Anyone who knows my partner and I personally, you would know how much fostering has impacted our lives, especially Bella. This little lady first came into our lives as a foster pup, the skinniest and sickest little chicken we had ever cared for! For five wonderful months, we showered her with love and nursed her back to health. In October 2022, Bella found her forever home with the most amazing family, who quickly became like family to us too!

We've had the joy of watching Bella blossom into the happiest, most spirited dog. –But, this past year has been especially tough for her wonderful mom, who has been bravely battling degenerative disc disease, undergoing four spinal surgeries already, with the second surgery of this year this past week. Having recently stepped away from her career to focus on her health and family, they've been facing some big changes.

And now, in a twist of fate that's almost unbelievable (and a little bit comical!), our brave Bella has seemingly taken after her mom and thrown out her back! It all started after one of her very serious and dedicated attacks on the mailman, a job she clearly takes immense pride in! We suspect her unwavering commitment to protecting her home might have led to this predicament.

When Bella started acting unlike her usual sassy self, her family took her to the vet, who initially diagnosed some lumbar pain and suggested keeping a close eye on her. The very next day, our girl lost the use of her back legs. Without hesitation, her mom, still recovering from her own spinal surgery just days prior, rushed Bella to the vet. When the neurologist wasn't available, Alex was directed to take her straight to AMC (Animal Medical Center) in NYC. There, Bella was diagnosed with a lumbar disc herniation...and here’s the truly comical (albeit heartbreaking) part: it's the exact same disc her mom has issues with!

Bella underwent emergency surgery, a hemilaminectomy and discectomy in three spots, as disc material had spread up her spinal canal. Thankfully, Bella's surgery went well, and as of today, May 16th, she's been cleared to go home! We are so incredibly relieved and can't wait for her to be back with her family.

However, this is just the beginning of a long recovery journey for our brave little mail-defender. Bella will need to be strictly crated for four weeks to prevent any further injury. Her thoughtful family has already created a special "doggy bassinet", a crate raised to bed height, so she can stay close to her mom during their dual recoveries.

While Bella is on leave from her vital role as chief mailman deterrent, the costs of her emergency surgery are adding up. We are reaching out to our amazing community to help support Bella and her family during this challenging time. Our goal is to raise enough funds to cover the cost of her life-saving surgery.

Any contribution, big or small, will make a huge difference in helping Bella get back on her paws (literally!) and easing the financial burden on her loving family as they navigate two spinal surgery recoveries at once. Let's rally together and help this sweet girl get back to her happy, mailman-chasing self!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!