“His Loyal Protector” – Axel’s Happy Tail
May 2nd, 2025
By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager –
“Axel’s journey into our lives began in February 2023, when we adopted him as a spirited five-month-old puppy from a local humane society. His arrival was particularly significant for my son, Nicholas, who is deaf and often struggles with social interactions. We brought Axel into our family intending to provide Nicholas with a loyal companion, and Axel has certainly fulfilled that role. His playful antics may have been challenging at first, but he has forged a deep bond with our family and enriched our lives profoundly. His presence is especially meaningful to Nicholas as Axel joyfully greets us every day and stands as his loyal protector, never allowing anyone to harm him. Through his unwavering guardianship, Axel has become an indispensable member of our family.”
Seeing the close bond between Axel and her son, Karen couldn’t help feeling that the handsome pittie was her baby too, someone she must fiercely protect. His resilience and happy demeanor uplifted them when Hurricane Helene roared through their community, and they suffered prolonged, widespread power outages and food insecurity. Weeks later, the financial hardship they experienced then still lingered, and they struggled to get back on their feet.
If dogs had a sense of comedic timing, Axel’s wasn’t funny. The family was still many months away from regaining financial stability when he started vomiting, despite his lack of appetite, while seeming unusually lethargic and nothing like his joyful self. After taking X-rays, the veterinarian diagnosed him with a foreign body obstruction and stressed the urgency of performing surgery within 24 hours. If they waited, whatever the obstruction was could rupture Axel’s stomach and lead to a painful death. Not only did Karen need to find more money than her family had to spend, but she would have to find it fast.
Karen had learned one important thing following the hurricane’s devastation: Sometimes help and kindness find you, and other times you have to look for them – but they were always there. She had already received a large grant to cover most of the costs of Axel’s surgery when she learned of the RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program. Even though she had raised so much, they couldn’t start treatment without a little more help, and an Urgent Care grant is meant to be the last little bit of help. The veterinarian was preparing Axel for surgery when Karen got the call that her grant application had been approved. It was good news to learn they had found the help they needed with an On-Call Angel, and great news to know that the veterinarian was optimistic about Axel’s prognosis.
Now all she – and Nicholas – had to do was wait for their good boy to come home.
“I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for the generous support you provided for my dog’s surgery. Your commitment to assisting families in need during such challenging times is truly commendable, and I cannot thank you enough for your help. I am pleased to share that Axel is doing well and is now happily back home. Although he is not yet at 100% due to the significant incision from his surgery and ongoing medication, he is recovering as expected. His spirits are high, and it is a relief to see him comfortable and in familiar surroundings. We are closely monitoring his recovery and are following all of the post-operative care instructions provided by our veterinarian. While he still has some healing to do, we are optimistic about his progress and are confident that, with time and care, he will make a full recovery. Once again, thank you for your support during this critical time. It has made a significant difference in our lives and has given Axel the chance to heal and thrive.”
She already said it best: The commitment of RedRover’s community to assist families in need during such challenging times is truly commendable. Thank you for protecting both of Karen’s boys and giving them more time for playful antics together.
