Santos Recovery Fund

Santos is at VCA West LA in critical care after emergency surgery. It's actually the very first place I took him three years ago when I had agreed to foster him for 10 days over the holidays. At that time, the little monster had eaten some garland and an ornament from a Christmas tree. It was removed through endoscopy and with some medication and care, he was just fine.

I returned him back to his foster home and expected him to be adopted soon. He had been adopted and returned twice before then, although I don't know why. He seemed wonderful to me. I was going to be moving and wasn't sure the dog situation where I was going, so I couldn't adopt him myself. I'd stop by adoption events and take him for a walk and say hello, each time thinking he wouldn't be there for too much longer. Six months went by and there were still no takers. The rescue founder called me after a visit to ask, "What is it going to take for you to bring this dog that's in love with you home? He's depressed until you visit, then he's happy, then he goes back to being depressed after you leave." Shortly after that, with my living situation figured out, Santos came home with me. He had been in foster care for about four years.

Since then, he's been my inseparable little buddy, usually lying within a few feet of me. His only two issues are separation anxiety, and that he'll eat nearly anything given a chance. He's chewed through door frames at two different apartments and will start eating almost anything when he's nervous. Unfortunately, it takes almost no time at all for him to start getting anxious.

Somehow or another, he swallowed a piece of fabric that got lodged in his intestine. I'm with him all the time, so I'm not sure when it could have happened, but he is pretty sneaking and can get things into his mouth pretty quickly. When we are walking at night it's hard to see what he's up to all the time.

With x-rays, ultrasound and surgery, along with his time being monitored in critical care, his hospital time is going to come to over $20,000. A few people asked if they could help, so ... yes, you can.

I know times are uncertain and everyone is going through a lot. Please don't donate if it will cause you any stress. My insanity for a $20k dog hospital stay shouldn't become yours. It's more than my last car and more than four years of college if I remember right. I imagine not everyone would have made the same decision, but he's my buddy and I couldn't imagine anything else.

If you'd like to help, anything at all would be much appreciated. Maybe you'd buy me a coffee ($5) or a drink at a Hollywood bar ($30) if we were together? That would be great. Maybe you're canceling Spotify premium this month? Santos would be grateful for any donation no matter how small.

Thank you all for checking in and taking the time to comment. We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers more than you can imagine.