£7k appeal to help rescue dog Dylan
Dog lover Diane Cullen is doing everything she can to help her beloved and poorly greyhound Dylan – and that includes launching a £7,000 fundraising appeal to cover his vet fees.
Courageous Dylan, who is a retired racing greyhound, has gone through a health nightmare since Diane became his owner just over three years ago when she found him as a rescue dog.
Since then, eight-yearold Dylan has had a lung torsion, an e-coli infection, fluid in the lungs which nearly killed him, haemorrhagic gastroenteritis, and cognitive decline/dementia.
But his latest battle with Alabama Rot was his biggest fight. The disease kills blood cells and causes kidney issues. He needed plasma treatment and the bill came to £13,500, said Diane.
And even then, almost as soon as he got home from treatment, a new problem emerged when he started showing symptoms of liver problems.
Overall, Diane has made insurance claims of £26,500 to cover his health fees and his battles go on as he needs ‘expensive monthly medications’ as well.
She explained that this is why she has launched a Go Fund Me appeal.
“Dylan brings me more joy than anything in the world. He is a loving, sweet boy who loves life.
"He didn’t have the best start in life and when I got him, I made the decision that I would do everything for him. If the fight is still in
the dog, then the fight is in his mam.”
Diane, 37, is a legal PA from Seaham and Dylan is her first dog. Mystery surrounds his history although it is known that he was found on an allotment and ended up with the Animal Krackers charity.
Diane said: "Historically he has been very unlucky with his health. He has always had a lot of insurance claims put in. I totted up and it is £26,500 over the three and a half years I have had him. I have lost count of the number of health issues he has had.
"With his history, it is pretty much a safe bet that something else will come up before his insurance renewal in December.”
Diane said she had also used credit cards to pay for his treatment and added: “I don’t want to have to put him down. People have been wonderful and they have given money to the Go Fund Me page and given money directly.”
She described Dylan as the ‘king of the comeback’ for his fighting spirit and said Dylan was a ‘sweetheart’ who she loved dearly.
Her Go Fund Me page is called ‘Help pay Dylan's vet fee for Alabama Rot treatment’ and the target is £7,000 with more than £1,400 so far raised.
Diane is hoping to ensure Dylan’s monthly medications are provided for to cover his arthritis and dementia with money also going towards contingencies in case he becomes poorly once more.
"I don’t want to have to put him down,” she said. “It would be so wrong to have to make a decision based on money.”