We can no longer afford to keep Benelli alive.

This is not a situation I ever wanted or expected to be in. When we started rescuing dogs in 2016, both Greg and I were in a good place financially. We got pet insurance for all 4 of our dogs as we added each to our pack. We wanted to make sure they were always provided for, and never wanted to have to say NO to anything for them, especially as they aged.

After adopting Benelli, that insurance became a lifesaver. We never anticipated the medical needs that she would end up having! Benelli has spent most of her life battling one thing or another, but she has always prevailed because we've been able to give her the best care possible. She's also the absolute strongest dog I have ever known!

Come 2024, everything changed. Greg was laid off from his 18 year career and was out of work for almost a year. We had to go on COBRA insurance because his was cut immediately and he had a shoulder surgery scheduled within a few weeks. We had no choice but to essentially take on another mortgage payment in insurance fees.

At this point, I had already taken a step back from my career two years prior to work in animal rescue full time (Friends of Benelli Foundation)... which meant my income was from intermittent work and residuals from my previous career. Greg eventually had to settle for a job paying half his old salary. Between his salary and what I earned, we could barely pay our bills.

Then came the biggest blow... Nationwide notified us that they would be canceling our 4 insurance policies due to them discontinuing the plan we had. If we purchased new plans, all the dogs' medical issues would now be preexisting conditions and not covered. They also said that Benelli would be denied covered no matter what because of her extensive medical history and her ITP (Immune-mediated Thrombocytopenia).

Benelli's insurance coverage ended January 2025... and in November of 2025, her biggest medical challenges began.

Benelli's ITP relapsed in November, and her medications caused a large, fluid-filled encapsulated pressure sore on her right "butt cheek". The treatment for her ITP suppressed her immune system, and she ended up with several severe infections over the coming months in conjunction with this growing "lump" on her butt. The lump had an open hole in it that was constantly draining fluid, and was never going to heal.

Once Benelli's ITP was stablized, she had surgery to remove the butt lump. This opened a whole new can of worms, new infections, and an ongoing battle to get the wound to close.

Now into August, Benelli's ITP has relapsed AGAIN. She's back on prednisone, which has set us completely back to square one with the butt lump incision. It is now completely open, and she has a wound debridement scheduled for tomorrow. We then have to start the process of wound packing all over again, followed by a third surgery in the coming weeks.

Every time we think we're almost over all the hurdles and going to get back to "normal life", something else sets Benelli's progress 10 steps back.

Most people would have thrown in the towel long ago. But I can't! Benelli wakes up each day happy, enthusiastic to eat, excited to play with her toys, ready to cause mischief, and barks at every noise she hears. How can I stop fighting for her when she's so determined to live?

Although I'm EXHAUSTED from everything, the thing holding us back on continuing Benelli's care is money. We cannot afford ANY of the treatment that Benelli's had this year, and we can't keep piling things on our credit cards that we can't pay.

If we're going to keep fighting for Benelli, we need help. I hate creating campaigns for our dogs because they're OUR responsibility... but when their lives hang in the balance and hinge on the ability to afford their medical care, I have no choice but to ask for help.

I'm setting this campaign at $30,000 to try to cover Benelli's expenses for 2026. In total, money spent and expected treatment totals over $45,000! Thanks to our GoFundMe in February for Benelli's major ITP relapse, this leaves us at about $30k.

The details of Benelli's expenses are below. If you'd like to help, it is SO appreciated. Thank you for reading this far, and thank you for loving Benelli!!

BENELLI'S 2026 VETERINARY CARE:

01/05 - Weare AH exam, CBC, Meds - 385.97

01/13 - Holistic Animal Wellness - 383.16

01/19 - Weare prednisone - 98.19

01/23 - Hopkinton AH blood test - 165.00

01/26 - Weare preventatives - 378.45

02/03 - Holistic Animal Wellness - 201.88

02/11 - Weare culture - 373.50

02/13 - VECM Emergency ITP relapse - 733.09

02/14 - Westford hospital deposit - 5000.00

02/17 - Westford second deposit - 2600.00

02/19 - Westford hospital balance - 389.54

02/20 - Westford readmit deposit - 1989.41

02/22 - Westford hospital balance - 429.76

03/09 - Westford blood test - 198.91

04/02 - Westford blood test - 198.91

04/11 - Westford marbofloxacin - 86.12

04/17 - Westford surgery consult - 858.18

04/30 - Westford blood test - 198.91

05/19 - Weare blood test - 172.48

06/05 - Westford surgery deposit - 3800.00

06/05 - Westford surgery balance - 473.42

06/12 - Westford meropenem - 425.73

06/18 - Westford CBC, IM recheck - 198.91

06/19 - Bulger wound care/packing - 483.70

06/22 - Bulger wound care/packing - 184.33

06/25 - Bulger wound care/packing - 262.70

06/29 - Bulger wound care/packing - 349.33

07/01 - Bulger revision surgery - 1772.30

07/01 - Westford meropenem - 171.19

07/12 - Westford hospitalization (neuro) - 2119.96

07/14 - Bulger suture fix, consult - 264.68

07/22 - Westford IM exam, culture, meds - 799.71

08/12 - Urgent Vet ITP relapse - 483.79

08/13 - Westford neuro - 295.00

08/13 - Bulger ER ITP relapse - 520.38

08/18 - Westford CBC - 198.91

PRESCRIPTIONS:

01/09 - CVS Rx Methenamine - 37.47

02/19 - CVS Rx Cyclosporine 100mg - 74.57

02/19 - CVS Rx Mupirocin - 19.81

02/19 - CVS Rx Linezolid - 34.47

03/12 - CVS Rx Methenamine - 27.03

03/12 - CVS Rx Linezolid - 34.47

03/19 - CVS Rx Cyclosporine 100mg - 82.70

04/02 - CVS Rx Linezolid - 4.41

04/16 - CVS Rx Cyclosporine 100mg - 80.74

04/23 - CVS Rx Cefopodoxime - 40.06

04/25 - CVS Rx Linezolid - 34.41

05/16 - CVS Rx Cyclosporine 100mg - 80.74

05/16 - CVS Rx Linezolid - 34.41

06/04 - CVS Rx Linezolid - 34.41

06/25 - CVS Rx Cyclosporine 100mg - 49.09

06/25 - CVS Rx Cyclosporine 50mg - 35.77

07/07 - CVS Rx Nitrofurantoin - 23.47

07/23 - CVS Rx Cyclosporine 50mg - 35.79

07/25 - WAH Gabapentin - 31.40

08/07 - CVS Rx Cyclosporine 50mgx2 - 53.69

08/20 - CVS Rx Cyclospprine 50+100 - 175.57

08/24 - WAH Gabapentin - 31.40

SUPPLIES JAN-AUG

Diaper Liners 100ct - 1599.36

Kotex pads 56ct - 287.04

HICC Pet Wipes - 1055.68

IMMCUTE Pee Pads 100ct - 1119.68

EXPECTED UPCOMING EXPENSES

Bulger wound debridement - $1500 QUOTE

Bulger wound care/packing x6 - $1800 AVG

Westford blood tests until off pred x6 - $1188

Bulger surgery revision - $1800

Urine/wound cultures x4 - $1600

MISC Prescriptions - $500

Supplies Sept-Dec - $2175

MISC Vet care, cultures, tests - $2500

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GRAND SUBTOTAL: $45,856.14

LESS Feb GoFundMe: -$15,925.41 (after fees)

REMAINING TOTAL: $29,930.73