuggles that could calm any storm. She’s also been an incredible big sister to my second rescue, Winnie. I truly believe Winnie is alive today because of Gigi.

Winnie, an abused English Bulldog, came to me terrified of everything. But Gigi stepped up without hesitation—acting as her protector, her guide, and her source of safety. If Winnie got scared in public, she would immediately scurry under Gigi, who always knew how to soothe her.

Recently, Gigi developed chronic diarrhea that wouldn’t resolve, no matter what we tried. After weeks of vet visits, tests, and medications, we finally got an answer this morning—and it’s a devastating one.

An ultrasound revealed that Gigi has a cancerous 8 cm jejunal mass in her intestines, and she is now anemic with a packed cell volume of just 23%. The mass needs to be removed immediately—if we wait, she won’t survive. The silver lining is that the mass appears localized, which gives her an excellent chance with surgery. Our family vet is confident this is a battle she can win—if we can act quickly.

The surgery is estimated to cost $8,000–$10,000, and while it’s incredibly hard to ask for help, I have to try—for Gigi.

Gigi was also rescued from abuse as a puppy, which left her with a tracheal collapse. With the help of the Internal Medicine Team at OVC in Guelph, we’ve managed it well. Despite her past, she is one of the gentlest, most loving dogs you could ever meet. Even as I write this through tears, she’s by my side, trying to comfort me.

In the past month, I’ve spent over $4,000 trying to find out what was wrong. Now we finally have an answer—but I’ve exhausted my financial resources. I’ve just returned to work following an injury and have applied for financing, reached out to charities, and spoken with my vet about payment plans. But I simply can’t do this on my own.

If you’re able to donate any amount, it will go directly toward Gigi’s surgery and recovery. And if you can’t donate, please consider sharing this page—it truly helps.

Winnie has attended every vet visit and can sense something is wrong. We often joke that Gigi is Winnie’s “emotional support dog.” Watching her watch Gigi suffer is heartbreaking.

We’ve been referred to both OVC in Guelph and Mississauga Oakville Veterinary Emergency Hospital (MOVEH). Both hospitals are ready to operate as soon as we can raise 50% of the funds for surgery at OVC or 75% of the total cost at MOVEH.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading Gigi’s story and caring about her. She’s not just a pet—she’s my family.

With gratitude and hope,

Randi, Gigi, and Winnie