By BRIDGET COOK
A CRANBOURNE family’s beloved dog has been given a second chance at life, thanks to a charity for pets.
The Taualii family’s one-year-old rottweiler cross Xena was hit by a car when she escaped from their home while the family was out on 3 April.
With a medical bill of almost $5000 for surgery on Xena’s fractured left tibia and dislocated right hip, the family was in a dilemma whether to put their dog down as they could not cough up the full sum.
Enter the Pet Medical Crisis Fund (PMCF) – an organisation that gives financial help to Victorian families who can’t afford the treatment or surgery costs for their injured pets.
After being contacted by the Pet Emergency and Specialist Centre, where the dog was being treated, the PMCF offered to contribute $1000 to help get Xena over the line for surgery.
The family gratefully accepted the money and Xena underwent surgery the next day.
Marina Taualii said they now had their dog back home and she had recovered well.
“We are so thankful for them,” she said.
“Xena is still confined to the laundry, and has a long way to go, but we have our dog back.
“It means everything in the world to us to have her here still, especially my son Tama.
“He says Xena is his best friend and when we were considering putting her down due to the cost, he was beside himself.
“We are all stoked that we got this help, but especially my son.”
Ms Taualii said she also wanted to thank the neighbours and other people who were first on the scene when there dog was hit and got her the help she needed.
PMCF is urgently seeking donations to ensure they can continue to help injured pets in the future.
Tax deductible donations can be made at www.petmedicalcrisisfund.com.au/donations.shtml.
