Author: Katrina Leppanen

Adventurous Ghost the kitten was born with a partially developed hind leg. Though Ghost’s guardian, Destiny, delights in watching Ghost grow and discover all the wonders of life, it has become clear that Ghost’s back leg is making things challenging.
 
Ghost is struggling to move without splitting open the end of her back leg, which has prompted several visits to the vet to treat the wound. Vets have recommended that Ghost’s partial leg be fully amputated, or Ghost will continue to re-injure herself.
  
Destiny told the VHS that upon adopting Ghost, the pair instantly became best friends. It is heart-breaking for Destiny to see anything get in the way of her beloved Ghost’s joyful spirit, and she can’t bear to see her friend in pain. With amputation, Ghost will be free to move around on her other three legs without her partial leg getting in her way.
 
Trying to make everything work while living on a low income, Destiny has already spent all she can spare on Ghost’s previous vet visits. With help from the Vancouver Humane Society’s McVitie Fund program, Ghost began getting the care she needed right away and will have her surgery as soon as possible.

Can you donate towards Ghost’s care today?

Christine woke up to find her dog, Opi, lying on the floor, trembling and breathing unsteadily. His food and water bowls were untouched. When he did stand up, wobbling on his feet, he vomited. Christine rushed Opi to the vet.

There, x-rays found that Opi has swallowed a small bouncy ball that will need to be urgently removed from his intestines to save his life.

Christine lost both her partner and son within months of each other. Opi was Christine’s son’s dog and meant the world to him. Christine knew immediately that she would take Opi in as her own after her son passed away. It gives her comfort to be able to care for the dog her son loved so dearly.

“Opi is my life and the one thing I have left of my son. I can’t lose him too,” Christine told the VHS.

Christine is facing the immense challenge of grieving the loss of her family members while managing her recent cancer diagnosis. Though she’s relieved to learn Opi isn’t suffering from a serious illness too, Christine is devastated that she cannot afford the emergency surgery he needs to survive. Living on income assistance and unable to work, Christine has reached out the VHS for help.

With surgery, Opi is expected to quickly recover and go on to enjoy companionship with Christine for years to come.

Can you donate towards Opi’s life-saving care today?

Every night, Handsome the cat curls up in bed nose-to-nose with his guardian Marlena and purrs her to sleep. When Marlena wakes each morning, Handsome is snoring peacefully by her feet.

Handsome has been Marlena’s steady support since she left home due to difficult circumstances at 18 years old. She took sweet Handsome in from a relative who could no longer care for him five years ago and the pair have been inseparable since.

Recently, Marlena noticed Handsome was frantically grooming between his legs while sitting by the litter box. When she approached him, he growled at Marlena in pain. Terrified for her friend, Marlena rushed Handsome to the vet.

There, Handsome was treated through catheterization for a urinary blockage twice, but the procedures were unsuccessful. Now veterinary staff have recommended urgent PU (perineal urethrostomy) surgery for Handsome to save his life.

Marlena is distraught. Having already spent all she can spare on Handsome’s initial treatments, she cannot afford the estimated $3,500 his surgery will cost.

Marlena can’t imagine a life without her boy. “Coming home and not seeing him while he’s been in the emergency vet has been heartbreaking and I’m hoping he’s not too scared or stressed being there,” Marlena told the VHS.

Your gift today can help Handsome get the life-saving surgery he needs to return to his home with beloved Marlena.

Can you donate towards Handsome’s life-saving care today?