Help Onion Bloom!

Helle Elliott is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Hello, my name is Helle Lord-Elliott, and I'm raising funds for a little black dog we're calling Onion!

Onion was found at the parking lot of SSM Health next to the Domino dog park in Shawnee, OK, on June 11, 2024. She was the saddest, sweetest thing, lying in the parking lot and wandering slowly up to anyone who would give her attention. Obviously someone's dog, she seemed quite confused. After watching her for a bit and talking to employees and people around the area, I've concluded that she was most likely abandoned at the dog park.

Before we say, "What horrible person would do this!" it's better to remain without judgment and focus on the facts before us:

All the shelters and rescues across the state are full.
We are facing an intense economic situation that is making it harder for people to find work or extra funding.
Onion's person felt, for reasons we don't know, that her best chance at getting a new home was to leave her somewhere she'd be found quickly.

In case you didn't know, Saint Anthony is the patron saint of wayward and lost things. I don't believe in coincidences. Onion is welcome to stay with us as a foster-to-adopt situation, but we need some help to help her.

Onion has been to Meeker Animal Hospital , where she was examined for underlying health issues and given vaccinations. She is 33 lbs and estimated to be a beagle and lab mix around 3.5 years old. During the examination, it was revealed that she needs treatment for Ehrlichiosis as well as an eventual tooth extraction. Below is a breakdown of costs accrued and expected.

Why We Need Financial Help:

In July of last year, my partner Adam and I lost our housing due to unsafe living conditions. Thankfully, we have been able to stay with family, but resources are very tight. In addition to losing our home, we lost our cat, and our two dogs suffered fatal health effects. B-Bert passed in January, and Freyja, my personal soul dog and working service dog, passed in February. While I fully intended on bringing home another dog, I never expected it to happen this soon. Regardless, she seems to be making friends.

For my entire life, animals needing a bit of help have come my way. For the last decade, many people in the community have reached out to me for help: be it a stray, an unhoused person looking for vaccines, a spare crate, impromptu training sessions in friends' backyards, formal training , or fostering – it’s just what I do, and it makes me feel good to do it. Now, I’m asking for some of that good spirit to be returned. If, for some reason, Onion does not fit in well with our home, a rehoming fee may be implemented which will be used to compensate our expenses or donated forward.

Costs Accrued:

Vet bill total: $317
Complete vaccination package: $155
1 year: Rabies, DHLPP
6 month: Bordetella, heartworm
Ehrlichiosis diagnosis and treatment: $162
(Blood work, flea and tick treatment, 1 month doxycycline course, 1 month prednisone course)
Food: $45
Crate: $45
Collar: $15

Total: $422

Costs Expected: $910

Microchip: $50
Dental work: $550 (Onion has a front upper tooth that needs to be extracted. This procedure requires anesthesia, and we plan to do routine dental work to address any other underlying issues.)
DNA Test: $160 (A DNA test will help us understand Onion’s breed history, medical profile, and explore the possibilities of other relatives. This knowledge is crucial for managing her health and wellbeing.)
GPS Collar: $150 (We live on an unfenced acreage. An electric fence or full fencing system is very expensive. While we have 15+ years of experience raising dogs on this property, Onion wasn’t born here, and, should she escape, her desire to roam may be stronger than her ability to find her way back. A GPS collar is a safety investment to ensure her protection.)

Total: $1550

Any funds raised over the needed amount will be donated 50/50 to SPAR Shawnee and St Francis Animal Resource Center

Thank you for considering helping us give Onion the care and love she deserves.