Just under 72 hours ago, we welcomed Basil into our home a 6-week-old puppy we adopted from the Christian County Animal Shelter. When we picked her up, she was covered in feces, fleas, and ticks. Not long after settling in, she began coughing and showing signs of illness. We later learned the shelter had a known kennel cough outbreak after we inquired about her health. Although they had started her on medication, we were never informed of her condition or the potential risks to her or our other pets.

Since then, Basil’s health has declined rapidly. She’s now struggling to breathe and is very weak. At the vet we took her to she was diagnosed with pneumonia. Weighing just 3 pounds, her little body is having a hard time fighting it off. Basic take home meds aren’t enough the vet is recommending X-rays and potential hospitalization so she can get the round-the-clock care she needs to recover.

We acted quickly and got Basil on our pet insurance, but unfortunately, it doesn’t cover her immediate and urgent care. The costs are adding up fast, and while we’re doing everything we can, it’s more than we expected especially so soon. Several friends on TikTok encouraged us to share her story here.

Any help will go directly toward Basil’s medical treatment and also toward care for our other pets, should they contract what she has. Right now, our priority is stabilizing Basil and giving her the best chance to recover. Thank you for reading, for sharing, and for keeping her in your thoughts. It means more than we can say.