Papi - the rescue dog who deserves the world

Hi,

I'm Jazz. Mum to Papi. Papi came into my life 6 years ago.

This is my boy's story.

In summer of 2016, he was hiding with a pack of 12 dogs on a farm in southern Spain. The farmer called a wonderful lady called Antoinette who ran kennels nearby. He told her that if she didn't come and take these dogs he would poison them (often the case alas in rural Spain).

The group of 12 dogs included Papi, Tanya - his Podenco 'girlfriend' and their 7 puppies.

Antoinette named him Papi as a tribute to the fact that unusually as a male dog, he stayed with his pups. Papi means daddy in Spanish.

She managed to take all the dogs but not Papi. Papi was so scared of human touch that she had to go every day for 2 weeks (after having taken the other 11 dogs), and hand-feed Papi little by little to build trust - just enough to put a lead on him.

Papi has leishmania. When Antoinette saved him, he had no fur on his face and was, well, dying. Leishmania can be treated but as a stray, he had no treatment. He was skin and bones. She kept him for 6 months and ensured he was treated via a vet. In January 2017 when he had recovered, he was brought over to the UK by a rescue centre here.

In March 2017, I walked him at the rescue centre. And well, as they say, he very much chose me.

Without making this too long. Papi had a lot of fears the first couple of years. Debilitating for him and me. But each year, he trusted the world a little more. Now, 6 years on, except for being jumpy at certain noises, he is the most confident and loving dog. Today, he even trusts most men - which is quite something for him!

Unfortunately, he's had a few health issues. He had chemo in 2018 for leishmania. He has had two major bladder operations to remove 50 stones in one operation. Then he had 3 operations on the jaw and mouth. The first jaw operation was to remove a non-cancerous mass. But in November 2022, it was confirmed that the new golf ball-sized mass was a melanoma. The operation was hugely invasive and recovery was tough for Papi and for me. Most of his lower jaw had gone.

But you know what? This boy is so so so resilient that he bounced back. The cancer hadn't spread to lymph nodes or elsewhere in November. So we started chemo. On March 2023, I scan revealed it had spread to his lungs.

So now he's on different chemo.

I have the best insurance and all treatment has been covered. It comes at a cost and I was paying £245 a month.

Today, I received an email from my insurer informing me that we have reached the £12000 annual cover that my policy covers.

Tomorrow, we have an appointment at the Royal College of Vets where Papi is being treated, to look at the next steps to keep him comfortable and look at further treatments.

This dog hasn't given up on life. He truly hasn't. We went to the beach last week on the one sunny day and he was so full of life.

I just want him to enjoy more moments like that for as long as he is able.

That requires further treatment.

So I'm not here because I don't have insurance, but because we have run out of cover - and it was very good cover.

If I could sell a kidney, I would. But am giving this a go. I've had to base the fundraising amount on recent invoices from treatment that we've had.

Whatever you donate, will be received by a level of gratitude that I can't express in words.