Hello! We are Mahnaz and Rutvik, and this is our boy Ozzy :)

LIFE GET'S BUSY SO HERE ARE THE BULLET POINTS BUT READ TO THE END FOR THE MORE DETAILED STORY:

Ozzy is a 7-year-old Pitty-Staffie mix. My husband and I adopted him from the Manhattan Animal Care Centre in New York 5 years ago.

For his very formative 2 years, Ozzy was raised in a house where he was neglected. His chart at the shelter said that he stayed crated most of the day while he should've been having engaging, interactive training - forming a bond with his new family. They eventually gave him up at 2! 

Their loss was our gain.

We adopted him exactly on his one-month shelter anniversary! When Rutvik saw him in his kennel, he said he instantly knew it had to be this dog. They looked at each other so intensely that even I knew it would be Ozzy there and then.

WE LOVE OZZY!

He's a cheerful, playful, affectionate, and funny boy, with cuddles and kisses for everyone despite the nightmare that he was subjected to. He has friends in the neighbourhood, both human and dog friends. He is very loved. 

NOW COMES THE REALLY SAD PART.

Ozzy was recently diagnosed with cancer. We're waiting on the reports to find out what type of cancer exactly. We do know this - TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. The tumor is giant, malignant, and located in a very risky spot on his left hip - so metastasis (spreading of the cancer cells to another part of the body) is very real and very scary. 

When we adopted him, he had already been reported to have an allergy to chicken! So, his insurance already didn't cover any skin-related ailments for that "pre-existing condition." We thought, "No problem. We should still have insurance for a rainy day. Anything can happen." 

So, we went ahead and got full coverage for him. 

Unfortunately, the insurance company covered squat. The repetitive nature of not one but two insurance companies sending us our bills back because of some loophole or the other was frustrating. He was fully insured with on-time monthly payments, but we still got bills upon bills. So, a few years in, we decided it was ridiculous how much we had already spent and chose, therefore, to cancel his insurance.

Shortly after his insurance was stopped - he developed a limp and difficulty sitting and standing up, going up and down stairs, couldn't run in the backyard anymore - you get the idea. A couple of X-rays and emergency runs to our vet, Steinway Court Veterinarian, and Blue Pearl had my savings all wiped out. We still had no clear answers because the X-rays revealed no ACL tears, no bone fragmentation, nothing we were all speculating the limp could be.

The surgeon at the hospital advised a CT scan, and while we waited on an appointment at a hospital we could afford, Ozzy's leg got swollen overnight. We had to rush back to Blue Pearl for an emergency consult and CT scan at which time the doctor also performed an aspiration of the lump (which at this point had formed over just 2 weeks!) that sat atop his left leg on the hip. The cytology report confirmed a giant malignant tumor.

 

This meant I had to close my 401k and that was that. No more savings left. My husband and I are both freelancers. We work really hard to give our baby the best we can. But right now we are falling short and failing our boy. We want to give Ozzy the fighting chance he deserves to come out of this dark moment in his and our lives.

Now for the silver lining to this miserable cancer cloud - the cancer is only in the soft tissue and has not spread to his bone.....YET. The CT Scan revealed that it has not spread into his abdomen or lungs. But it could turn lethal at any time. There is no guarantee except that the amputation will be our best bet.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN.

The surgery costs are set at $11,000 - $14,000

Each consult costs us anywhere between $300 - $450

Bloodwork about $500 - $800

Oncologist consult $300 - $350

Biopsy $800 - $850

Post-surgery care (tripod harness, soft neck cushion to replace cone, orthopedic bed, etc.) $2500 - $3000

Miscellaneous tests/expenses we don't know of right now: $3000 - $5000

Already spent on X-rays, bloodwork, cytology, CT scan, and doctor consults:

$11,000 - $12,000

We are approaching all avenues (family, friends, and Not-For-Profit assistance), but the clock on a potential spread is ticking, and every second counts. We're reaching out, asking for financial assistance with not just Ozzy's surgery but also post-surgical care. 

Gratefully yours, Ozzy, Mahnaz, and Rutvik :)