Donate to Hamilton's Healing Journey

Our sweet Hamilton needs your help.

Many of you know how much Hammie means to us. He's not just a pet; he's family. He brings so much joy to our lives, he takes care of us when we are in pain, and even when he was in his peak of his pain this week and Kirsten was crying he licked Kirsten’s tears away - just one example of the amount of unconditional love he gives to everyone he meets. Most of you have shared kisses, walkies, cuddles, and maybe even a few tears with him over the years, and know what a true friend he is.

In March, our hearts broke when Ham was diagnosed with IVDD, a painful spinal condition. We faced a $20,000 surgery to prevent paralysis, a cost we were prepared to cover with his pet insurance. Devastatingly, just before his surgery, Nationwide canceled our policy leaving us with no coverage. This insurance should have covered most of the surgery.

Our health insurance system in this country is an absolute disgrace. It's designed to profit off the sick and vulnerable, and it's failing millions of people - and also animals. Although we paid for Hamilton’s insurance for 3 years, we had no coverage. Because Nationwide exploited us, Hamilton’s IVDD is now considered a preexisting condition, so when we purchased new insurance, nothing related to IVDD is covered.

This week, Ham experienced a recurrence of IVDD. Hamilton’s neurologist/surgeon said if he did not get the surgery he would have been paralyzed or worse, he had a high likelihood of dying. We immediately said yes – we'll do anything for our little boy. But facing another $20,000 expense, on top of the $20,000 from March, is a huge burden.

We have committed $40,000 to Hamilton and understand that was our decision, but upset that we paid for the insurance coverage and should not be in this financial situation had it not been canceled on us and 100,000 other people for no reason.

Many of you have kindly asked how to help (flowers, food, treats), and thought we would be honest - contributing to his post-surgery care would mean the world. We're facing around $5,000 in expenses for medications, physical therapy, and check-ups to give him the best chance of recovery (90%!).

We will keep everyone updated on Hamilton's progress with photos and videos. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your compassion and generosity

With Love,

Kirsten, Danny and Hamilton