Loca is critically ill and out of time.

Loca is critically ill and out of time. Without surgery, this 3-year-old Cane Corso will die. 

When our team first heard about Loca today, she was on the verge of being euthanized. A local veterinary clinic had reached out to rescues, desperate to find someone, anyone, who could step in to save her.

Loca’s owner loved her deeply, but after losing her job and waiting weeks for unemployment to start, she had no money to get Loca the urgent medical care she needed. When her partner left, she was left with nothing but her dog and a devastating choice.

Then came the message that broke our hearts: “She isn’t gonna make it much longer. What she pukes up is dark brown and smells horrible. She is going on a week and a half with no food. She drinks water but not as much as she normally does. SHE IS NOT GONNA MAKE IT MUCH LONGER UNLESS SHE CAN GET IN TO A VET. PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME HELP HER.”

We responded immediately, offering assistance through a $500 Emergency Medical Grant. But once the estimate for care came back at over $2,000 plus hospitalization, her owner, heartbroken but desperate to save her dog, made the gut-wrenching decision to surrender her so she could receive the care she needed.

When Loca arrived at the clinic, she was little more than skin and bones: weak, dehydrated, and fading. Bloodwork revealed infection, kidney distress, and a severely distended abdomen. The diagnosis was pyometra, a deadly uterine infection that is always fatal without surgery.

Even in her fragile state, Loca’s gentle spirit shone through. She wagged her tail and lifted her head for affection. One of the veterinary staff said, “She clearly feels so crummy, but she’s still wagging her tail for us. With how young and sweet she is, I think she still has the chance at a good life.”

Loca’s emergency surgery is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 11 AM. It’s risky. She’s weak and emaciated, but it’s her only chance to survive. Ruff Start Rescue has committed to getting her the care she needs, no matter what it takes.

This is what your donations make possible.

Every day, Ruff Start Rescue is the last hope for animals like Loca and for the people who love them but have nowhere else to turn.

We still have $34,000 left in our Give to the Max Day Early Giving match, which means every dollar you give right now will be doubled to help Loca and others like her. #GTMD25