Hi, my name is Wayne, and I’m asking for help for Barkley, a much-loved member of our family who is currently fighting for his life.

Barkley is a 4-year-old English Springer Spaniel who joined our family at Christmas and was a present for our three children. From the moment he arrived, he became part of everything we do — school runs, family walks, holidays, and bedtime cuddles. He isn’t “just a dog” to us — he’s family.

Earlier this year, Barkley began suffering from seizures. Despite medication and regular veterinary care, his condition recently took a devastating turn. In December, Barkley experienced a series of severe cluster seizures and had to be rushed into intensive care.

He is currently in a veterinary ICU, where he has:

Been placed on a continuous IV to control seizures

Been intubated and put on a ventilator

Undergone an MRI scan (which thankfully showed no structural abnormalities)

The veterinary team are doing everything they can to stabilise him and give him the best possible chance of recovery. However, when they recently attempted to remove the breathing tube, Barkley was found to have no gag reflex and had to be re-intubated. His condition remains critical, but there is still hope.

We have pet insurance, but like many policies, it has a hard annual limit. That limit — £7,000 — has now been exhausted due to the emergency ICU care, scans, and medication. From this point onwards, all treatment costs are entirely self-funded.

We are now facing daily ICU costs that we simply cannot meet alone.

This is the hardest position we have ever been in. We want to give Barkley every possible chance to recover — not to give up on him because of money — especially with Christmas so close. The thought of our children losing Barkley at the very time of year he came into our lives is heartbreaking.

We are asking for help to:

Fund Barkley’s ongoing ICU and hospital care

Support his seizure management and recovery

Give him time — time to stabilise, time to heal, and time to come home

Every donation, no matter how small, helps extend Barkley’s chance to survive. If you are unable to donate, simply sharing this page would mean the world to us.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for taking the time to read Barkley’s story and for any support you can give.

With gratitude,

Wayne, Michelle, Eva, Albi & Orla ❤️