This is Bella. She was adopted at the age of 10 months and quickly earned the name little Pig with her snorts and her mannerisms. My little pig will soon be celebrating her 9th birthday in April. When I took her on I was told that she had previously been rolled on as a pup by her mother and as a result was registered as having a pre-existing condition regarding any issues with her hind legs and for the most part Bella has been fit as a fiddle; being my cuddle buddy, my hiking partner and my best friend. We have explored the UK together, sitting around camp fires, sharing sleeping bags and snacks. She has licked away my tears during points of grief and filled my days with endless joy and laughter. In the 8 years that I have had the pleasure of her companionship our bond has grown exponentially and she has been my reason to get out of bed during points of my life in which my own mental health has taken a dip. She is beautiful soul and anyone who has ever met her will contest of her radiant energy and loving playful nature.

This little Pig is truly an angel who has been dealt a tough hand and suffered immensely yet remains resilient and bounces back each time. Bella has fought and recovered from many ailments and operations and never seizes to amaze me with her drive for life. Some of the things she has previously kicked the arse of are as follows;

•breast cancer

•several malignant tumors

•cruciate ligament tear

• 3 pericardial effusions and ascites. 2 of which happened around Christmas and new year 2023/2024.

With tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat I must swallow my pride and ask for help again. Bella is now suffering with some issues with her back leg which is believed to be a tumour in her hip and as a result she is unable to walk or apply any weight on one leg; it is now becoming obsolete and all muscle has withered away into non existence. She has resorted to hopping. She tries keep her spirits high by engaging in play but has recently been spending all her time in bed. I even bring her breakfast to her bed so she can have medication on a full stomach.

I have regretfully ran out of money. Since September 2023 I have spent roughly £5000 on Bella, some of which I was able to claim back- some things I was unable to due to insurers policies.

Bella is covered on the best pet plan I could find and as a result of many claims over the last few years my monthly bills have slowly increased, and I am currently paying £165 a month for pet cover alone and unfortunately they will not support me financially on certain medication, or medical interventions around the back legs.

I believe that the ultimate outcome is Bella will need assessment to isolate the issue and figure out a solution, probably being a wheelchair so she can enjoy her life and go skidding round the park again. I have set the bar high at £3000, this will help cover the operation, the medication and go toward physio and the likes.

I just want pig to have a better quality of life. She deserves the world. I want nothing more than to see her smiling and running about again.

So in addition, a friend of mine came up with the idea to attach a challenge to the fundraiser so the weekend of March 30th, three out of shape 30yr olds will be attempting the Yorkshire three peaks challenge to completion in under 12 hours. Wish us luck!

Photo update!