Help Bumba Run Into His 9th Birthday

Hi, I'm Vanessa — and this is Bumba, my 8-year-old ride-or-die, my daily dose of love and laughter, and ultimately my son since I’ve had him from way back when he was just 8 weeks old. He was born on April Fool’s Day, 2017 — which absolutely tracks if you’ve ever met him.

Over the past months, Bumba has been struggling to walk correctly. His back legs have started giving out, and he’s been dragging his paws, stumbling, and showing signs of discomfort. Luckily, he isn't in pain, but after extensive testing (MRI, CT, spinal tap), we've discovered multiple bulging discs, spinal cord swelling, and nerve compression.

The vets say surgery is his best hope — a spinal procedure to decompress his spinal cord, relieve the pressure, and give him a chance to regain full mobility and sensitivity.

The cost of surgery, imaging, hospitalization, and physical rehab is expected to total $12,000–$14,000. While I’m doing everything I can to make it happen, I’m reaching out for help — because Bumba deserves to spend his 9th birthday RUNNING around, not watching his friends play from the sidelines.

The goal: Get Bumba walking (and maybe even zoomie-ing) by April 1, 2026 — his 9th birthday.

If you’ve ever met Bumba, you know he’s more than a dog — he’s a character. From Miami to LA, from crashing Zoom calls to being the unofficial mayor of DOG PPL and CEO of Hook+Bridge, he’s left a pawprint on every person he’s met.

If you’re able to donate, share, or just send some love, we’d be forever grateful. Every single dollar goes directly to Bumba’s surgery and recovery.

Let’s get this potato back on his feet — by his birthday.