Help Save Rosie the Bearded Dragon

Hi everyone,

My name is Ashley, and I’m reaching out for help for my beloved bearded dragon, Rosie. She’s more than just a pet — she’s my little scaly sunshine, my study buddy, and a constant source of joy and comfort. Rosie has been with me for 3 years, and in that time, she’s brought so much happiness into my life with her gentle personality and curious nature.

I rescued Rosie and my other beardie, Bubs, 3 years ago. They came to me very sick from neglectful husbandry, but Rosie proved to be incredibly resilient. She survived a successful emergency spay about 2 ½ years ago and had been thriving—until recently.

In early June, Rosie began showing signs of a respiratory infection (URI). I took her to my vet right away, and she was treated with antibiotics for 6 weeks. Unfortunately, her breathing never fully returned to normal, and she continued to wheeze when eating. At her recheck, it was decided she could stop antibiotics, but just a couple of weeks later—on the weekend of August 3th, which was also her “gotcha day”—her breathing suddenly worsened.

I rushed her to the emergency vet, where she was hospitalized for 3 days and given oxygen, fluids, and medication. While she was stable enough to come home, testing revealed that Rosie likely has an underlying illness causing her recurring respiratory issues. X-rays showed abdominal abnormalities, and the next step is a CT scan to understand what’s going on and determine the best treatment.

The past few months have been devastating for me and my reptiles. I’m in grad school and not earning an income over the summer. My sweet Bubs became very ill in January and passed in April from ADV complications, after months of costly vet care. Then, just this past weekend, my sweet beardie Legolas passed unexpectedly. Between Bubs’ treatment, Rosie’s $1,990.56 hospitalization, and Legolas’ $761.76 emergency visit, my savings are completely depleted.

Rosie is the only beardie I have left, and I can’t bear the thought of losing her too. She means the world to me, and I will do everything I can to give her a fighting chance. I’m asking for help—whether it’s $5 or $50—to cover her follow-up appointment and CT scan. Her vet appointment is scheduled for August 18 to assess her recovery and see if she’s strong enough for the scan.

If you can’t donate, please consider sharing this page. Every share or kind word helps more than you know.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for caring about Rosie’s story and helping her fight for her life.

With gratitude,

Ashley & Rosie