Anyone who knows us knows that we firmly believe that pets are family. And when our family members are in pain, it’s absolutely gut-wrenching.

Several weeks ago we were connected with Christina’s family through our partner organization, NAGI Foundation. Christina, a Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community member, had a 12-week old kitten that she was desperate to find help for. In a freak accident, little Oskar Whitetoe had fractured one of his front legs near the elbow – a particularly fragile place that can be difficult to repair. Christina’s family was heartbroken to see him in so much pain and knew he needed care, fast.

After rushing Oskar to a local clinic for care, they received the devastating news that it would require surgery to repair his leg and the quote was close to $4,000. They were crushed. They simply didn’t have funds available to cover this expensive care.

Christina and her family were not going to give up on their little buddy though. They rallied friends and family for help, and they also reached out to NAGI Foundation for support.

Knowing that time was not on our side with an injury like this, we worked together quickly to get Oskar the care he needed. Thanks to our amazing partnership with Palm Glen Animal Hospital, Oskar was able to have his surgery within just a few days to repair his leg, AND they took care of him for a fraction of the original quote!

When we told Christina and her family the news that Oskar would be able to get the care he needed, they were ecstatic.

“First off I just wanna THANK YOU SO MUCH! Honestly, words cannot express the way I feel right now. I’m absolutely overjoyed that Palm Glen is taking care of Oskar. I am at a loss for words knowing AZ Pet Project and NAGI Foundation is helping us financially with Oskar’s hospital stay. We appreciate all you’ve done and are continuing to do for us. Thank you again so very much. We are all jumping with joy! I’m not crying you’re crying lol!”

This is why our partnership with organizations like NAGI Foundation is so important. Together, our like-minded organizations can bring critical services to even more people in our communities and connect folks to resources they need. We are stronger and capable of doing more, when we work together, pool our resources, and look out for one another.

Thanks to the generous support of people like YOU, this family is whole today! Oskar is home with his family now and has been resting – as much as a kitten will rest that is! We are happy to share that he had a follow-up appointment recently and his leg is healing perfectly.

Oskar’s family has been there with him every step of the way to provide him comfort during his healing process. They built him a special “cat cave” with blankets and toys and special angled bowls to eat from while he has to wear the cone! They even crawl in with him for regular cuddle sessions and medication time. All this has kept him safe, comfortable, and entertained while he’s been on “bed rest” these last several weeks.

As Christina put it, “Nothing a few zip ties and duct tape couldn’t handle! I eventually wrapped a clear shower curtain around the kennel so he doesn’t get his paw stuck in the fencing and we can still see each other…”

Everyone deserves the right to experience the joy and companionship of having pets in their life. We also know that everyone needs support sometimes. Thank you for being there to support families like Christina’s, and pets like Oskar Whitetoe, when they need you most.