At PAWS Adoption Center, every life matters, and every lifesaving decision is made possible by the generosity of our community. As a private, nonprofit shelter, we receive no government funding. That means every emergency vet visit, every surgery, and every critical moment is covered entirely by donations. This new year has already brought two unexpected and costly medical emergencies that required immediate action.

Dewey is the kind of dog who greets you like you’re the best part of his day — a constant wagging tail, soft eyes, and the sweetest soul you could ever meet. When he suddenly stopped eating and seemed uncomfortable, we knew something wasn’t right. What we didn’t know was that a small piece of corn cob was lodged in his intestines, causing a life-threatening obstruction. He was rushed into emergency surgery.

The first operation was intense, but we were hopeful that once the blockage was removed, he would recover. Instead, Dewey became septic. His little body was fighting for its life as infection set in, and without immediate intervention, we could lose him. He had to undergo a second major surgery.

Two operations.

Critical care.

Round-the-clock monitoring.

Antibiotics.

Hospitalization.

Through it all, Dewey looks at us with trusting eyes that seem to say, “I’m still here. Don’t give up on me.” We won’t — but his medical bills are now in the thousands, far beyond what we anticipated.

Just before Dewey's surgeries, Juniper faced her own harrowing emergency. What began as a routine spay quickly turned serious when she developed a severe blood clot, a rare but dangerous complication. She required an additional procedure to remove the clot and stabilize her. It was frightening and unexpected, and the extra surgery, medications, and careful monitoring created significant medical expenses. Thankfully, she pulled through and is now recovering safely in her forever home. We were incredibly grateful to see her healing and thought we had made it through the storm.

We believe every life is worth fighting for. Dewey didn’t choose this. Juniper didn’t either. When emergencies happen, we will always say yes to the surgery, yes to the treatment, yes to giving them a chance. Now we’re asking for help carrying the weight of those yeses. If you can donate, share, or simply help spread the word, you become part of their survival stories. Because of you, Dewey’s tail will keep wagging. Because of you, Juniper gets her forever home. And because of you, we can keep saying yes when the next emergency walks through our doors.