If you know us, you know Athena, our six-year-old black lab mix with a heart as big as her paws. She’s the kind of dog who lives for finding and carrying sticks five times her size, sprinting through the yard, and swimming with that big goofy grin. Anyone who’s met her knows she loves everyone she meets and is always the happiest one in any room.


But lately, Athena hasn’t been herself. We noticed her limping after running and jumping, but she never stopped trying to keep up or greet us with her usual happy self. After a vet visit, we were heartbroken to learn she has a torn ACL and needs surgery to walk, run, and play without pain again. For a dog who lives to move, being stuck indoors and in pain is hard. Watching her struggle to do the things she loves has been even harder.


Surgery is her best chance at a full recovery, followed by lots of rest, vet visits, and possibly physical therapy. My sister Shayla and I are committed to helping Athena heal, but the cost of surgery and aftercare is more than we can manage alone. That’s why we’re turning to our community for help. Every donation, no matter the amount, brings Athena one step closer to wagging her tail in the yard again. Your kindness will go directly toward her surgery, follow-ups, and the care she needs to get back to being her joyful, crazy self. Thank you for loving our sweet girl with us. Love, Tristyn, Shayla, and Athena.