Banksy the Brave Pup's Surgery
Donation protected
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to care for a puppy. As an eager 10 year old, I attempted to convince my parents of my dog ownership capabilities. With an 11 page report comprised of canine skeletal drawings, general dog care, and a collection of interviews I had conducted with other dog owners, I stated my very strong case. Although I had done my due diligence over the years, the timing never seemed quite right.
It may come as no surprise that as an adult my desire to be accompanied by a four legged furry friend ceased to dissipate. On a whim one day, I wandered into Petco to say hello to the doggies brought in by the Humane Society. I looked up and there he was, the boy who would change my life forever. Even with all the chaos surrounding us, he was sitting quietly in his kennel with an air of dignity. The moment our eyes locked, we knew we were meant for each other. Dubbed Banksy moments later, I decided that there would be no better time to adopt a sweet puppy into my life. We proceed to walk around Petco, picking out a snazzy collar, some yummy food, and a comfortable bed. We bonded instantly and from that point going forward, we were officially Banks and Jo, adventure buddies for life.
Over the last four years as Banks’ dog mom, we’ve had quite a lot fun, keeping as active as possible. We run and hike in the mountains, and truly enjoy mountain biking and paddle-boarding (although I’m not too sure if he actually loves the paddle-board but to no avail refuses to let me go without him!). As I’m a photographer by profession, Banksy makes an appearance at almost all of my client commercial shoots, taking pleasure in snuggling with the creative team and models, all while making sure everyone around him is comfortable. He even patiently accompanies me while I go shopping! Needless to say, wherever I go, Banks goes too.
Christmas 2015 started out the same as any other day. The sun was shining and proving to be a beautiful morning, regardless of all the snow that had fallen at my parent’s home in the mountains. Feeling cooped up and in great need of an adventure, Banks, myself and my family journeyed outside for some snowboarding on a local sledding hill. As always, Banks was excited to be included in the day’s activities. After a few runs down the mound together, we started down for one last hoorah. As we neared the bottom of the hill, Banks unexpectedly ran into my path and without hesitation, I attempted to sharply turn the board away from his body. Unfortunately Banks was too close and my snowboard’s edge sliced through both of his back legs, causing immediate and severe damage resulting in a great loss of blood. Luckily not alone on the hill, my incredible family rushed into action, making tourniquets for each leg and ushering him back to the house preparing him as best as possible for transport. The on-call veterinarian that night explained that Banksy was still bleeding too heavily for an immediate operation. We were forced to wait until the following morning before the bandages could be removed. It wasn’t until then that we would understand the severity of the accident. After what felt like the longest night of my life, the vet instructed that Banks be moved to Salt Lake City to meet with a specialist. Being the good dog that he is, Banks remained stable throughout the lengthy wait time. Unfortunately once the bandages were discarded and surgeon Dr. Morgan assessed the wounds, we were informed that this was notably one the worst cases ever seen. The soft tissue (muscle and tendons) had been sliced through completely, and immediate surgery was necessary.
On December 27, 2015 Dr. Morgan began performing surgery with the hope of repairing both of Banksy's legs. It wasn’t long before the he discovered that the nerves in Banksy’s right leg been completely severed, without the possibility of healing. The left leg would be mended while the right leg would be amputated.
With the loss of one leg and an in-depth surgery on the other, it’s no surprise that this was an expensive operation. We were notified that in addition to the surgery itself, Banks’ recovery will be costly including follow-up appointments and eventual physical therapy. While we can’t avoid the high price of medical bills, Banks deserves to continue treatment with his caring doctors until he has completely healed. While we know the road to recovery will be lengthy, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by our incredibly loving and emotionally supportive family and friends. While Banks’ body mends, so will our aching hearts.
Please help us continue to support the kind of recovery that Banksy requires. Any amount will help and if by any chance we receive more than we need, we will gratefully donate any remaining funds to the Humane Society in Salt Lake City, UT to help other dogs in a similar crisis.
It may come as no surprise that as an adult my desire to be accompanied by a four legged furry friend ceased to dissipate. On a whim one day, I wandered into Petco to say hello to the doggies brought in by the Humane Society. I looked up and there he was, the boy who would change my life forever. Even with all the chaos surrounding us, he was sitting quietly in his kennel with an air of dignity. The moment our eyes locked, we knew we were meant for each other. Dubbed Banksy moments later, I decided that there would be no better time to adopt a sweet puppy into my life. We proceed to walk around Petco, picking out a snazzy collar, some yummy food, and a comfortable bed. We bonded instantly and from that point going forward, we were officially Banks and Jo, adventure buddies for life.
Over the last four years as Banks’ dog mom, we’ve had quite a lot fun, keeping as active as possible. We run and hike in the mountains, and truly enjoy mountain biking and paddle-boarding (although I’m not too sure if he actually loves the paddle-board but to no avail refuses to let me go without him!). As I’m a photographer by profession, Banksy makes an appearance at almost all of my client commercial shoots, taking pleasure in snuggling with the creative team and models, all while making sure everyone around him is comfortable. He even patiently accompanies me while I go shopping! Needless to say, wherever I go, Banks goes too.
Christmas 2015 started out the same as any other day. The sun was shining and proving to be a beautiful morning, regardless of all the snow that had fallen at my parent’s home in the mountains. Feeling cooped up and in great need of an adventure, Banks, myself and my family journeyed outside for some snowboarding on a local sledding hill. As always, Banks was excited to be included in the day’s activities. After a few runs down the mound together, we started down for one last hoorah. As we neared the bottom of the hill, Banks unexpectedly ran into my path and without hesitation, I attempted to sharply turn the board away from his body. Unfortunately Banks was too close and my snowboard’s edge sliced through both of his back legs, causing immediate and severe damage resulting in a great loss of blood. Luckily not alone on the hill, my incredible family rushed into action, making tourniquets for each leg and ushering him back to the house preparing him as best as possible for transport. The on-call veterinarian that night explained that Banksy was still bleeding too heavily for an immediate operation. We were forced to wait until the following morning before the bandages could be removed. It wasn’t until then that we would understand the severity of the accident. After what felt like the longest night of my life, the vet instructed that Banks be moved to Salt Lake City to meet with a specialist. Being the good dog that he is, Banks remained stable throughout the lengthy wait time. Unfortunately once the bandages were discarded and surgeon Dr. Morgan assessed the wounds, we were informed that this was notably one the worst cases ever seen. The soft tissue (muscle and tendons) had been sliced through completely, and immediate surgery was necessary.
On December 27, 2015 Dr. Morgan began performing surgery with the hope of repairing both of Banksy's legs. It wasn’t long before the he discovered that the nerves in Banksy’s right leg been completely severed, without the possibility of healing. The left leg would be mended while the right leg would be amputated.
With the loss of one leg and an in-depth surgery on the other, it’s no surprise that this was an expensive operation. We were notified that in addition to the surgery itself, Banks’ recovery will be costly including follow-up appointments and eventual physical therapy. While we can’t avoid the high price of medical bills, Banks deserves to continue treatment with his caring doctors until he has completely healed. While we know the road to recovery will be lengthy, we are lucky enough to be surrounded by our incredibly loving and emotionally supportive family and friends. While Banks’ body mends, so will our aching hearts.
Please help us continue to support the kind of recovery that Banksy requires. Any amount will help and if by any chance we receive more than we need, we will gratefully donate any remaining funds to the Humane Society in Salt Lake City, UT to help other dogs in a similar crisis.
Organizer
Jordan Huntington
Organizer
Salt Lake City, UT
