I am once again fundraising on behalf of Across the Ocean Rescue, a small volunteer-run organization that has supported Dusty from the day he arrived. This campaign will help offset the growing medical costs of Dusty’s chemotherapy so we can give him the treatment he needs and the future he deserves.

Dusty has already fought through so much. After spending more than eight months in boarding, he finally began experiencing what real home life feels like, thanks to two incredibly compassionate foster families.

Dusty’s First Foster Home: Finding Comfort for the First Time

While we were trying to understand the cause of Dusty’s recurring nosebleeds, he spent almost two months with a loving foster mom in Prince Edward County. She gave him warmth, affection, routine, and stability. Dusty thrived with her. He soaked up every bit of attention, learned how to rest in a real home, and showed us who he is at his core: affectionate, goofy, and deeply people-oriented. This time in her care helped us see his personality clearly and gave him the emotional foundation he desperately needed.

A New Chapter in Ottawa

Dusty is now with a second foster family in Ottawa who have opened their home and hearts to him in an extraordinary way. They recently experienced the loss of their own dog to cancer, yet chose to welcome Dusty and guide him through his treatment. They take him to all of his oncology appointments and comfort him afterward with so much tenderness.

Dusty adores them, especially his foster dad. He follows him everywhere, curls up beside him, and enjoys all the beds and toys that once belonged to their beloved dog.

Dusty’s Diagnosis and Treatment Plan

Dusty has been diagnosed with TVT, a type of cancer that is highly treatable and often fully curable with chemotherapy.

He is receiving weekly vincristine chemotherapy at Capital City Animal Hospital. So far, he has completed two sessions:

• March 16: Chemo and chest X-rays, $1,430.70

(His foster family generously shared leftover medications from their own dog, which reduced costs by about $200.)

• March 23: Chemo, $794.41

He will need at least four more sessions, depending on how he responds.

Because his tumor is located deep in his nasal cavity, the only way to assess his progress is through a follow-up CT scan.

Estimated cost: $2,992.44

Planned for April 7 to 13.

Even if the tumor is gone on the scan, he will still need two additional chemotherapy treatments to ensure complete clearance.

Estimated Total (Minimum) Cost of Treatment: $8,394.50

Across the Ocean Rescue is a very small, volunteer-driven organization with no government funding. Covering costs of this size is extremely difficult for us. Despite the financial strain, there was never a world in which we would give up on Dusty. He is young, strong, responding well, and his oncology team is optimistic about his outcome.

How Dusty Is Feeling

Dusty is doing incredibly well, all things considered. After his first chemotherapy treatment, he had a brief upset stomach, which resolved quickly with medication and a homemade meal from his foster parents (lean beef!). By the next day, he was back to asking for snuggles, looking for attention, and following his foster dad around the house.

His spirit remains bright. His resilience is remarkable. And he is loved beyond measure.

How You Can Help

Your donation will directly support Dusty’s chemotherapy, his follow-up CT scan, and the medical care he needs to make a full recovery. Every contribution, no matter the amount, helps lighten the burden on our small rescue and brings Dusty closer to a long and healthy life.

If you can donate, share his story, or help spread the word, you will be giving Dusty:

• A real chance at recovery

• A future free from pain

• The long, happy life he deserves

Thank you for helping Dusty fight. Thank you for believing in him. And thank you for standing with us on his road to healing. ❤️