06/23/2026
We wanted to introduce you to our newest rescue, Gary, in a very different way š„ŗ
Gary joined our program on Thursday and initially seemed perfectly fine. By Saturday morning, he had stopped eating and developed a cough. Since kennel cough is incredibly common in dogs coming from the city shelter, we assumed he was simply starting to come down with a respiratory infection.
Throughout the weekend, Gary remained under close observation. While he was still drinking some water and his gums remained healthy and pink, he continued to refuse food and seemed more tired than we would typically expect. Because kennel cough can sometimes hit dogs harder than others, we monitored him closely and kept a careful eye on his condition.
By Monday, his condition had taken a serious turn. His foster had to carry him outside to go to the bathroom, and he was clearly struggling to breathe. We noticed nasal flaring, labored breathing, and the telltale signs that he was working far too hard just to get air into his lungs.
We rushed him to the emergency veterinarian, and weāre so grateful we did.
At the hospital, Gary was diagnosed with a significant case of pneumonia. He also had a fever, an elevated respiratory rate, low blood sugar, and bloodwork abnormalities that confirmed just how sick he was.
While we may never know exactly what caused it, veterinarians believe itās possible he aspirated during his neuter surgery before entering our program.
Gary spent last night in the hospital and is expected to remain there for at least the next couple of days while receiving treatment and close monitoring.
When Gary came into our care, we made him a promise. Today, weāre asking for your help keeping it ā¤ļøāš©¹
As many of you know, emergency hospitalization comes with a significant price tag. Every dollar helps, and no donation is too small.
Weāve included his estimate in the comments for full transparency. The current estimate is up to $3,500, and thatās assuming everything goes according to plan and Gary doesnāt require a longer hospital stay or additional treatment.
We canāt wait to properly introduce you to Gary when heās feeling like himself again. Because underneath all of this is one of the kindest dogs youāll ever meet, and we know youāre going to fall in love with him just like we have š„¹
If youād like to help support Garyās care, donations can be made here:
šhttps://www.madeapromiserescue.org/donate
šhttps://www.venmo.com/u/madeapromiserescue
Thank you for always showing up for the dogs who need you most. š©µ
