- J
Please read, share, and donate if you can...
This is the story of our Marley and us. In early 2018, my husband and I, decided it was time to add a dog to our fur family. So the search was on. We scoured the rescue sites until one day we came across Marley’s picture at a shelter not far from us. It was love at first sight!
The next morning, we headed out and adopted our first puppy (or foster to adopt - but we knew she was a keeper). She was a bundle of energy with the intelligence to match. Luckily, I did plenty of research beforehand and we were ready for the challenge. Our first day, she learned how to sit and by day three, she was giving high fives and learning ten - two paws.

 She wasn’t officially ours until her spay with the shelter. They were going to do it at five months but moved it up to 12 weeks. We couldn’t see our personal vet until then, based on the “foster to adopt” program. Everything seemed great and we moved along with raising our little Marley girl. At our first visit, with our personal vet, they did notice a slight heart murmur. This was never mentioned by the shelter. It can be quite common in puppies and often resolves on its own. So, we weren’t overly concerned at this point and we were monitoring it during each visit. But now, at 14 weeks old, we already have a preexisting condition. And anything related to her heart won’t be covered by pet insurance.
Fast forward a year later. My husband and I were out with Marley and I suffered a terrible fall that required major surgery and months of physical therapy.

Our whole life turned upside down in a flash. But Marley was there, by my side, through it all. She did the best she could being such a young energetic dog. She would even check in on me and wash away the tears with her sweet doggie kisses. Part of my therapy is getting out with my Marley girl and let her be the adventure dog that she was meant to be. We recently took her to the vet after her favorite thing in the whole world, swimming. We were afraid she had a uti. While that turned out just fine, the vet thought her heart sounded much worse than what was written in her initial reports. Our hearts sank and fear set in. Off to the cardiologist we went. After her echocardiogram, the vet tech brings us back and immediately we knew it was bad news. Marley has a PDA. (Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Dogs) It is something most commonly fixed when they are puppies. Basically, it is a valve that usually closes in utero (or shortly after birth) that never did. It is life threatening and without surgery to fix it, we don’t know how much more time we have with her.
Marley is our best friend. The ultimate adventure dog that loves life, loves her Lucy cat, loves to play ball, loves to do tricks (especially for an audience), loves her doggie daycare and LIVES to swim!
(Marley with her BFF's at Pitstop HQ - Philadelphia)
(Marley in her Happy Place - Cape May, NJ)
For now, Marley’s doctors want us to keep her activities to a minimum. Please help us get this girl back in the water where she belongs!!
We do have surgery scheduled for the end of August, but we need your HELP! If you have ever donated to an animal in need or have ever thought about doing so, please consider Marley for your next donation.

We have never had to do anything like this before. So, all I know to say is... THANK YOU!!!
This is the story of our Marley and us. In early 2018, my husband and I, decided it was time to add a dog to our fur family. So the search was on. We scoured the rescue sites until one day we came across Marley’s picture at a shelter not far from us. It was love at first sight!
The next morning, we headed out and adopted our first puppy (or foster to adopt - but we knew she was a keeper). She was a bundle of energy with the intelligence to match. Luckily, I did plenty of research beforehand and we were ready for the challenge. Our first day, she learned how to sit and by day three, she was giving high fives and learning ten - two paws.
 She wasn’t officially ours until her spay with the shelter. They were going to do it at five months but moved it up to 12 weeks. We couldn’t see our personal vet until then, based on the “foster to adopt” program. Everything seemed great and we moved along with raising our little Marley girl. At our first visit, with our personal vet, they did notice a slight heart murmur. This was never mentioned by the shelter. It can be quite common in puppies and often resolves on its own. So, we weren’t overly concerned at this point and we were monitoring it during each visit. But now, at 14 weeks old, we already have a preexisting condition. And anything related to her heart won’t be covered by pet insurance.
Fast forward a year later. My husband and I were out with Marley and I suffered a terrible fall that required major surgery and months of physical therapy.
Our whole life turned upside down in a flash. But Marley was there, by my side, through it all. She did the best she could being such a young energetic dog. She would even check in on me and wash away the tears with her sweet doggie kisses. Part of my therapy is getting out with my Marley girl and let her be the adventure dog that she was meant to be. We recently took her to the vet after her favorite thing in the whole world, swimming. We were afraid she had a uti. While that turned out just fine, the vet thought her heart sounded much worse than what was written in her initial reports. Our hearts sank and fear set in. Off to the cardiologist we went. After her echocardiogram, the vet tech brings us back and immediately we knew it was bad news. Marley has a PDA. (Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Dogs) It is something most commonly fixed when they are puppies. Basically, it is a valve that usually closes in utero (or shortly after birth) that never did. It is life threatening and without surgery to fix it, we don’t know how much more time we have with her.
Marley is our best friend. The ultimate adventure dog that loves life, loves her Lucy cat, loves to play ball, loves to do tricks (especially for an audience), loves her doggie daycare and LIVES to swim!
(Marley with her BFF's at Pitstop HQ - Philadelphia)(Marley in her Happy Place - Cape May, NJ)For now, Marley’s doctors want us to keep her activities to a minimum. Please help us get this girl back in the water where she belongs!!
We do have surgery scheduled for the end of August, but we need your HELP! If you have ever donated to an animal in need or have ever thought about doing so, please consider Marley for your next donation.
We have never had to do anything like this before. So, all I know to say is... THANK YOU!!!