“Who are you?”:

My name is Yeshi, and I Love Lucy.

“Who is Lucy?”:

Lucy (canine) and her adoptive father (human) are unhoused members of my community. Despite the degree of what is lacking in their lives materially, there is no shortage of Love between them. Checking in with her (and her dad) on my walks has brought me so much joy.

“What happened?”:

At the end of October, Lucy was hit by a car that immediately fled the scene. Hadn’t a stunned witness of the horrific accident transported her to get medical attention, she would have lost her life. She sustained a number of serious injuries including a punctured lung and traumatic hemoperitoneum. Due to the large amount of bleeding into her belly cavity, she required a blood transfusion among a host of other interventions and close monitoring. The severity of her condition warranted admission to the hospital where she remained inpatient for multiple days.

“Oh no! How is Lucy doing now??”:

Thank you for inquiring. I am pleased to report that she has been recovering well since discharge!

“Thank God she made it to the vet in time! Dare I ask how much her care cost?”:

Payment for services was required upfront, prior to initiating the medical care needed to save Lucy’s life. The cost of her care was over $13,000.

Remember the witness who rushed Lucy to the veterinarian? Well, she opened a credit card to cover a portion of the fee and charged the remainder to her existing credit card. Yes, you read that correctly; this (super)woman, who is a mother of two and of very modest financial means, took on a HUGE debt for the CHANCE of saving a life. She is, without a doubt, Lucy’s guardian angel.

"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need." - Khalil Gibran

Here’s your chance to shine :

As mentioned, Lucy and her dad are homeless and without income. Neither the inquiries I’ve made to local veterinary organizations nor grants I pursued for veterinary bill relief have yielded any help. Most of them are unable to assist due to lack of prior authorization, which is of course impossible to obtain in the context of emergencies (as was the case here).

We’ve got to help dissolve this debt.

I am humbly asking for ANY amount of support you can contribute towards covering the cost of Lucy’s emergency care. No donation is too small!

*Any funds raised beyond the amount paid for the aforementioned veterinary services will go towards purchasing survival supplies for Lucy and her dad (weather appropriate clothing, sturdy tent, sleeping bag, hygiene items etc). Winter is here. This season is particularly unsafe and challenging for our unhoused community members; it would be great to set them up with supplies to help minimize the dangers of exposure to the elements 24/7.

I am grateful that you’ve taken the time to hear me out. I have Loved many dogs over the course of my life and Lucy is undoubtedly a very special one.

To those who can pitch in, from the bottom of my heart, a resounding THANK YOU!!!

Cheers,

Yeshi

Photo: Lucy with some of the veterinary crew after one of her follow-up visits.