My #1 Fan and Protector: Marvin the Dog’s Happy Tail
July 24th, 2024
By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager
No one can share a Happy Tail better than the family it belongs to. Four years after her persistent efforts to gain rescue pup Marvin’s trust, and having survived domestic violence with him by her side, Brittany knew that they could get through anything together.
Marvin means everything to me. I had never had a dog before but I fell in love with Marvin’s story online and knew I needed to save him. He was left tied up on the side of a highway by a police station, severely abused, neglected, and completely emaciated. He was taken to a shelter and put up for fostering to get him to trust humans so he could be eligible to be placed for adoption.
I was told he would require very specific conditions in a forever home: no other pets, his own room, security cameras, the chance to approach us on his own, and an extremely patient person to get to know him. I even left him some used clothes with him to get him used to my scent. After weeks, once they saw that he let me touch him, they asked me to please just adopt him instead of fostering him, so as not to break the bond he was forming with me. He ran straight into the pet carrier that they said he would never go in, and he smiled so wide the whole drive home.
Once we got home, his whole personality came alive. He jumped and rolled around, played on the bed and on me, did his favorite little ‘rug sharks,’ and covered me in sloppy kisses. We’ve been absolutely inseparable ever since. When I sent the shelter videos, they said they couldn’t believe it was the same dog they’d known for months. He’s truly the most amazing dog and my #1 fan and protector.
Marvin was the only one who tried to protect me in the domestic violence situation I was in and actually caused distractions to save me multiple times. Fortunately, we escaped from that situation together, living in a tiny motel for several months before finally moving into our very own apartment during the peak of the housing crisis, where we live to this day. He’s my everything and I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s helped me pull through from the most horrible situation I’ve ever been in. He kept me from completely giving up on my life. It’s an extremely cliched thing to say, but this truly is an “I didn’t save him, he saved me” situation.
Just as Marvin kept Brittany from completely giving up, she would do everything she could not to give up on his when the going got tough.
Marvin needs surgery for a massive inguinal hernia. A previous veterinarian misdiagnosed it and played it down as ‘just extra tissue that bulges up when he gets excited,’ whereas our current veterinarian explained that it needs to be taken care of immediately and that it’s the largest, fastest-growing inguinal hernia they’ve personally seen. It’s life threatening because of its size compared to his tiny body.
In addition to the physical abuse, [my abusive relationship] drained my savings, [he] maxed out all of my credit cards, and opened loans in my name, severely affecting my credit score. I work more than full-time but, unfortunately, it’s going to take me many years to dig myself out of this financial hole. I live paycheck to paycheck and do not have a savings account to dedicate to Marvin’s unexpected procedure. I try to save up for his preventative care every year and try to save up for one unforeseen emergency.
My veterinarian knows I cannot afford the surgery and suggested RedRover as a lifeline to ask for help.
RedRover Relief Urgent Care grants are a lifeline, one made possible by the continued support of our FurEver Friends. Because of your commitment to our mission, we could approve Brittany’s application for a grant right away, helping her cover the costs of Marvin’s inguinal hernia repair and focus on his healing.
Fortunately, everything went smoothly with his surgery and so far his recovery seems to be going very well. They did so well closing the hernia and stitching him up. Now we’re just recovering and taking it easy. He takes pain meds twice a day, has a normal appetite, is drinking normally, and going to the bathroom normally. He’s a bit lower-energy than normal, but that’s to be expected.
Honestly, can’t thank you and your donors enough for helping us. I’m so thankful that the surgery went well and I’m very grateful I didn’t have to push the surgery off any longer due to my financial struggles. Again, thank you so much. You guys are absolute lifesavers!
“Lifesaver” could be another word for FurEver Friend! Thank you for your compassionate and generous heart. We are grateful for the many beautiful Happy Tails your support as a FurEver Friend makes possible.
