Ringo is my best friend, he is a 3 year old red merle border collie who is in need of a new right hip. He use to be able to do it all. He loves agility, disc, barn hunting, trail and locating, moving livestock, doing tricks, mushing and hanging with his family. Basically he's a typical border collie who can't sit still and loves a challenge but he has a very special side to him.

Ringo is super cuddly and needy. He'll chase you around the house slapping your legs with his front paws for attention, nibble on your nose for a hug and bark at you to play. If he knows you well, heads up! He's taking you out with over excitement! Even though he's a crazy collie he has a soft gentle side to him when it comes to children and people with disabilities.

Ringo has the patience of a saint with my 9 year old nephew who suffers from ADHD. He always stays close to him to play and protect him from harm.

If a stranger or animal approaches my nephew Ringo is quick to be in-between them till he feels they are safe to say hello. When my nephew gets frustrated, Ringo is quick at calming him with a cuddle with his head in his lap. When we approach someone with a physical disability he immediately wants to help them and calm them by either pushing into them to hold their weight or gently putting his head on their lap. When he meets someone with a mental disability it's as if he's in tune with them and knows exactly how to act to please them. He blows my mind when he does this. Typically he either ignores new people or asks for the odd pet but that is his special side.

I discovered Ringo's injury while I was preparing him to be bred doing all necessary health tests to insure he'd be a perfect stud, sadly that was not faith's plan for Ringo...

His right hip is deformed and has been most likely since he was a puppy. X-ray showed the hip had changed to "heal" itself, fragments broke off. To me it appears to be from an injury that went unnoticed but dysplasia may also be the cause.

We are located in a small community called Devlin in between Thunder Bay Ontario and Winnipeg Manitoba. To get help for Ringo we had to travel to Winnipeg (4hr drive) where we were seen at Silver Heights Veterinary Hospital by Dr Perreault who laid out the options for Ringo.

First option/second option

-Joint supplements and painkillers

Once painkillers stop working surgery would be required to remove his right hip leaving only muscle to serve as the joint or euthanasia (depending on age)

As such Ringo would have to be grounded if this type of surgery were to be preformed.

Third option

-total hip replacement and physiotherapy

Only 2 places in Canada can do this type of surgery, the universities. One in Guelph the other in Saskatoon.

Ringo holds a chance of making a complete recovery and living his best life doing everything he loves.

Needless to say I requested the Third option. Ringo is currently on joint supplements and will be started on painkillers soon.

Today I heard back from the university in Saskatoon, they are willing to take on Ringo. Saskatoon is a 15hr drive, they requested we make 3 trips that's a total of 90hrs of round trips! The surgery for one hip is $6,000 - $7,000. Recovery time is 3 months and Ringo will have to spend up to 5 days in the hospital.

$13,000 is a guess on what this surgery will cost. This includes travel, hotels, and the surgery/therapy.

I'm doing my best to keep him comfortable but the reality is I can't afford it. I picked up a second job and currently have given up days off to work. I'm trying to save as much as possible for him.

Any donations that are not needed will be re-donated, if the university will allow it I'd like anything extra to be sent to the next dog up!