My name is Jessica Bainter and Bear is my service dog. She is my best friend and companion that keeps me going during my complex health journey and being disabled. She alerts me when my glucose is going low even before my monitor alarms go off. She alerts me when I’m going to faint before I fall down and sits on my lap when I sit on the ground until it passes. She has filled a void in my life in so many ways. She gave me my mental health back when I was in a very low place.

Sunday morning, June 1st, 2025, she went out to potty as we do every morning and was the happiest girl. She was playful and running, and then in the blink of an eye, she couldn’t walk. While having the zoomies, she completely tore through her ACL on her right knee. She is completely non-weight bearing and in a lot of pain. We took her to our vet, Randy, in Oberlin, KS, who confirmed her ACL was gone. He recommended surgery as soon as possible and gave us a prescription to keep her comfortable along with a list of qualified surgery centers to do the surgery.

I began calling all of the surgery centers obtaining quotes. Quickly after the first call, my heart sank as they told me it would be $5700! I cannot afford that after the toll the last 3 years has taken on my family with my own medical emergencies.

I kept calling down the list: $5300, $4700, $4900. My heart breaking at this point! I called the last center. With a cheerful, pleasant voice, the receptionist was happy to tell me they offer the surgery for $3500. I took a sigh of relief! $3500 is way better than almost 6 thousand dollars. Then reality set in: I am disabled. I personally have no income, and my husband is breaking his back keeping our human family afloat as is.

Bear goes to all of my appointments with me. She makes me feel safe, loved, protected, and gives me a purpose when I thought for a long time I had no purpose anymore. She is by my side every second of every day. She is the sweetest, most loyal girl. She deserves a pain-free life when she puts so much into making my life better.

I have struggled to write this for 3 days! I don’t know how to ask for help. It feels embarrassing and like I am unworthy. But Bear! Bear is not unworthy. Bear is a saint. So I am asking with so much sincerity, please help me get Bear her surgery so she can have a quality of life again.

The vet is wanting to get her in as early as possible next week. I cannot schedule her until I can pay the bill, and every day we wait, we risk her injuring her ACL on her other knee by compensating.

Please find it in your heart to help us help Bear?

Also, all prayers are welcomed!