Hi everyone ❤︎

I never imagined I’d be writing something like this, but here I am… asking for help.

This GoFundMe is for Marley. Courtney’s 10 year old chihuahua who has been by her side long before we ever met. If you know Courtney, you know Marley. She is tiny, but brave. She protects us from men in hats, the vacuum, bike pumps.. anything strange or loud. She is famous for her spins, her little “I love you’s,” her big personality, her little skips she does when she is on her walks & of course… her breath. If you’ve been lucky enough to be loved on by Marley, you know what we are talking about.

Unfortunately, her breath was the first sign that something serious was going on.

After a recent visit to the vet, Courtney was told that Marley will likely need a full dental extraction. As many of you may already know, dental procedures, especially full extractions - are incredibly expensive. But as the appointment continued, she was hit with another concern: Marley has an irregular heartbeat, which means she now requires cardiology clearance before any dental work can safely be done.

That added layer has brought on a series of additional appointments, tests, X-rays, imaging, and specialist visits that are required before we can even move forward with relieving her pain.

Marley has been Courtney’s adventure buddy for the past decade. She’s traveled everywhere with her. Long road trips… always trying to make sure she can sit up front. She’s gone paddle boarding & jet skiing. She loves the beach, she’s visited the snow, she’s hiked, she has been camping and has spent many days on the lake in Shasta with Courtney on her dads boat. She even moved across state lines with Courtney to build a life with me. She has lived a full life already and we know that chihuahuas are known for their longevity. Marley has so much life left if she’s given a fair chance.

Lately we have noticed a shift in her behavior. She is hurting. We’ve always known there was discomfort but it’s become clear she’s in serious pain. She’s begun resisting food unless it’s very soft and fed to her. She is showing signs of mild aggression which is something we know is coming from pain, not her personality. Watching her struggle like this is absolutely heartbreaking. Witnessing Courtney having to see her go through this is heartbreaking. It’s very clear that time matters right now.

Between the current cost of living, our wedding in October, returning straight into the holiday season, and recently covering an emergency vet visit for our dog Kai (which required stitches and came with its own overwhelming bill), this situation has pushed us into a place we never expected to be. Those of you who know us, know we are “we’ve got this” people. We don’t ask for help. Even when it’s offered, it’s hard to accept. Even when we need it, we act like we don’t. We are the ones who want to help others. This does not come naturally to us and if I’m being honest, it makes me feel uncomfortable, vulnerable and emotional to even write this.

The reality is that this process can cost thousands of dollars, and while we are doing everything we can - raising these funds on our own will take time. My concern is that Marley doesn’t have that kind of time. She doesn’t have the ability to tell us how bad she’s hurting, so thinking about more time passing while it just progressively gets worse, kills me. Who knows what else could come from this given how much our mouths affect our health. Time feels delicate right now, and I thought that maybe, just maybe, this could help us move forward.

All funds raised will go directly toward Marley’s medical care. Including cardiology clearance, dental extractions, anesthesia, imaging, medications, and follow-up care… Everything needed to give her comfort and a real chance at quite a few more healthy and adventure filled years ahead.

If you’re able to donate, even a small amount, please know it means more than we could ever express. And if donating isn’t possible - sharing this or keeping Marley in your thoughts is just as appreciated.

We would do anything for our animals. They are our entire world. All we are asking for right now is help giving Marley relief, comfort & most importantly, the opportunity to spend more time by Courtneys side. As I write this she is curled up next to Courtney, fast asleep. A nightly ritual of theirs for 10 years now. She deserves more years of this. So does Courtney.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for being here for us during an incredibly difficult and vulnerable moment of our lives.

With so much love and gratitude,

Karli