From Mum: I first met Fatty in 2015 when she was about 2 years old. She was a subject in my uni practical assessment when we first met through the metal bars of her condo (she and her fellow residences were so well loved and cared for, but I still wanted to bring her home). I fell in love with her beautiful face, her calm demeanor and her stunning red brindle tiger stripes. At the time, I was going through a marriage separation and had two dogs at home already so wasn’t able to adopt her but fate stepped in. 18 months later, we were reintroduced to each other by my boss at the time. The universe kept nudging us together over the months that followed and on 20 January 2017, Fatty officially joined our family. She has seen and supported our family through home relocations, serious family illnesses and the heartbreaking loss of her feline sister in 2021. She is always waiting at the door for us with an excited whine, lots of licks and her beautiful tippy tappy toed happy dance when we get home…even if we have only been out for 5 minutes. She has been a source of love, entertainment and huge support for nearly 6 years. Almost everybody who meets her falls in love with her quirky nature and weird mannerisms (typical for greyhounds) and she has helped to raise awareness of what amazing dogs greyhounds are. Fatty is a bit of a unique case in that she was not a race hound (as far as we are aware). She did, however, give 2 years of her life in service of education as a resident at the University of Queensland’s Clinical Studies Centre, where we adopted her from the Pets for Life adoption program. She was involved in practical lessons and assessments for future veterinary graduates and her stoic and gentle nature made life very easy for the students (something that continues today when we have vet visits). Greyhounds, sadly, are prone to developing osteosarcoma, an aggressive and very painful form of bone cancer. In mid to late-August, Fatty developed a limp and a firm mass on her right forelimb at the ankle joint, a sign that is characteristic of osteosarcoma. Fortunately, Hoomum’s experience with animals alerted her to what this could be. At the end of August, Fatty underwent imaging and a fine needle aspirate of the joint which, devastatingly, confirmed osteosarcoma. Imaging has indicated that no large masses have formed in her lungs, which is promising for her prognosis, should she undergo treatment. While there are no guarantees of outcome, her best chance for survival and pain relief would involve forelimb amputation and chemotherapy, the cost of which combined is estimated at around $7500-$8000. Fatty’s specialist vets have indicated that she is a good candidate for surgery as her body condition and general health aside from this diagnosis are very good. You can see Fatty’s antics over the last 5 years on her Instagram, and Hoomum will be keeping her followers updated of her activities and progress as time goes on. We can’t thank you enough for your support and love, every little bit will go a long way to giving Fatty the best rest of her life we can, and give her more opportunities to touch the lives of those around her.