Gertie's Goodbye

Gertie the basset hound was a beloved pet, therapy dog, neighbourhood fixture, natural comedian, occasional actor -- with a star turn  as Crab in Bard on the Beach's 2017 Two Gentlemen of Verona -- unrepentant food thief, and best friend to anyone who would give her treats or affection. Sadly, we lost Gertie on April 30 as a result of a spinal tumour.

Deb, her dog mom and animal soulmate, gave Gertie a wonderful life for her almost nine years, even in the face of multiple health issues. Deb is devastated by the loss, and unfortunately is now saddled with the burden of covering Gertie's end-of-life medical costs. The series of tests required to diagnose Gertie, as well as her extended stay in emergency, racked up bills of $6,000.

I'm reaching out to Gertie's friends and the wider community to help support Deb and honour Gertie's memory. Deb retrained as a teacher last year, and having spent $1,500 on unrelated surgery for Gertie just two months ago is simply unable to meet these unavoidable costs.

Thank you to anyone who can contribute any amount at all, no matter how small.