Hi everyone,

This is a fundraiser for our beloved girl, Ella (formerly known as Elaine) — a 13-year-old Chiweenie (Chihuahua + Dachshund) with the heart of a warrior and the soul of an angel.

I rescued Ella back in 2015 from an incredible rescue called Friends with Four Paws — or maybe she rescued me. From the moment we met, she’s been the light of my life and the ultimate little adventurer. Anyone who’s met her will tell you — she’s the goodest girl with the kindest soul.

She’s a curious explorer, known for her “sniff walks” that take a solid 15 minutes to cover just a few feet. Every patch of grass, every corner — she needs to investigate them all. She also has the cutest quirks — standing up on her back legs like a prairie dog when you walk toward her (seriously, we think she might’ve been one in a past life), flopping over for belly rubs without fail, and greeting every guest at the door with a toy in her mouth like the best little hostess.

But Ella’s journey hasn’t always been easy. Before she came to me, she lived in an abusive and neglectful home. Despite all that, she’s never lost her gentle spirit. She gained a fur sister named Ruby when she joined my home. While Ruby wasn’t always thrilled to share the spotlight, Ella never minded — patiently waiting her turn for attention and love.

In 2020, she had to undergo emergency surgery to remove a bladder stone that filled 75% of her bladder. Even during that tough recovery, Ella never stopped being the sweet, strong girl she is. Since then, she’s been on a special urinary diet and has dealt with recurrent UTIs but has always handled them like a champ. 

In 2021, she was diagnosed with luxating patella in her back legs (which made it difficult for her to walk). Surgery was recommended but weight loss seemed to help her significantly and she continued standing like the prairie dog she thinks she is. 

Tragically, in 2023, Ella lost her sister Ruby very suddenly. She became the only pet in the house — but soon gained a new “dad” and a tiny human sister (she’s still deciding how she feels about that one). She’s rolled with all the changes with grace and quiet strength.

Also in 2023, Ella lost one toenail entirely while getting groomed which landed her in urgent care. She walked around in pain  for a while, fully recovering a year later.

Most recently, on April 11, 2025, Ella took a serious turn.

She became lethargic, stopped eating, struggled to walk, and even began passing blood. Her belly became distended, and she just wasn’t herself — no toy greetings, no sniffing adventures. We rushed her to the hospital where she was diagnosed with pancreatitis, a UTI, an enlarged liver and gallbladder, and elevated kidney and liver levels.

She’s been hospitalized for several days now. There’s been some improvement, and her vet is optimistic — they believe this is all treatable, and that she just needs time and care to stabilize. She may need 1–2 more days in the hospital, along with ongoing medications, specialty food, regular follow-ups, bloodwork, and monitoring for the rest of her life.

Here’s where we need help.

As a stay-at-home mom with an 8-month-old baby, we’re living on one income in this rough economy. The cost of Ella’s emergency care — and the treatment she’ll need moving forward — has become more than we can manage alone. But I refuse to give up on her.

She’s still got more adventures to sniff through, more belly rubs to roll over for, and more toys to bring to the door. Ella deserves a chance to keep living her happy, nosy, loving life.

If you can donate, we would be endlessly grateful.

Every little bit helps. If you can’t give, sharing this page means the world to us, too.

From the bottom of our hearts — thank you for helping us fight for Ella. Let’s get our sweet girl home, back on her paws, and back to being the little prairie-dog-belly-rub queen we all love.

With gratitude and love,

The Cruz Family & Ella