Help Eli save their beloved service dog Bhakti!

Hiya! This is Adrienne. Myself and a group of friends are raising money for our dear friend Eli, to help pay for cancer treatment to save their beloved pup, Bhakti. Starting treatment quickly can save Bhakti's life! Here's Eli's story:

I’ve had Bhakti for 7 years. He came to me from a situation of neglect where he was kept confined in a crate at all times, watching the rest of the dogs live freely as house pets. After a friend rescued him, I offered to take him for a week while we found him a home. He was with me for less than 24 hours when I realized he was already home. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

As soon as he came to live with me, he was immediately full of love and devotion. When I brought him to get fixed and up to date on his shots, the vet said he would make an amazing therapy dog. He’s not your typical dog that’s motivated by food & treats—he’s literally motivated by making others happy.

Bhakti was trained early on to be my service dog. He is the most devoted, sweet, and loving dog – and he’s saved my life more than once. Despite having had a very sad and difficult first three years of his life, he’s always very friendly with others – both people and pets – and incredibly patient with children. He’s full of tail wags and greets my housemates to say good morning or to welcome them home for the day.

Three years into loving him, I became disabled with a brain injury and this made his role as a service animal even more important. He’s been with me every step of the way as I work towards recovery, accompanying me to appointments, around the house, and around the neighborhood.

Bhakti goes to Food Not Bombs with me every Friday as we serve food to our neighbors, and he’s been a brave and very popular protest pup accompanying me to countless protests over the years. His caretaking nature means that he can spot when someone needs a moment with him…and occasionally he’ll eagerly let me know he wants to say hi to someone. It never fails that when we do, they will say “oh you had no idea how much I needed that today!” I always tell them, I didn’t…but Bhakti did.

In May, I noticed a change in his eyes, where one pupil became fully dilated and closed more often, and the other pupil was especially small. At the recommendation of his vet, I took him to a specialist, and during that appointment he was referred on to see a neurologist. The neurologist discovered a tumor on his optic nerve, brain cancer.

Radiation treatment

Without treatment, Bhakti will lose his vision in both eyes and the ability to move the muscles in his face, which would affect his ability to eat. The increasing pressure in his brain would cause seizures and ultimately, death. The prognosis for this cancer untreated is death within a few months to less than a year.

He has so much much more love to give.

The good news is that treatment is available, and with the right treatment we’ll be extending his life by years! He is scheduled to start in September, and will receive 20 radiation treatments, which should not only reduce the size of the tumor but also alleviate symptoms in his eye. He will also need to continue on prescribed steroids. I’ve been assured that this treatment is tolerated very well by dogs and should not cause him pain or any systemic issues.

I’ve already spent close to $5,000 seeing specialists and getting his diagnosis. I’m on a fixed income with disability and will use all of my savings towards getting him these treatments, in addition to seeking out grants or additional financial support. The total cost of treatment will be $12,000, far more than I have in savings.

I’m turning to my community because I know that many of you love Bhakti *almost* as much as I do, and he’s provided comfort to so many of my friends and comrades over the years. There is no pressure to donate, I know we’re all struggling to survive in these times. But anything you’re able to contribute will go towards his cancer treatment, meaning he can stay in my life, and our lives, for a few more love-filled years.