My sweet Freddy has been my loyal companion for eight years, ever since I adopted him as a shelter pup during vet tech school. He was found as a stray at just six months old, but from the moment I saw him in that kennel, I knew he was meant to be mine. He became my study buddy and has been by my side through everything since.

Freddy has battled chronic pancreatitis for years, requiring multiple hospitalizations and careful management. Just this year, a severe flare-up caused GI stasis, leading to emergency abdominal surgery to relieve dangerous fluid retention. While I'm still paying off that hospital bill, my little couch potato decided to chase a squirrel and tore his CCL (cranial cruciate ligament).

X-rays also revealed bilateral medial luxating patellas – both kneecaps are displaced. Watching him limp down our hallways, unable to jump on his favorite couch, breaks my heart. He's scheduled for lateral suture repair and medial luxating patella repair on October 28th, costing an additional $1,800.

This sweet boy has never stopped being the loyal guardian who greets me ecstatically at the door every day. After surviving life on the streets as a puppy, he deserves to run pain-free again.