Hi! My name is Chelsey and many of you know of, or even had the pleasure of meeting, my first foster puppy Darla.

Darla has had a rough start to life- she was brought into the animal shelter in December as only a weeks old puppy. Upon examination it was found that she had a broken leg so this sweet baby was put in a cast and sent into a foster home to heal. Darla was with me for a few weeks while she was healing, but unfortunately due to her injury she spent much of that time on kennel rest unable to truly play, walk, or really be a puppy, but despite it all you could see her spunky personality trying to come through. Fast forward to the end of January when the cast was able to come off and her forever family, The Bailey's, came along! It was love at first sight and so her happily ever after began.

Darla's family noticed fairly soon that her limp was pretty severe and took her to the vet where she was once again casted and told to take it easy. After another round in the splint everyone was hoping she'd be good as new and this would all be over with and she would finally be onto true puppydom!

Unfortunately as the weeks went on, it became apparent that something was still going on. Darla's family once again took her to the vet where it was found that the growth plates were effected and the bones in her injured leg are not straight, one has stopped growing, and the other bone is causing pulling from her joint and they were presented with the options of a very extensive and involved surgery or amputation. With Darla being so young still, and the injured leg being in the front, her family has an appointment at Cornell University where she will undergo the surgery in an attempt to give her the best shot at a normal life, the life she deserves that will match her happy personality, the life where she can run and play and FINALLY be a DOG!

The funds raised here will go directly to her family to help offset the costs of the extensive veterinary care that she has and will receive.