Hi. I'm Daniel. And I need to tell you about Mikey.

Mikey is 14 years old. A Chihuahua. No teeth, two bad discs, a heart that has been working overtime. He has been my compass through every hard thing life threw at me — and life has thrown a lot.

Twelve years ago he became mine. Since then he has never left my side. Not when I packed everything and moved from Bavaria to Austria. Not when I got sick. Not when everything else fell apart. He was always there. Small, stubborn, and completely certain that I needed him — which I did.

When we moved to Austria he found something too. New paths, new smells, a dog brother named Riley, a home with my partner Sandra. For the first time in years I saw that spark in his eyes again. That curious, alive look that tells you a creature is genuinely happy.

Then the coughing started.

Fluid in the lungs. A severely enlarged heart valve. The diagnoses came fast and they came hard. At the same time I was hit with a ruptured disc, a spinal cord edema, and a minor stroke. No income. A sick dog.

Here is the good news — and I want to be honest with you about this.

Mikey is doing extremely well on his current medication. His energy is back. He is comfortable, mobile, and genuinely happy. His prognosis, given how well he has responded to treatment, is encouraging. We are not in crisis mode. We are in maintenance mode — which means consistent medication, regular monitoring, and the occasional vet visit to stay ahead of things.

That is entirely manageable. Except that I have nothing left.

I have sold everything I own to get through the last stretch. Sandra carries the financial weight while I look for work and recover. We have kept Mikey stable and healthy through sheer determination and help from people like you — but we are out of runway. The ongoing costs of his care, the vet visits, the medication that is working, the monitoring that needs to continue — it adds up every single month with no pause.

We are not asking you to save a dying dog. We are asking you to help us keep a healthy, happy, thriving 14-year-old boy exactly where he is — comfortable, cared for, and loved properly for whatever years he has left.

That is an achievable thing. And your help makes it possible.

If you can donate, thank you. If you can share this, thank you. Every amount matters because every month matters.

He is not a pet. He is my son. And right now he is doing great — I just need a little help making sure it stays that way.

Thank you!

Daniel, Sandra, Riley & Mikey