Donate to Bailey's Life-Saving Care

Hi! My name is Beth, and I’m an avid animal lover, as well as my husband and children. Recently my daughter Maureen and son-in-law Karsten’s sweet dog Bailey gave them quite a scare! Bailey is a rescued Staffordshire Terrier who has flourished in their care the past four years and gone from a malnourished dog with heartworm, to a healthy, happy, and loved sweetheart of a dog. She will melt to the floor when being pet, but also nudge your hand to quickly remind you not to stop!

Just over a week ago, Bailey unfortunately made a poor choice and knocked over a sealed container of her food, and when the seal broke and the contents poured onto the floor, she consumed far too much. Fortunately Maureen and Karsten arrived home not long after the incident, and even then they were not overly concerned right away. It was when Bailey was acting as though she needed to throw up and could not that they realized there was a problem. They rushed her to an emergency vet, and they got there none too soon. Bailey’s abdomen had swelled to the point at which she appeared to be very pregnant, and it was quickly discovered that she had “bloat” - a very serious condition that can kill a dog even when caught early.

Bailey had to undergo two intense surgeries that weren’t even promised to save her life, but as any pet owner knows, Maureen and Karsten had to give her that chance. There were a couple of points where it seemed as though Bailey was not going to make it, and Maureen and Karsten were fully aware that they may have to make the impossible decision of euthanasia for sweet Bailey. But just when it seemed like the end of the road, a senior veterinarian asked for one more try to get Bailey’s vitals stable. After deciding this was the very last attempt, Maureen and Karsten agreed to it as long as it didn’t cause Bailey any further suffering.

Then, the miracle occurred. When Maureen and Karsten came back to quite possibly say goodbye to Bailey and were seated in a private room at the pet hospital, a vet tech walked into the room with Bailey walking beside her! Tubes were protruding from her side and nose, and she was wobbly, but she was walking on her own. Not only were Maureen and Karsten amazed and obviously delighted, so was the staff at the vet hospital. It is hard to describe the relief and joy our whole family felt as well.

And now the reason for the establishment of this GoFundMe. Between the surgeries, overnight stays at the pet hospital, and countless medications - the bills for Bailey’s care are fairly staggering.

At this time of year with the holidays and the expenses that go along with the season, I know Maureen and Karsten would be hesitant to ask for any assistance. Upon the suggestion of a friend who knew what had been occurring with Bailey as it was going on, I thought that it still could be a good thing to set up this fund to help them out, even if just a little bit. I know they’d appreciate it greatly! They are just thankful that they got to bring Bailey home.