A Staffordshire Bull Terrier is once again counting on the generosity of the local community, after owners were told they didn’t have enough money for surgery to improve the dog’s mobility and quality of life.
Nine-year-old Bean, who lives with her owner – who wishes to remain anonymous – in South Shields was adopted as a puppy. The breeders identified back then that she may see some health issues later in life as the runt of the litter, but the owner didn’t want to see her left alone when all of her brothers and sisters were taken.
She has since been diagnosed with severe and costly allergies, and while her owner and friends do everything to ensure that Bean lives in the upmost comfort, they have recently been dealt further blows.
Read more: Tyneside dog ‘allergic to itself’ desperately needs £4,000 operation to save her life
Recently, Bean was playing with a friend and a tendon in her rear leg ruptured completely, which led to her needing a tricky surgery at a price tag of £4,000. Although her owner forked out the money for the procedure, and Bean has since recovered – vets now worry that extra stress has been put on her other leg.
This means that the tendons on that side could face a similar situation in the near future, which means that preventative surgery thought to come at the same price is critically needed. Emma Conroy, 37, who is friends with Bean’s owner set up a GoFundMe page earlier this month to raise the funds for this, achieving a life-changing £2,800 to help the dog towards surgery.
(Image: Emma Conroy)
Emma, who works for the NHS and has Asperger’s syndrome – a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder – has a track record for helping others, last winter helping a local refugee charity bring in emergency clothing such as coats and shoes via a collection drive.
And although Bean’s owner was buzzing to hear that Emma had raised enough funds to see her pet have surgery, she was devastated to hear that it will now cost more than the similar surgery the Staffy had on its other leg.
Speaking to Chronicle Live, Emma said: “We’re devastated the figure has gone up so much when it was all previously agreed. The surgery had already been delayed when we got together the original £3,800. We were so relieved when we finally had enough as it has been a tough time for everyone involved, especially for Bean’s owner who shoulders most of the burden herself.
“We saw the light at the end of the tunnel, but that was quickly extinguished when we came to pay the amount. After keeping us waiting on surgery for two hours, they came back with a new cost of £5,300.
(Image: Emma Conroy)
“We had checked with them repeatedly that there was not going to be an increase of the cost and we had been completely reassured every time. The saddest part about it all is the longer Bean has to wait for her surgery, the worse the damage is going to get, and the longer the recovery is going to take.
“Ultimately, we want Bean to be better so she can live out the rest of her days with her mobility fully restored.”
Although Emma has an abundance of ideas for fundraisers, the planning and execution of these will take time – and the surgery is urgent hence why she is once again depending on the kindness and selfless endeavours of the local community.
She added: “We have nowhere else to turn, the GoFundMe is our only hope for raising so much money quickly. The upfront cost of the surgery has gone up by £1,500, but there will be additional charges on discharge for bandages and medication. So realistically we cannot proceed until we have another £2,000.”
Bean’s owner’s finances have already taken a substantial hit due to medication for her allergies becoming more and more expensive. As it stands, she currently forks out around £600 each month.
(Image: Emma Conroy)
As well as problems with her legs, Bean suffered a severe infection a couple of years ago, which almost claimed her life. An emergency operation to remove her womb saved this.
Despite this, further complications have led to costly dental treatment being needed as well as part of her tail to be amputated due to ‘happy tail syndrome’. This complex injury comes after a dog repeatedly hits its tail off objects with force repeatedly, resulting in thin skin and eventually splitting.
Although Bean’s owner did all within her power to prevent the injury from becoming worse, such as applying padding and other preventative measures, it was not enough to save her tail.
To find out more about Bean’s fundraiser, or to donate should you wish to – visit the official GoFundMe here.
Read next:
