Hi friends, family, and animal lovers everywhere. My name is Rachael Kee, and this is my sweet 2-year-old girl, Ninook. I brought her home when she was just 12 weeks old, three months after I moved to Davis to begin my PhD. I didn’t know a single person here at the time. The days were long, the nights were lonely, and I missed my family deeply.

Ninook changed all of that.

She became the heartbeat in my apartment, the little face waiting at the door, the warmth I came home to, and the reason I've pushed through some of the hardest years of my life. She has moved with me through three different homes, sat with me through heartbreaks and losses, and been the most steady source of joy I’ve had during graduate school.

She truly is my best friend, my comfort, and my family.

Just a few days ago, Ninook suddenly collapsed when I let her inside from playing in our yard. She was shaking, couldn’t stand, and both of her back legs dragged behind her. After rushing her to the ER twice over 48 hours and seeing a specialist, we learned the devastating news:

Ninook has ruptured both of her CCLs (the dog equivalent of ACLs in humans).

Both knees are unstable. She cannot stand or walk. She needs full assistance just to go to the bathroom. This is the opposite of who she is - a dog who loves walks, zoomies, exploring outside, and playing fetch. Seeing her unable to move is heartbreaking and completely uncharacteristic of my bright, happy girl.

Without surgery, she will live the rest of her life in chronic pain, progressive arthritis, and dependence on heavy medications, and she very likely may never walk again.

TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) surgery has a 90–95% success rate, with most dogs returning to near-normal function within 10–12 weeks. It truly works, and it will give her life back.

But the cost is overwhelming.

Below are surgery estimates I've recieved over the last few days:

There are no payment plans. My CareCredit card is already near maxed out from the emergency visits.

As a full-time PhD student at UC Davis living on a graduate stipend, I live month-to-month. After 7 years in college (and 2 more to go) and no ability to build savings, I simply do not have the means to give Ninook the surgery she needs - and it’s devastating to admit that.

I would give anything in the world to take her pain away. I can’t let money be the reason she never walks or runs again.

I am setting a goal of $13,000 to cover her surgery and hopefully part of the ER expenses already incurred.

This will directly go toward:

Every single donation, no matter the size, brings Ninook one step closer to walking, running, and living without pain again.

If you’ve ever donated to an animal rescue, a shelter, or a fundraiser before: thank you. Your generosity changes lives.

If you choose to help Ninook, you will directly see the impact of your kindness - in her recovery updates, her progress videos, and hopefully one day, her running again with that same spark in her eyes.

Even if you can't donate, sharing this link helps more than you know. Your love, compassion, and support mean the world, both to Ninook and to me. She has been my light for the last two years - and I am doing everything I can to fight for hers.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for helping Ninook get the chance to walk again.

We are endlessly grateful.