This is Bella, the sweetest, goofiest, most loyal and loving dog in the world. We've had her since she was five months old. She was a rescue, and spent three of those first months in a shelter. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her, and we took her home that day. That was in 2015.

Today, she's an active, playful, very smart and well adjusted young lady. She loves playing with her ball, her friends, and with us. She's so very loyal- she's always following one of us around, and needs to know where we are at all times. She also has pretty severe separation anxiety.

She enjoys her daily walks and LOVES a good run, being a Malamute/ Malinois cross. The latter means she's also an excellent guard dog. She loves (and wants to play with) cats, kangaroos, foxes, possums and various other creatures, though they're  not always as enthusiastic as she is!

All of this changed a few days ago when we noticed that Bella was having a bit of trouble breathing, and some small hiccups. We took her to our vet, and everything looked normal; she was presenting the mildest of symptoms. After taking some blood, they were flabbergasted to see her white cell count was absolutely through the roof.

An X-Ray and CT scan have confirmed that Bella has a massive tumor in her chest, sitting between her heart and left lung. Pathology has yet to determine what kind, but it's cancerous. She needs it removed as soon as possible, and is currently in hospital awaiting surgery.

Because of the location and size of the mass, it's a particularly intricate procedure. Her odds are good because of her relatively young age, and otherwise excellent health, but there's a significant risk. It's also a particularly expensive operation, with an early estimate coming in at $8000. She'll also likely need 3-5 days of in-hospital care afterwards, which can run between $1000-$2000 per night. Add to that the scans, consults, medication and follow up appointments she'll be needing for the next few months, and it's quickly adding up to be far more than we can handle. We've gotten a bit of assistance from some amazing, generous friends, but there's still a long way to go, and every bit helps.

Aside from my partner, Bella is my best friend in the world. I can't imagine life without her, and she's too young to go. We're not ready to say goodbye, and she'd be leaving a hole in our hearts that would be impossible to fill. With everything that's happened this year, we need her love now more than ever.

Every little bit, even the smallest amount, makes a huge difference in helping us save this beautiful, sweet soul, who brightens up the world wherever she goes.

Thank you so very much- we appreciate any help you can give.


Bella at 5-6 months:


Having a blast with her sister, Nami:


First night at the vets:

9th of October, 11AM, at the vets:

9th of October, recovering after her CT scan:

9th of October:

10th of October: