Hi, I’m Jade Gonzalez, and I’m raising funds on behalf of Miller’s Legacy Dog Rescue and Rehab Inc. for a dog who has completely captured my heart: Kraven.

Kraven’s story is incredibly difficult to tell, but after everything this dog has survived, I believe he deserves to have it told.

Kraven came into the shelter with an injury that would eventually become impossible to ignore. His jaw was broken and visibly crooked. We later learned the devastating cause. Kraven had been shot.

A bullet had caused significant damage to his jaw, leaving him living with an injury that will now require major reconstructive surgery.

And somehow, through all of that, Kraven remained one of the sweetest dogs I have ever had the privilege of knowing.

I met Kraven as a shelter volunteer. I spend time with a lot of dogs, and I love a lot of dogs, but every once in a while there is one who just gets you. Kraven was that dog for me.

He wasn’t defined by what had happened to him.

He was affectionate. Gentle. Goofy. Incredibly cuddly. He loved being close to people and would happily soak up every ounce of affection you were willing to give him. He knew “sit” and “paw,” walked nicely on leash, and somehow continued to trust people despite having every reason not to.

His jaw told the story of what someone had done to him.

His personality told a completely different story about who he was.

As Kraven’s time at the shelter continued, his situation became increasingly urgent. His medical needs were significant, and eventually we learned that getting him out would not be simple. Because of the condition of his jaw, an adopter would need to sign a medical waiver accepting responsibility for his care, or a rescue would need to step forward with a committed placement.

On top of the damage from the gunshot wound, Kraven is also heartworm positive and will need heartworm treatment as part of his recovery.

It felt like obstacle after obstacle was being placed in front of a dog who had already endured far too much.

As his deadline approached, I spent what I feared could be one of Kraven’s last afternoons sitting with him outside.

We soaked up the sun. We snuggled. He ate cheese. I tried to give him a few hours where absolutely nothing was expected of him except to be a dog who was loved.

I remember thinking that I wanted so much better for him.

So I kept asking.

I posted his story. I made videos. I messaged people. I tagged rescues. I asked strangers to share him. I asked people to pledge toward his care. I reached out anywhere I thought there might be even the smallest possibility of someone saying yes.

I knew what we were asking was enormous.

Saving Kraven didn't simply mean finding someone willing to take home a sweet dog. It meant finding people willing to take responsibility for a dog facing major medical treatment and an uncertain road to recovery.

But people started showing up.

One share became another. Messages poured in. People who had never met Kraven pledged money toward his care. Volunteers and advocates worked behind the scenes. An incredible person stepped forward to help care for him through his recovery.

And then Miller’s Legacy Dog Rescue and Rehab Inc. said yes.

Kraven was officially rescued.

That moment meant everything, but rescue was only the beginning.

Now we have to help put this boy back together.

Kraven will need extensive veterinary care, including reconstruction of the jaw damaged by the gunshot wound. He will also need treatment for heartworm disease, along with the veterinary care, medications, monitoring, follow-up appointments, and recovery support that come with taking on a medically complex dog.

This is going to be a significant undertaking for Miller’s Legacy.

But Kraven finally has something he desperately needed: people in his corner.

He survived being shot.

He survived living with a broken jaw.

He survived the shelter.

He made it through his deadline.

And through every bit of it, he remained unbelievably loving.

Now I want the rest of Kraven’s story to be about healing.

Every donation to this fundraiser will help Miller’s Legacy Dog Rescue and Rehab Inc. provide the medical care Kraven needs as he begins this next chapter. Whether you can give $5, $25, $100, or simply share his story, you are becoming part of the village that fought to get this dog to safety.

To everyone who pledged, shared, commented, tagged a rescue, sent a message, made a connection, or refused to let Kraven disappear: thank you.

You helped save his life.

Now we need your help giving him the life we fought so hard to save.

Kraven has spent long enough carrying the physical reminder of what someone did to him.

It’s time to help him heal. ❤️