Support Jerry in Honoring Joker's Memory

On Thursday, January 23, 2024, at 5:00 am, Joker passed away in my arms and in my bed due to an unknown illness. He had been taken to the doctors on Friday previously for a strange coughing sound that he had been experiencing two days prior. The vet thought that it might have been bronchial, thus he needed x-rays, a tech reader, and blood work. The medical cost that day was $1900. He did not have pneumonia as first thought. I brought him back on Wednesday to find out that he showed positive for Lepto. That was another $1500. The only course of action was to give him a full blood transfusion, or at least a plasma transfusion with 3 days in the hospital, and no guarantee of full recovery between $14-$20K.

I decided to bring Joker home with me that night. When I took him out for a pee at 3 am, he just looked at me with those sad eyes telling me how much he was in pain. How much it hurt. When we came back into my bedroom, he went right to his bed because he didn't have the energy to jump on my bed as he would always do, except for the past 5 days. That is how I knew something was horribly wrong. The vibrant, funny Joker from last Thursday to this Thursday were two completely different dogs. I helped him to get on my bed where he would normally sleep. I was just petting his skin gently when I knew what was happening straight away. I told him that it was OK. And he passed away. I put him into his bed and covered him with his blanket, and we both rested for a few hours as there was nothing that I could do or needed to do at 5 am.

When he passed, I felt like someone had punched me in the gut. He was the joy of my life. He was my rock and salvation. And I could not have been more blessed than to have had him in my life. And he was loved by all who met him.

There is nothing more painful than to have to bring your dog into the veterinary hospital for them to make arrangements for cremation, costing about $350 plus, plus.

Yet, with all of this sadness comes the reality of almost $3,900.00 in vet bills that are not absorbed by insurance, that are paid for with savings, which typically there are not enough, credit cards maxed out, and cash on hand. The emotional burden becomes a financial burden as well.

So I am asking my friends and family to help cushion the pain of his death and seeing if I can ask donors to give so that his loss is just the mental agony, without the financial burden.

I thank you all for being there for us.

With Love,

Jerry, and Joker