Chucky, the companion dog

In April 2005, the AAHA Helping Pets Fund received this desperate plea from his owner, Jill.

“I’m applying for your grant to help my long-time companion and therapy dog Chucky. I’ve been clinically depressed my entire adult life, but with Chucky nearby, things are doable. I got Chucky as a pup. He will soon be 8 years old. … I hope you can help Chucky and I too.”

Chucky had a tumor, a huge growth the size of a tennis ball on his right shoulder. It was getting increasingly bigger and it could no longer be ignored. Now her vet was worried and wanted to do blood work, skin growth removal, and hospitalization – a necessary, but very expensive treatment.

Jill was on food stamps and not earning an income. She had no idea how she was going to afford Chucky’s care. The Fund stepped in and gave the practice $500, which made a big dent in the charges for Chucky’s treatment.

Chucky is doing great today and is still supporting his owner in daily life. We received a thank-you card with the above photo of Chucky and this note from Jill…

“Chucky and I want to say Thank You for the grant you gave us that made his surgery today possible. I am grateful to say it went well and he’ll likely be playing ball soon. Thanks a lot!”

George

Postal worker Earl “Woody” Lazenby’s world was turned upside down on June 29, 2005, when he was shot eight times during his regular mail delivery route in suburban Atlanta. His assailant, unknown to Lazenby, was motivated by a desire to escape insurmountable debts by becoming incarcerated.

Fortunately Lazenby survived, but while recovering from his extensive injuries, Lazenby’s beloved Greyhound, George, developed a mass on his leg that needed to be removed. Faced with his own mounting medical bills, Lazenby wondered how he would afford to pay for George’s treatment.

That’s when the AAHA Helping Pets Fund came into the picture. The Fund provided a grant to pay for George’s surgery through local AAHA-accredited veterinary hospital, Centerville Animal Hospital, Snellville, GA.

“We are so grateful that the AAHA Helping Pets Fund was available to help the Lazenbys in their time of need,” says Sherri A. Bradley, DVM, of Centerville Animal Hospital, PC. “They are longtime clients and dedicated animal lovers, and we wanted to do everything we could to help them — the Fund made that possible.”