Urgent Help Needed for Marlo's Surgery Costs

Emergency Surgery for my dog Marlo After Suspected Deliberate Poisoning

Hi everyone,

I never thought I would be reaching out to the Howell community and community at large but my dog, Marlo (that I rescued over a year ago to his previous owners that neglected and abused him) had ingested a “lick mat” that was what we believe to be a deliberate attempt to cause bodily harm to him after a series of recent events.

After throwing up and shaking uncontrollably Wednesday night, I rushed him to the vet early in the morning on Thursday, and after several tests, the vets have confirmed that he needed immediate emergency surgery to save his life.

He was out of surgery at 2:45pm Thursday afternoon, a surgery that I nor him ever thought he would ever need. They extracted the item he ingested. I have never seen nor purchased said item but somehow it was in my yard for him to eat. Attached below are photos of the lick mat that the veterinarian recovered from inside of Marlo that was blocking his intestines. I’ve never seen this item before nor did I know such an item existed. It’s very disheartening to know there are people out there cruel enough to have such disregard for the wellbeing of a helpless animal/loved one.

It is believed that someone threw this over my fence for him to eat with an unknown substance on it. With the help of the vet, police and animal control I hope we are able to find who did this or atleast shed light on this so it doesn’t happen to someone else’s dog.

Marlo only goes in the back yard, there is no other place for him to have came across this.

I love my dog more than anything so to have to come home these past days to an empty house without his daily warm embrace is a pain I never saw coming.

As you can imagine, this has been an extremely emotional time with the unknowns of his future health, knowledge of who is responsible, the abrupt costs of emergency care. Between the diagnostic tests, treatments, surgery, and overnight stay(s) at the vet, his bills have piled up, and I could use some assistance in covering the costs.

Any contribution, no matter how small, would mean the world to us (even a sharing of this post will do wonders)!

I am devastated at the situation at hand and the unknown of who would intentionally go out of their way to harm my sweet boy. Im doing everything I can to get him the care he needs to restore him back to the energetic and happy boy I know him to be.

Any additional support would be greatly appreciated to help bring my pup back home to me, he’s all I have and I am all that he has.

[If you are interested below is Marlo’s story before this horrific incident]

A little back story on how Marlo became mine❤️

Marlo was never supposed to be mine! Nor did I ever think I would love him the way I do! Marlo was starved and abused and left on someone’s balcony. Someone went to rescue him and later rehoused him to a young couple. That couple then had to relocate due to deployment out of the county. I offered to “foster” him and do them a favor until I was able to rehome him to the right family.

Now a year later we have grown so close I can’t even rehouse him. He is the sweetest most loving little man in the world. At first I was terrified of him because of his size (and let’s be real pit bulls don’t have the best name) I gated him off in the kitchen but it was for no use since he gradually made his way to the rest of the house and I couldn’t even be mad at that sweet face. He is the sweetest biggest baby you will ever meet. He has his special blanky that he loves so so much and brings it with him everywhere. I would have never imagine loving this guy as much as I do. I try and go above and beyond for him, everything from getting him neutered to getting him the best and healthiest foods (with lots of trial and error, picky guy). Even getting him durable toys that will last long (since he could ruin a toy in .5 seconds) Marlo now has a monthly subscription to bark box!

It’s safe to say this dog has become my son, I wasn’t even looking for a dog but now I wouldn’t have it any other way, it’s crazy how life works!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your time and support during this tough time.

With gratitude,

Marlo and Alex♥️