My friend Mariah has spent the last ten years spoiling her furbaby Tuna. I'm not sure that I have ever seen someone so devoted to their furbaby's happiness and qualify of life. Mariah has done an excellent job spoiling this cutie pie, and loves Tuna more than anything.

And now Mariah needs help. Tuna has gone through a series of medical emergencies in the last six months that require a lot of expensive medical care, including a Cushing's Disease diagnosis that requires medication, a terrible dog attack involving stitches, and a torn ACL requiring surgery!

If you know Mariah, you know she works both a full-time AND a part-time job as a pediatric medical social worker. She is a fierce advocate for children in the medical field, and even won Employee of the Year in 2025. She is a strong, independent Boss, but she is also a single human in 2025 working around the clock to pay her bills and support herself.

$4,500 in medical bills is a huge amount. But I am hopeful that our community will pitch in whatever they can ($5, $10, $20, $50?) and show up for my friend. Cause we all need a little help sometimes.

Mariah was uncomfortable directly asking for help, so she helped Tuna write this:

Hi, my name is Tuna Mae Grace and I’m a 10 year old pittie baby. Tuna is short for Petunia, which is the name my mama gave me when she rescued me, but my baby daddy shortened it to Tuna and it stuck!

I felt so lucky when my foster moms (shout out to Gert and Kelly) found me in Philly and called my mama to see if she’d be interested in taking me in. I was so excited the day I met my new mama and brother, Lego; he was a pittie baby just like me and we became best friends from that moment on.

My mama decided to move from Philly to Atlanta with Lego and I in 2016 and we got to meet my grandpups and cousins and auntie and uncle. I didn’t know I had a human pack who already loved me so much!

Sadly, my brother died unexpectedly a few years ago after a short fight with cancer. My mama and I miss him so much, but I was more than happy to move into the #1 spot and have enjoyed my diva lifestyle ever since. My pack treats me like royalty which is only fitting since, of course, I am a Queen. My boyfriend (mama’s daddy) often takes me out for dates to get ice cream and I am just the proudest peacock riding along.

My mama is always telling me that I am the sweetest, schmoopiest, sassiest, silliest and most gentle and easy-going puppin around. She says I’m her bestie friend and the goodest girl and that I’m an amazing breed ambassador. I don’t know what that means, but I do know I love my mama so big and I am so grateful she rescued me all those years ago. I hit the lottery with my human pack!

So, here’s the deal. I turned 10 this year and it was not lit. The truth is 10 has just not been my best year. I was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease in the spring and have to take a pill everyday for the rest of my life. Then, when I was out on my daily walk with my mama in late summer, we got attacked by a big, scary doggie. My mama was so brave and fought the other doggie to protect me but I did have to have emergency surgery to stitch up a laceration on my face. My mama keeps telling me I was the brave one and that she’s so proud of me for taking it all in stride…she’s keeps using the word resilient, whatever that means?!

Only a few days after getting attacked, I was running in my backyard (which my mama was so happy about because she said I was “getting my spirit back” after the attack) and I broke my knee. All of a sudden, I couldn’t walk right and my dang leg was all gimpy. Back to the vet we went and they told my mama I tore my ACL and needed surgery. They also said I couldn’t run or jump or play for a long time, so mama and I haven’t been able to take our daily walks which is our favorite part of the day.

I had my knee surgery and boy was that rough. I’m home now snuggling and recuperating for the next several weeks/months. My mama usually goes to work at the hospital to help human kiddos, but she took some time off to stay home with me because she keeps saying I am her baby and bestie friend and so deserving.

My mama doesn’t know I’m doing this, but I know all of my care is costing her a lot of money. I’m not really sure what money is, but mama is always saying she has to bring home the bacon since I’m a lady of leisure and it’s just the two of us. I do know bacon is yummy, so I’m asking for any donations to make sure we don’t run out of any because that would not fit my diva lifestyle I’m accustomed to.

Sending this out to the universe with all my love and the wettest, sloppiest, most perfect pittie kisses. And here’s hoping number 11 will be my best year yet!

Thank you for considering helping my mama who is the best mama a girlie could ask for and don’t forget to wiggle your butts,

Tuna Mae Grace xoxoxoxo