Watson’s Happy Tail
February 8th, 2021
By Savannah Verdon, RedRover Development and Engagement Coordinator
Watson the corgi (full name: Sir Watson Leafbane, Esquire) is Amanda’s beloved companion of more than nine years. Whether she’s hanging at home or doing her daily errands, Amanda always takes Watson’s needs into consideration, and their relationship reflects the depths of the gratitude she feels for her sweet boy.
“We drove three hours to pick him up as a puppy. I was in love with him from the first puppy pictures and he’s been my best friend since. My son is grown and no longer lives with us, but I still have him come by to walk Watson if I work too long. In truth, I spend more money on his food and treats per month than I do on my own. When my relationship of 10 years ended and we moved into an apartment, I had to have a dog-friendly apartment on the first level just so he wouldn’t have to do stairs with his stubby legs. I even installed a temporary fence on my patio so he could sit outside with me without a leash. I do everything with him in mind.”
Because they are so close, Amanda noticed right away when Watson started acting a little clingier than usual. She assumed his arthritis, a common ailment for an older corgi, was flaring up with the cold, but unbeknownst to her, he had an abscess growing below the gumline of his teeth.
A passionate chewer of antlers and bones, Watson cracked a tooth one afternoon, exposing the abscess and causing him pain and discomfort. Amanda took him to the veterinarian for an examination and to see what could be done to have Watson smiling again.
The veterinarian determined Watson had broken his tooth so badly that it would need to be removed with surgery.
Amanda was devastated. Not long before Watson cracked his tooth, her rent had gone up when she renewed her lease, and other bills were creeping up, too. She was working two jobs to get by, but an injury prevented her from working at her weekend job with the U.S. Postal Service, and her hours had been cut as a chef in an assisted living facility since they were caring for fewer and fewer residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. She could only afford part of Watson’s surgery if she delayed paying some of her bills — and it still wasn’t going to be enough.
Fortunately, Amanda was able to get her sweet boy on antibiotics and a pain medication donated to the veterinarian by a kind and compassionate person. This would buy her a little more time to gather enough funds for the surgery. When she searched online for more help, she found RedRover.
Our FurEver Friends provide the kindness and compassion families need when their pet is facing a veterinary crisis. You make it possible for RedRover to provide Urgent Care grants to hundreds of families each year – so when Amanda and Watson needed help, we were able to say yes.
Amanda and Watson celebrated when they heard the news, and again when he made it successfully through the surgery. As Watson recovered at home with Amanda, a heavy layer of snow fell outside the window. Even though he couldn’t go outside and play in the snow – one of his favorite pastimes – the two were more grateful than ever to simply be together.
Thank you for making their Happy Tail possible. <3
