“Heavenly Sent” – Blue’s Happy Tail
December 2nd, 2025
By Savannah Verdon, Development Manager –
In one short year, Roni lost both of her parents and ended a seven-year relationship that left her heartbroken. To help her heal, she adopted Blue, a most handsome four-month-old pitbull.
“People think I saved him, but I believe he was heavenly sent to help me mend my broken heart. He is kind, loving. He loves people and kids, and every and any ball.”
With no children of her own and while choosing to remain single, Blue was, in every sense, her baby. Every day for eight years, she had given him Apoquel, an oral anti-itch medication, to treat his persistent skin allergies, followed by a treat and a kiss so he knew he was loved. She was so accustomed to checking his skin for signs of a flare-up that she noticed the tumor growing on the side of his face immediately.
Blue was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor after being seen by his primary veterinarian, who referred Roni to an oncologist to confirm the diagnosis and check if the tumor had spread. Both appointments had been costly, and Roni was shocked by the multiple thousands of dollars she was quoted for Blue to have the tumor surgically removed. Not content to let the tumor grow or spread while she saved up money for surgery, Roni researched more affordable veterinarians and found one far from home, but that would work for her budget.
The new veterinarian re-examined Blue and determined with X-rays that it was just a single tumor that hadn’t spread. His blood work was excellent, and with chemotherapy, the tumor could shrink before it was removed in surgery. Roni felt optimistic that they were already making progress with his treatment, but she knew surgery, even at the lower cost, would be more than she could afford. She had already exhausted her savings on his care up to that point. As a costume designer for television and film, she didn’t get paid when her set was on hiatus, and she had already been out of work for four months. She was picking up extra work of all kinds as she could, but with this being such an unexpected expense, she was running out of options for raising the money.
Research had helped her find a more affordable veterinarian, so she hoped that she would have the same luck finding help with paying for Blue’s surgery. Not only did she find a local organization that could contribute, but they also referred her to the RedRover Relief Urgent Care grant program. Her application made clear how important the help would be.
“I want to do all I can to now be there for him like he was there for me when I was in need. Please help my dog; he is my family.”
We’re grateful that our RedRover FurEver Friends promise that pets and families will get the help they need, when they need it. With the recurring support of special donors like these, Blue was able to have two surgeries: one to remove the tumor, and a second to be certain it had been fully removed. The veterinarian was confident that Blue would live a long and healthy life because they had caught the tumor before it spread. Roni welcomed the good news and was filled with gratitude for your help in making it possible.
“Thank you, and God bless you for your help with my baby Blue’s medical needs – I will never forget it.”
