Dorita is the most charismatic dog you would ever know. She is happy to meet people and other dogs and animals, she likes cats and ferrets too. She is cheerful, loving, smart, always attentive to my needs and the best possible dog one could ever dream of. She has a very unique little howl when she is happy and wants attention to other people, when she does that, people melt of love and tenderness. She is precious, loyal and she has demonstrated to me all her life how lucky I was to choose her for spending her life with me.

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Dorita means the world to me. She is everything to me and my everyday inspiration. She takes care of me, and I do my very best to care for her in every way possible. She has been with me since 2014, and it has been a long journey, as we both have our share of health issues. Somehow, she teaches me every day that no matter where we are or what we are going through, there is always something to be cheerful and happy about. She truly loves life. She loves being with us—her mommy and her daddy. She has a whole family that loves her deeply, and she is very happy living her best life.

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Discovering my pet’s diagnosis was incredibly difficult. When I took her to her primary care hospital, they shared the devastating news about her tumor—something I never expected. Dorita had already undergone two surgeries earlier this year for non-cancerous conditions, and each one had been very hard on us. So when her doctor said she would need to be referred to an oncologist, I could hardly believe it. On the drive home, I cried nonstop in the car, not knowing how I would even begin to explain this to my husband. This was especially difficult because, at the same time, I was in the middle of writing two papers for my PhD oral examinations, a very important milestone in my academic journey.

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We decided to take everything one day at a time. Financially, the situation was and still is extremely challenging. We had to mobilize quickly and explore different options, including care credit, credit card, a GoFundMe, and using as much of our limited savings as possible. Our friends helped us tremendously. Being far from our families, as we are not from this country, made it even harder to find emotional support while navigating these unexpected expenses.

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Once we arrived at VCA and met Dr. Rachel Kovac and Dr. Cavalcanti, both oncologists, I immediately felt reassured by how thorough and compassionate their approach is. I knew she was in good hands. We entrusted our little Dorita to them, knowing we had to do whatever it took to give her the best chance at life. I started to research online to see if there was any support available, as this was completely new territory for us, then when I spoke to Dr. Kovac, she suggested looking into Dog’slife foundation.

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As we navigated the application process, my husband and I gathered all of our paperwork and information, trying to be as transparent and thorough as possible. We wanted to clearly communicate our financial constraints, as well as our deep love for Dorita, my service dog, my life companion. What she does for me is incredibly selfless, and now, as she reaches a stage in her life when she needs more care, I know I have to do everything possible for her.

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Today, Amy from Dogslife called me with the good news. I honestly could not believe it. I started crying on the phone as I shared a bit about this difficult time, and she was so kind and excited to explain how the foundation would support us. This help truly means the world to us. It is such a generous and selfless act, one we never expected. Thank you for making this possible and for giving my little one another chance at life. Even after undergoing major surgery just three weeks ago, Dorita is incredibly happy. She has already returned to the park to play with every dog she finds.

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She loves life, even with the circumstances, she is thriving. I know she wants to live many more years with us, because she is our home, and we are hers. Thank you, Dogslife for this Christmas gift. This means the world to my family and me. We are sharing this good news with our friends both here and abroad, and they are all deeply happy for us. While we know that what Dorita will face ahead will not be easy, at least it will no longer be a financial burden. 

Thank you.