Olive’s Happy Tail

By Savannah Verdon, RedRover Development and Engagement Coordinator

We count on your continued support of RedRover as a FurEver Friend to the animals so that we can say yes when a pet is in need of emergency assistance. No matter the circumstances, you give pets and families the second chance they deserve to lead happy, healthy lives together.

As a freshman in college, Kayla was faced with the sudden death of her best friend. Coping with such an immense loss while finding her way as a young adult, she adopted a puppy from her local animal shelter to help her get through so much upheaval. She named the puppy Olive, and together they spent the next couple of years in their peaceful routine.

In her last semester of college, Kayla’s father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Soon thereafter, her long-term boyfriend ended their relationship. Single, working full-time caring for her dying father, and draining her savings just to get by, Kayla felt immensely alone – except for Olive. Having Olive to love and comfort her as her father underwent chemotherapy, and later succumbed to his cancer, gave their bond an added depth and intensity. 

During this difficult time, Kayla was unable to afford two doses of Olive’s heartworm preventatives. Months after her father passed, right when she had graduated from college and began working again,, she received unexpected and devastating news: Olive had heartworms, and treatment was going to be expensive.

Kayla remembered how Olive had been an emotional support to her father each time he underwent chemotherapy. Olive would need three rounds of heartworm treatment –  and no matter how expensive it would be, and without knowing yet how she would afford it, Kayla knew that she would be there for Olive like Olive had been there for her father.

With what savings she had recovered, Kayla started Olive on her first round of heartworm treatment. Each round of treatment totaled in the hundreds of dollars, requiring a series of medications and overnight hospitalization. Once Olive had begun treatment, Kayla went home and got to work developing a plan to afford the rest of the treatment.

After applying for CareCredit and being denied, Kayla reached out to as many foundations as she could discover online that might be able to help her and Olive out. Among them, she found RedRover. 

Kayla immediately felt her burden begin to lift when she got a call back from RedRover. A RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant would help her pay for Olive’s two additional treatments. Her response revealed her joy, with more than a few exclamation marks: “Thank you SO SO MUCH!!!!!! This is amazing!”

Every month, your gift as a FurEver Friend is the good news that a hardworking, loving pet owner needs to get them through a difficult time. Now that Kayla will have many more years with Olive, they can focus on growing together and moving forward into an uplifting future.