Trying To Save My Pets From Unsafe Conditions

Hello, my name is Elisa (most of you know me as raspbaerry), and I am sharing this GoFundMe as a last resort to find relief for myself and most importantly -- my pets.

I have always kept my personal life private, so sharing even my first name is a big step & I only say this to highlight the seriousness of the conditions of my environment & the help my pets & myself desperately need. If I am sharing personal details -- things are bad. If I am asking for help -- things are really bad.

To summarize:

I moved into an apartment that had no proper inspection done prior to my tenancy. This is a basic duty of care I had assumed my landlord had done before any tenant moved into the unit, and it was not met. He failed to make sure the apartment was habitable.

Since movng in, I have dealt with severe mold, dust, contamination, broken ventilation, and neglect that has made myself and my pets sick. I first started getting sick after two weeks of living here, I was getting congested and lost hearing in both my ears... something that confused me but I assumed given the active lifestyle I live it would heal. It did not, it got worse. I began tasting dust in the air, I could not open my mouth without it being dry, my throat was so dry I coughed up blood in my mucus, I could barely lift my head off the pillow one morning and I did not go to the doctor -- I sat in the shower the entire day urinating all over myself so I could get better and go to work. I could not sleep without covering my face with blankets, and I could not get better because my environement was actively contributing to my illness. Things then took a turn for the worst -- my cat, Kitten, got incredibly lethargic and nearly died as a result of the environment.

This is a photo of Kitten barely holding on.

This is a photo of the contamination we have been breathing in. The line across the coil is the vacuum -- I had to stop the technician so I could take pictures: there were two coils filled like this. And the entire system. He vacuumed the first coil before I even had a chance to pull out my phone. (This tech was also sent on my landlords behalf - a day after he discovered mold in the apartment and failed to disclose it yet actively tried to hide it from me).

This is the mold that is still growing within the ventilation (HVAC) system. I do not believe this is as bad as it initially was. This is just what has grown over time a few months after my landlords discovery and actively trying to erase his liability. No proper remediation, duct cleaning, or testing has ever been done. This vent is connected to all the vents in my apartment which allows for mold spores to spread and makes it difficult to breathe. I keep the systems off as I am not trying to spread this or make a bad situation worse, especially because of my pets. I have also sealed off this vent with bags and duct tape and other vents as well.

Mold spores across the seams.

There has also been infestations.

The electrical in the unit is not done properly, as said by a technician it is "powerful enough to k--- you".

And there are other issues that take time to make sense, like the dryer sounding like it's going to explode if the window isn't open.

I have done my absolute best to communicate with my landlord, however, he evades any and all responsibility. He has contributed to my suffering tenfold, he has harassed me in my own home, banged on my door, taken photos of me without my consent, has shown up in a disguise and cornered me. I have been in contact with the police and he has breached no contact orders. He was caught by my neighbour peeping through my peephole, who he then also cornered in the elevator and harassed. He has called and texted me repeatedly, he does not respect silence as an answer (my own self protection). He has threatened to defame me, he has surveilled me, he has shown up unnanounced. He has been more than a nightmare. He is living sleep paralysis. The kind you wake up to and can't escape.

I am sharing these details to provide as much transparency and insight as I possibly can. I understand how imporant it is, especially when asking for help.

I am raising funds to escape these unsafe living conditions and give my pets and myself a chance at safety, stability, and healing. I have always had enough to keep us afloat, but this situation has spread me impossibly thin.

The funds will go directly toward immediate needs like relocation costs, pet care, temporary housing if necessary, and cover basic essentials as I continue to put our life back together. I have lost an immeasurable amount, things I can not put a price on, and I still haven't had a safe space to rest or recover. This is why I am asking for help. And I am sorry. I really am and I don't even know if I should be saying that. I have done my best, I have done everything I can-- my pets are all I have. It's only ever been us three. I don't have family. And I have 1 friend who has done her best to help me, and I was even scared to ask her for help as it's not something I have ever done before.

My pets matter too much to not ask.

Anyways, let me get to the point here...

This is imporant to me because I really want to keep my pets safe, together, and with me. I want us to get back to the life we had before all of this.

My ultimate goal is to secure a clean, safe place to live -- somewhere we can breathe, rest, and rebuild without fear or sickness. I also want to get back to working regularly and creating content consistently again so I can continue pursuing my goals and giving back to the people who have supported me.

I also wanted to end this with a promise:

That once I am finally back to normal, I will give back.

I will donate to shelters -- animal shelters, and people facing hardship. I will pay forward the kindness that has been shown to me. It is the only reason I feel okay asking for help -- the only reason I can.

I have thought about making this for weeks now. I have felt shame and guilt. But knowing that when I'm back on my feet, I will be in a position to give back -- that is the epiphany that has allowed me to finally ask for help.

Thank you so much for reading and for even considering helping me and my pets.

If you're unable to donate -- sharing the link makes all the difference.

I know this is a lot to digest and probably not even enough, but I thank you nonetheless.

I'm just trying to give us a chance again.