Help Rae Move to a Safer Place

Hi I’m Rae or my legal less queer aligned name is Lynsi if you knew me pre coming out as genderqueer/nb. I’m raising funds to try and get out of a bad housing situation. I’ve been experiencing my utilities doubling in cost monthly the last 3-4 months at my current residence and can’t seem to come to an understanding with landlord that something isn’t functioning properly and make my continued staying there livable.

I live alone in a small house and keep my heat at 63 and am incredibly frugal with expenses and energy, yet my bills are almost double from the previous years and in excess of what I paid in a house that was bigger! Supposedly our HVAC system is brand new and should be more efficient with a recent total renovation of the house, but something is very wrong and he refuses to admit there is an issue. I have complex PTSD and while I am actively working on managing my anxiety, the unexpected finances and upcoming summer months is terrifying.

What brought everything to a head is that last Friday I was attacked by a neighbor’s yard pit after helping untangle the dog’s tether that was caught around its foot. I saw the dog crying in pain and my neighbor struggling to get the untrained dog to hold still. She asked for wire cutters but couldn’t reach the fence for me to hand them to her while struggling with the dog. I work with dogs can’t stand to see one in pain and asked if she needed help and she said she would love it and assured me the dog did not bite, so I walked around to assist. I got it uncaught without cutting the line. And asked if we could move the tether that was currently attached to the fence that the dog was taking out all of its neglected aggression on. Anytime I was outside with my dogs this pit would shake and tear at the fence trying to get to us and break free from the tether. It was a matter of time before it either broke down the fence or snapped the line. We moved it to a tree in the center of the yard and told her it was a short solution as this dog had worked this line down to a thread. I was explaining to her she also needed to move its shelter and water within reach. After moving its carrier closer I dropped my plyers and reached down to pick them up. That’s when the dog started resource guarding and began attacking me. I fortunately still had on yard gloves and layers of a flannel and hoodie on. But the dog latched to both gloved hands one after another, both sleeves on my clothes, then my forearms. Neighbor got it to release by smacking it on the face but it would relatch just as fast until I was able to move backwards fast enough to get out of its range to leave. I’m fast and calm in a crisis. I worry what a normal person who actually reacted in that situation would have done to increase that dogs reactivity and make that situation a lot worse.

Animal control has done nothing. I’ve been calling about this neglected pup for the year they’ve left it chained 24/7 without access to proper shelter or consistent water or food. I do not blame the dog. But I now fear it and reported the bites. I had already seen it attack their other dog, and now experienced personally its interactions to people trying to help it. This, after having seen my own dog attacked before, is completely triggering my PTSD and destroying my mental and emotional health.

I have the opportunity to move into a friends house but no savings for the move or deposit. I’m trying to raise $3500 in funds to pay for deposits, movers, and double rent as my landlord requires 30 days notice and I’ve already paid $1200 Feb rent here. I am actively looking for a roommate, to assist once moved, but really need help being able to move before I lose this opportunity and my health continues to deteriorate.

$3500 covers:

$1000 first months rent if I can move in Feb to secure it or $1300 march if the property is still avail then

$1300 security deposit

$500 Anticipated worse utilities here from last month

$ 700 Movers/transfer utility fees (i have a back injury and am limited on moving my larger furniture personally).

Any left overs would go to fence costs (no fence at new place to protect my dogs or let them play free but i have approval if i can raise funds)