Cheddar’s Journey - Neuter Surgery Fundraiser

My name is Heather Murdock, and I am a dog trainer/behaviorist in Sacramento. And this handsome boy is Cheddar, who ran in front of my car, lost in the dark and cold, on 12/9/2024. Unable to find an owner and unable to keep him myself, I took him to Bradshaw Animal Shelter. He was absolutely terrified and ended up being marked as Rescue Only. Due to extreme overcrowding at the shelter, he was given until 3 pm on Christmas Eve to be pulled by a rescue, after which he would be up for immediate euthanasia. Unable to secure a rescue for him in time, I was allowed to adopt him myself, given my background and that I was the only person he had any connection with. He trusted me, and for whatever reason, I just couldn’t let this sweet-but-scared 80 lb giant lose his life at only two years old. My intention was not to keep him myself, as I cannot offer that to him at this point, but rather to give him a chance to decompress, and then to start training him in preparation for a future forever home of his own.

I pulled him on 12/26 and he went directly from the shelter into a foster home, to decompress and be cared for by two amazing strangers who offered to foster him. As I write this almost six weeks later, Cheddar has made incredible progress, especially for an untrained dog who was so shut down. He loves to train and picks things up so fast. He has a lot of fears out in the world, but he has done very well with leash training, loves his walks, and easily addresses and moves past those things that startle or spook him. It does seem that someone was not so kind to him in the past, and we have been working on some separation anxiety. But whatever he may have been through, that’s in the past, and he is the sweetest, gentlest boy who absolutely loves his humans, and makes human friends easily when introduced properly. He is truly a wonderful and silly boy, and everyone falls in love with him. His fosters and I have worked so hard to get him ready for his new people, and I am truly grateful for your amazing financial support when I initially pulled him. It is now time to move forward with finding him his forever home.

I have been networking him intensely and he does have a potential adoptive family in WA interested in him. He has had a fair amount of interest, so there are some other potential candidates, but I’m pretty clear on what type of situation would be the best fit for him - even if it means he lives in a different state. Nothing has been finalized yet, as he needs to be neutered first before I am able to place in a forever home (per my shelter contract). He is scheduled for 2/11 with my personal vet clinic, so I am now fundraising for that with this gofundme. I have been working a lot of late hours to be able to provide his ongoing expenses while in foster, but would greatly appreciate any support I can raise for this last big hurdle. Once neutered, he would be released to travel or be placed in a forever home hopefully the first week of March. Also, one of his fosters is starting a new job the day before his neuter, so their schedules will be changing significantly as well. They are totally committed to Cheddar in every way, but it would be best for all of us - and especially for Cheddar - that he can move forward and fall head over heels in love with the humans he so richly deserves for the rest of his life!

My fundraising goal is $1,000. His surgery estimate is $780-$830 (I will post the estimate separately). Anything over his surgery is just to help with continuing care costs or if anything “extra” comes up with his procedure. Again, I am so grateful for the wonderful support Cheddar has received - I cannot thank you enough on behalf of this very special boy! If you are unable to kick in a few bucks, please know I totally get it. I would be so appreciative if you would share his fundraiser so we can get him into his forever home as quickly as possible! ❤️