Help Ruth Iris Thrive with Medical Support

I come to you with an ask for a very special dog today (and a very special adopter, foster, and volunteer).

Ruth Iris was brought into AAUPR in Feb of 2023. She had a ton of health issues were weren’t aware of, mostly stemming from her mouth. She had some very complicated issues with her palate that needed a veterinary dentist to intervene with multiple surgeries for her to be able to eat and have a semi normal life basically. Ruth ended up being stuck in boarding in Aug of 2023 and was not doing well at all. She was losing weight, stressed out, and not thriving. Thanks to Heidi, Ruth made it out of boarding into a foster home. Due to her medical issues and behavioral quirks this foster home became her forever home, she thrived and has done wonderfully in a home with Heidi (and Frank, also a dedicated volunteer, whether he likes it or not). She joined a home with 2 other fabulous, weird AAU foster fails both with their own issues – one needing to see the UGA behavioral department regularly and one with some severe resource guarding issues BOTH being managed beautifully.

Now to the ask. Ruthie was supposed to have an orthotic put into her hole in her palate that couldn’t be repaired (pictures in comments) but has had some complications. Heidi knowingly took on this orthotic maintenance with a 1k a year price tag, but this has turned into so much more. She is having to go to UGA for scoping, MRI and further diagnostics. If you guys have anything to give to one of the most selfless people I’ve ever worked with, please help Ruthie with her medical costs. Heidi spends LITERALLY whole days, mornings, weeks helping boarding dogs, heartworm dogs, complicated medical foster dogs all w/ AAU without a single second thought. She will drop anything to transport a dog in need to the ER, Frank transports dogs across the state. A LOT of you have probably touched base with Heidi at some point in your AAU journey. And they stepped up to give Ruthie the best home she could ever ask for, so hopefully we can get behind and try to lighten the load just a little.

(edited to change blue pearl to UGA!)