Jackson

Jackson is this adorable 15-week-old Jack Russell Terrier mix. Like many of our applicants, Jackson was diagnosed with a PDA and needed expensive surgery in order to live past the age of one.

A few years before acquiring Jackson, his human parents adopted two human children who were abandoned by their natural mother. Jackson’s mom works as an administrative assistant, but his human dad is disabled, and a stay-at-home dad. Mom’s modest salary and Dad’s disability checks were barely enough to keep up with bills and provide for two kids, let alone cover the high cost of medical care for everyone in the house.

When Jackson’s family found out he needed $3,000 surgery in order to live, they were devastated. “Because of [dad’s] condition, our medical expenses are high. I hate to choose between human needs and canine needs, but that is essentially what we are faced with here,” wrote Jackson’s mom.

She explained their determination to help Jackson: “They (the children) are very attached to Jackson and we feel that no matter what we must try to save him so that they can continue to make fond memories together. As you know, having a pet is a wonderful way to bond and learn to care for another being besides oneself.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Luckily, Jackson’s family found BHF just in time. We were able to provide a grant to Jackson’s family that enabled him to get the surgery he so desperately needed. Today, Jackson lives a comfortable and pain-free life with a family who loves him very, very much.

Here he is, recovering from surgery in January, 2014: