Success 2024: Chilli

Chilli is one of the cases I am most proud of in 2024!

A stray, abandoned Pittie, Chilli was found in south Los Angeles in April of 2024. What dog has less of a chance? Is more forgotten, ignored? More disposable?

But when people heard this street dog had a heart condition, a birth defect, and that surgery was close to $10,000 to save her life, what happened?

One hundred and fifty-three people donated to get her that surgery!

 

Chilli's Story: A request for donations to help her

Or should we say procedure? Chilli had Pulmonic Stenosis, a birth defect in the heart where the valves are thick and stuck. It happens in people too, and the solution is to send a little balloon up there, and push them open: balloon valvuloplasty. Prognosis with this procedure is excellent, especially when caught young like with Chilli!

The problem, it’s a heart procedure. Those aren’t cheap. You need a heart specialist. You need special equipment. These can get up over $10,000 pretty quick, and Chilli is just another stray Pittie, no one even wanted her, just dumped to run around the streets.

But Chilli had something. She had a dedicated couple that had rescued her, Samantha Schoen and James Poole, and she had access to Free Animal Doctor. And that led to getting that heart procedure. How?

Samantha got the excellent rescue organization Ace of Hearts to help Chilli. They found the heart specialist and got a discount as well, but it was still $8000. That’s where Free Animal Doctor came in. We provide a donation platform where donors can help Chilli knowing that their donation, 100%, will go to her care.

• We hold the donations and pay them only to the specialist when the procedure is done.
• No fees. The entire donation goes to Chilli.

And let me tell you a little secret, something people may not want you know: When you give people the ability to help, when they know their donation really will be used as they intend, you get 153 people donating $8000 to a stray Pittie they’ve never even met. Chilli proves it.

 

Post surgery summary:

That’s why I am so proud of Chilli’s campaign. Because I am proud of people, people like you, people who help an animal in need when given the opportunity. People who donated, who shared her story, and of course Samantha and Ace of Hearts. Free Animal Doctor provides the platform and all of these people come together, and Chilli get’s her heart fixed!

Today Chilli is doing great. The procedure went well. She had her follow up, and everything is fine. She is as healthy as any dog that never had this heart defect, and should live a normal, happy life! Samantha is still fostering her. She has a number of applications in and some meet-and-greets are set up already for January. And if you would like to inquire about adopting, you can! Email to adoptchonkychilli@gmail.com

Adopt Chilli: