Most of you know our 14-year-old pug, Ripley. Ripley went for her annual check up on Tuesday and we decided to run a blood panel to have her liver checked before we started an anti-inflammatory regimen. When the vet called today, I expected to hear that a prescription was ready for pick up — not that she has end stage kidney failure and was given one more month with us, at best.

Devastated is an understatement.

We have a lot to digest and figure out but know that we want to put her in the best possible position to pass peacefully at home and not in an emergency situation, if we can avoid it. We don’t know what our timeline actually looks like but we know we have to prepare now. We have a lot of calls and emails and texts in for at-home euthanasia services but the one that I am most familiar with is at least $1,500 just for them to show up.

I am coming on here to ask that if Ripley has ever made you laugh, smile or subjected you to her sassy pug behavior and you have it in your heart to help us make the time she has left with us everything she deserves, we would be forever grateful.

I am ashamed to even be asking for help, but we are between market seasons, my contracts have unpredictable payment schedules, and because of an unexpected plumbing emergency a few months ago, we are still paying down a 7K debt. I’m just at a loss.

Please help us make our little shrimp boat as comfortable as she can be until she leaves our earthly sides.