Family’s plea for help for pet dog with poorly heart
SAM SETS OUT TO SERENADE FROM THE DRIVEWAY
SPIKE HELPED WITH OWNERS’ DEPRESSION
A COUPLE’s beloved pet dog that has lifted them out of depression is likely to die unless he gets heart surgery.
Boris and Dijana Kovac bought Spike, an English bulldog puppy, in December and he has changed their lives.
But a heart murmur detected during an early visit to the vet has developed into a fatal condition that needs surgery costing £3,640, on top of a £650 scan.
Boris and Dijana, who live in the Abbey Lane area of Leicester, are on low incomes and cannot afford the cost and their insurance company will not pay.
The couple and their two sons, Emanuel and Brandon, are devastated by the idea of losing Spike.
Boris, 35, said: “We bought Spike from a breeder in Cardiff and picked him up in December.
“He’s the first dog I’ve ever had - my wife and I couldn’t imagine letting a dog climb all over the sofa and beds but he’s allowed everywhere because we’ve fallen in love with him.
“We both suffered from depression quite badly but since he came into our lives we just don’t think about our problems so much – he’s changed things so much for us.
“When we found out the heart condition was fatal we all couldn’t stop crying because we’re so attached to Spike. He has helped us so much.”
The couple have been using vets that specialise in helping families on low incomes and looking around for the most affordable surgery – but they cannot pay for it in instalments.
Because the heart murmur was discovered during the first check-up after they got Spike, their pet insurance company considers it to be a pre-existing condition, which is not covered under their policy.
Boris said: “I’ve heard this happens a lot in bulldogs and other flat-faced dogs – they often have breathing problems and heart problems.
“I’ve tried to go back to the breeder but she’s ignoring my calls and e-mails.”
The scan, at a vet in Birstall, took place on Friday last week. The Sunday before that, Spike had fainted and vomited.
Describing the upsetting incident, Boris said: “He went down flat on his stomach and fell onto his side.
“Then he was breathing really fast. He was trying to throw up but there was just fluid from his lungs coming out of his mouth.
“He wasn’t himself for about three days.
“The problem is with a valve in his heart that doesn’t open properly – they need to insert a balloon and inflate it to get the valve working.
“Otherwise his heart can fail at any time.”
To support the family’s GoFundMe fundraising appeal, search for “heart surgery for Spike”.
A SINGER took to the streets at the weekend to serenade mums on their doorsteps for Mother’s Day.
Sam Southall, from Burbage, had been struggling to maintain his income during lockdown and decided to start performing Live on your Drive shows.
The hour-long street shows proved a great success, prompting Sam to offer his talents for Mother’s Day this year.
The 28-year-old said: “This year has obviously been the hardest for me to find work, hence why I’m having to adapt what I can offer all the time.
“I needed to find a new way to offer my shows and earn money, so I came up with the doorstep idea.
“I offered them for Valentine’s Day and they were immediately popular, so I decided to keep going.”
This Mother’s Day, Sam did nine performances. He said: “They were all very special but one song I performed was extra special for a lady spending her first Mother’s Day without her mum.
“The song Spanish eyes was close to their hearts and the emotion was very real while I was singing it for them.
“For someone who has no idea about me coming, seeing their eyes light up when they open the door is heartwarming.” One of Sam’s most memorable past performances was singing for a 90-yearold, terminally ill, blind man on his doorstep.
“It was amazing to see him singing along with me and enjoying the music,” he said.
The musician is still continuing his lockdown gigs for birthdays and other occasions and can be booked via his Facebook page.
During the summer, he will resume his Live on your Drive shows.
The latest guidance from the Musician’s Union states that music studios are now able to open for professional recordings but that venues are still not allowed to have an audience.
The song Spanish Eyes was close to their hearts and the emotion was very real while I was singing it for them Sam Southall