Managing the financial burden of school and veterinary bills
Katelyn Regier, a fourth-year criminal justice and public policy student at the University of Guelph, has turned to online crowdfunding to help raise money for a crucial and expensive surgery for her four-month-old dachshund, Roscoe.
[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…many dogs who are born with this condition will die soon after birth…[/pullquote]Roscoe was born with a cleft lip and cleft palate and is in need of surgery to help prevent infection and improve his overall quality of life. “[This type of surgery] is very rare to happen with dogs, because many dogs who are born with this condition will die soon after birth because they are not able to drink from their moms,” explained Regier.
The pair met this past February over reading week and, according to Regier, “it was honestly like love at first sight.”
Although there was a great deal of interest from other prospective owners, the breeder saw how well Roscoe bonded with Regier and the two went home together later that night. “The breeder and her family were very connected with Roscoe, especially because they fed him with a syringe every couple of hours for the first couple of months after he was born,” explained Regier, “They had a hard time letting him go, but knew he was going to a good home.”
Although Regier is a full-time student, she is able to spend quality time with Roscoe by taking online courses and allowing him to sleep and play beside her as she does her homework. As a full-time student, however, the financial burden is not as easy to manage. Many students find it difficult to raise a pet while attending school, especially considering the high cost of essentials like pet insurance, food, and veterinary bills.
[pullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]I have absolutely zero regrets in getting him, regardless of the financial burden of his surgery.[/pullquote]On April 19, 2016, Regier decided to launch a GoFundMe campaign to help raise the $4,000 needed for Roscoe’s surgery. Although her parents have offered to lend her money for the surgery, Regier is hopeful that she can raise enough funds herself, whether that means picking up extra shifts at work, or rallying the community together to donate to the cause online. “I would just like to try and do as much on my own as possible to avoid putting a financial burden on my parents,” said Regier. As of Wednesday, May 11, Roscoe’s GoFundMe campaign has raised $1,605.
Roscoe’s surgery will take place in a few months once he has grown a little and lost all of his baby teeth. The surgery will be performed at the Guelph Veterinary Specialty Hospital by Dr. Ian J. Haws, former Head of Dentistry at the Ontario Veterinary College. If the crowdfunding campaign exceeds its goal, Regier plans to donate the remaining funds to the OVC Smith Lane Animal Clinic, where Roscoe had his initial consultations for the surgery. “They have been so helpful in taking care of Roscoe and advising me on which path to take,” said Regier.
While Regier has been working hard to give her puppy the best quality of life possible, Roscoe has returned the favour to his owner in many ways. “I have been going through a lot of things emotionally in regards to my mental health in these past few months and Roscoe has helped me through it,” Regier explained. “He cheers me up every day and I have absolutely zero regrets in getting him, regardless of the financial burden of his surgery. I think we were meant to find each other.”