Tag: McVitie Fund – update

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Urgent Care

Urgent care for Ben E. Cat

Ben E.’s care has been funded!

Thanks to the generous help of donors, Mary-Jane was able to get treatment and testing for Ben E. Cat. He stayed for several days in the hospital with care including an IV drip to help him get stabilized. His test results revealed that he has diabetes, which can be managed long-term through diet and medication.

Mary-Jane has brought Ben E. home and has a care plan in place with the vet to keep his diabetes under control from now on.

Ben E. Cat’s legs have suddenly given out and he needs help!

Ben E.’s guardian, Mary-Jane, was shaken and confused when she saw he was suddenly having trouble walking and lying in his own urine. She immediately brought him to the vet for an exam, which is all she can afford as a senior on her very limited income.
 
The vet told her that the problem is likely related to neurological issues, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or physical problems with his legs. Ben E. will need to be hospitalized, monitored, and tested to stabilize him and determine the cause of his serious symptoms.
 
Mary-Jane does not have the funds to cover these unexpected veterinary bills. She took in Ben E. last year from another resident in her senior’s building who could no longer care for him. Since then, she has helped him make great strides with his weight, confidence, and communication. She says that Ben E. has also greatly improved her quality of life.
 
“I love him more than I can express and feel that we are two seniors that truly needed each other. Providing for him has been a challenge on my very limited income, but I do not begrudge it at all. I will go without, if possible, to take care of him.”
 
Mary-Jane reached out for help to get Ben E. Cat well again. Can you donate today toward his care?

Your gift will make double the difference! An anonymous donor is currently matching all donations made toward the McVitie Fund, up to $25,000.

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Urgent Care

Urgent care for Jake

UPDATE: Jake’s care has been funded through the support of generous donors. Thank you for helping to get this sweet boy healthy again!

DOUBLE your donation to help Jake receive the urgent care he needs

When Jake stopped being able to urinate and started showing signs of distress, his guardian Lisa became extremely worried and rushed him to the vet. The vet immediately recognized that Jake was suffering from urinary crystals and that his bladder would rupture soon without critical intervention. 

Lisa is living with a disability that severely limits her income. In this rental market she has just $200 left over a month to live on after paying her rent. Despite this, she always prioritizes Jake’s needs, but Lisa could barely afford the costs of Jake’s initial exam from her narrow grocery budget.

Sadly, Lisa was facing one of the most difficult choices a pet guardian can be faced with: to euthanize Jake to prevent him from suffering, or to surrender him to a rescue that would provide the treatment he needed but separate this bonded pair. That’s when Lisa found out about VHS’s McVitie Fund and called the Program Manager Brooklyn for help.

Male cats with urinary crystals can often re-block, which is why Jake’s vet has recommended perineal urethrostomy (PU) surgery to change the shape of his urethra permanently. This is expected to cost $3,000-4,000.

Right now, an anonymous matching grant donor is matching all donations made toward the McVitie Fund, up to $25,000! Can you help keep this pair together by donating today toward Jake’s care?

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Urgent Care

Urgent care for Billie

UPDATE: Thanks to generous donations toward her care, Billie is getting the emergency surgery she needs! 

Billie needs urgent pyometra treatment and surgery!

Billie’s guardian Charlene has been monitoring her closely as she hasn’t been her usual happy self. When Billie developed thick discharge in the early hours of the morning, Charlene immediately rushed her to an emergency vet. The vet has confirmed Billie will need emergency Pyometra Surgery as she has a serious infection.

Charlene and her son lost part of their household income after the B.C. floods last November. Charlene told VHS that her son, who suffers from serious mental health issues, has been on EI since the floods and she is on long-term disability income after two separate car accidents; one of which caused a brain injury.

Charlene told VHS how Billie and their second dog Mable make every day worthwhile. “We, Laugh, smile, play, nap, cuddle, learn, exercise and do our different therapies together. Before the pandemic, Billie passed the St. John’s ambulance therapy dog training course so her and I could get out and socialize and give back once a week in our community. Now we are really worried about our current situation with Billie’s immediate health needs and having to choose to cover her vet bills over paying rent. We are at risk of homelessness but we’d do anything to help our little Billie-girl.”

Can you donate today to help cover the cost of Billie’s emergency surgery?

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Urgent Care

Urgent care for Brutis

Brutis needs help being treated for suspected rodenticide poisoning

Sweet Brutis has strong instincts to chase rodents, and his guardian Wanda has seen him going after mice in the backyard of her rental unit. Though she is cautious to keep him safe, he has occasionally caught them. Now he is in the veterinary hospital with symptoms of internal bleeding and Wanda fears rodent poisons are to blame.

Wanda was shocked when Brutis began showing signs of bleeding in his digestive tract. She rushed him to the vet, who confirmed that Brutis’s symptoms—including diarrhea, bleeding, and refusing to eat—are consistent with rodenticide poisoning. Brutis needs urgent help to cover his treatment, including hospitalization and an IV.

Wanda is living on a very low income. She says that Brutis is an important part of her family and helps her daily with her personal wellness.

Wanda is heartbroken to see Brutis suffering and wants nothing more than to bring this sweet boy home. Can you donate to help him today?

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Urgent Care

Urgent surgery for Dublin

UPDATE: Thanks to generous donations toward his care, Dublin is getting the emergency surgery he needs! His vet is confident that he will have many more years of love to give as he has no signs of additional masses.

Dublin needs urgent surgery to remove two tumours

When a lump on 11-year-old Dublin’s back ruptured and began causing him pain and distress, his guardian Evan rushed him to a vet. 

Evan is on disability income and reached out to the Vancouver Humane Society for assistance after learning Dublin now urgently needs two tumours removing costing approximately $1,500. The vet has confirmed one of the tumours is cancerous.

Evan told VHS, “Dublin sleeps on my bed and drapes himself on a pillow when I am watching TV so that I can drape my arm on him or put my arm there for him to lean his head against. I am so distressed that I cannot afford the surgery to have his lumps removed and they are open sores because he keeps picking at them.”

You can help ensure he receives the best possible care and can return home safely with Evan. 

Can you help Dublin get better by donating?

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Urgent Care

Urgent surgery for Abigail

Abigail needs emergency surgery after a dog attack

While out for a walk with her mom, Abigail was badly attacked by another dog. The attack has left Abigail with severe wounds around her head, neck, and shoulders. 

Abigail’s mom Tanis lives in low-income housing and was terrified because she couldn’t afford to take her to the vet. Thankfully the staff in her building helped Tanis search for veterinary support programs and came across Vancouver Humane Society’s McVitie Fund.

Our program coordinator Brooklyn quickly organized an emergency veterinary appointment for Abigail. The vet confirmed she will need surgery, with an expected cost of approximately $1,000, to remove the infected tissue to allow her to fully heal. 

Tanis told VHS, “We love Abigail very much. I am so grateful to you for stepping in and helping with the vet bill.“

Tanis describes Abigail as a loving, kind, caring dog who is loved by so many people where she resides. She likes going for walks, eating treats, cuddling with her mom and chewing on stuffed toys. 

Can you help Abigail get better by donating?

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Urgent Care

Urgent bladder surgery for Brewsky

Brewsky needs a life-saving bladder surgery

Update: We received an invoice for the surgery from the veterinarian, and the cost is a littler higher than anticipated, at $2553. Thank you for your donations to reach this goal!

When Brewsky became lethargic and wasn’t able to urinate, his guardian Don became concerned about his best friend. They are very close and Don quickly realized this behaviour was not normal.  Living as a very low-income person, Don knew he would not be able to pay for the full costs of Brewsky’s care and reached out to the Vancouver Humane Society for support.  Once we confirmed funding, he brought Brewsky straight to the vet. 

The vet determined that Brewsky is dealing with un-dissolvable bladder stones that will need to be removed to allow him to properly urinate again.  They are completing the costly cystotomy surgery, and hopefully Brewsky will be able to go back home soon.

Don told VHS, “I’m really grateful for your help. I’ve been walking around here like a lost pup! I never dreamed that a cat would be my best friend. He’s a people’s cat, he’s so social it’s incredible. He’s like a dog! I spend a lot of time with him.”

Brewsky 9 years old and truly is Don’s best friend. Can you help Brewsky get better by donating?

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Urgent Care

Urgent care for Huxley

Huxley needs an urgent diagnosis

Poor Huxley needs help getting an urgent diagnosis.
Huxley’s loving guardian, Wanda, has experienced a lot of loss recently. After the loss of a close family member, she lost her home and briefly had to stay in a women’s shelter while looking for safe housing. Since then, she has been staying with friends and family while saving up for a deposit on a new apartment for her and Huxley.

When Huxley began showing signs of an allergic reaction, Wanda immediately took him to the vet. There she was told he had an eye infection. A veterinarian determined that Huxley’s symptoms may be the result of Cushing’s Disease, which can cause fragile skin and infections.

Cushing’s Disease is a potentially life-threatening condition; with a diagnosis it can be managed through medication.

Wanda has prioritized Huxley’s care even though it meant using the apartment money she had been saving. She now has no funds left to help him and has reached out for help covering his bloodwork and diagnostic tests.

Can you donate toward Huxley’s urgent care today?

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Urgent Care

Urgent care for Finnick

Finnick needs to be hospitalized

Finnick had a rough start to his life, having been abandoned in a river along with his sister Hazel when they were young. Luckily, Finnick and Hazel were rescued by their loving guardian Nicholas and have been living happily together ever since. Finnick is an affectionate boy who loves to be held and cuddled.

Recently, Finnick began to show signs of diabetes—undiagnosed diabetes often leads cats to lose weight, despite eating and drinking more than usual. Nicholas immediately rushed him to the vet and did all he could at every step of the way to make sure Finnick was cared for.

Nicholas lives on a low income with disability assistance, and had to take on some debt to get Finnick the care he needed. After being tested, Finnick received a diagnosis and medication.

Unfortunately, sweet Finnick is not out of the woods yet. A reaction to his new medication dosage caused him to have a seizure in the middle of the night and he will need to be hospitalized.

Nicholas knows that Finnick can live a happy, healthy life as soon as his condition is properly managed; but he is out of options and needs help covering the costs of Finnick’s care. Can you donate today to help Finnick get the care he needs?

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Urgent Care

Urgent care needed for Tiger

Tiger needs life-saving veterinary care

Update: Tiger’s care has been fully funded thanks to many generous donors.
Tiger’s guardian, Alan, became concerned with Tiger when she stopped eating and going to the bathroom. A visit to the emergency veterinarian identified that Tiger is having severe liver problems. Alan and the veterinarian believe that she is suffering from secondary poisoning after eating a mouse that got into the house after consuming rodenticides from a nearby property. Tiger is now hospitalized at the vet and the veterinary bills are expected to be around $3,000.

Alan is a senior who is coping with disability and needs some help getting Tiger well again.

Alan told VHS, “When she was growing up as a kitten, she would follow me and cling to my leg. She means so much and she is the only family I’ve got. I recently lost two friends and Tiger is a big support.”

Tiger is only 7 years old and has a lot of love still to give in her life. Can you help Tiger get better by donating?