I came across a moving article about a man battling against all odds in the attempt to save his beloved canine. His dog is his best friend, and if not for the generosity and kindness of complete strangers he would have lost him forever. For many dog owners their animal companions are a part of the family, or their only companion in life. The latter was the case in this situation, and the man very nearly lost what means the most to him.
This story hits close to home. I have a four-legged blonde named Isabella, that has my heart hook, line and sinker, and she knows that better than anyone. Just over 11 years ago, I purchased a five-week old pup that was a fury little ball of energy. The little blonde with big brown eyes was meant to be for a friend that had lost their own beloved dog, but the little blonde terror was destined to be mine.
Never in a thousand years would I have guessed I would be the owner of a beloved chihuahua, but that’s exactly what happened. From the very beginning, it was beyond obvious the little hand sized monster chose me as her forever human. After more than a decade of receiving her complete and unconditional love, there is no doubt she is far more than just a dog to me, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to save her.
Now back to the story that mentally hatched this column before I spend all my limited space writing about my Isabella.
Randy Etter of Indianapolis is the proud owner of a white American Bulldog named Gemini. Not long ago he noticed Gemini was rapidly losing weight, but his stomach remained swollen during the dramatic weight loss. The dog went from weighing a healthy 70 lbs. to a dangerously slim 35 lbs. The concerned owner took his four-legged friend to the vet and was informed his dog had a life threatening intestinal blockage that required emergency surgery. There was no doubt Etter would do anything in his power to save Gemini’s life, but there was a big problem. The surgery would cost between $4,000 to $6,000, and that was money the struggling singer simply did not have.
Never deterred, he was on a mission to save his dog’s life no matter what it took. However, while working to raise cash for the surgery it became apparent that Gemini's days were numbered if the blockage was not cleared immediately. Etter said that one night as he sat helplessly holding his dog, he literally thought Gemini was going to die right before his eyes. That same night Etter put his car up for sale and was willing to take a huge loss on the car to get the desperately needed money. It was this act of desperation that caught the attention of his friends, and a group of strangers.
Etter’s friend loaned him $2,000 to help, and with cash in-hand, he visited every vet he could locate asking, in fact begging, each one to help his dog, but they all turned him away. As a result of his exhaustive search he also lost his job, because to his employer “just a dog being sick” was no reason to miss work. Gemini was far more than just a dog, but Etter started succumbing to the realization that he may not be able to save him. This is when complete strangers changed everything.
By pure luck, the Street Outreach Animal Response (S.O.A.R.) heard about the dire dilemma and sprang to action. In just a few hours the animal loving organization secured a local surgeon and raised an additional $3,000 through their Facebook page. All donations came from complete strangers, and Etter is convinced their generosity and kindness was a miracle that has changed his outlook on life. After having a sock, and parts of a plastic bottle, removed Gemini made a full recovery and is doing great.
There are times when total strangers join together to accomplish remarkable feats otherwise impossible. Selfless acts like this can be either life changing, lifesaving or both, and that was the case for Etter and Gemini.
Simple acts of kindness and caring from one person to another can literally change a person’s life. I know with certainty, if I would have been in this man’s predicament, I would be forever grateful and never forget those life altering acts of kindness and generosity from complete strangers.
