Wales On Sunday

‘AMAZING’ COMMUNITY RALLIES TO PAY FOR DOG’S OP

Mum says five-year-old son was left in tears at thought of losing his pet

- KATIE BELLIS Reporter katie.bellis@walesonlin­e.co.uk You can find the gofundme page at https://uk.gofundme.com/f/ please-help-up-raise-the-fundsfor-chase-surgery

AFAMILY were left heartbroke­n after they thought their dog may have to be rehomed following costs for unexpected surgery. Owner Kelsey Daniel said her dog Chase was suffering with his back leg, so she took him to the vets.

The 31-year-old from Ferndale, Rhondda, said an option was to put him to sleep but the vet could see he was a happy and healthy dog.

The operation, which costs more than £3,000, meant Kelsey’s only option at the time was to sign Chase over to the vets.

After finding her five-year-old son Caelan crying in bed, Kelsey managed to strike a deal where Chase would stay with her – provided she could pay for part of the operation upfront.

Sister

Jenna then set up a gofundme page and within days they hit their target thanks to the “amazing” support in the community.

Writing on the page, Jenna said: “Chase has luxating pattelas (a condition in which the patella, or kneecap, dislocates or moves out of its normal location) so my sister took him to the vets, option was to put to sleep but the vet could see that he was otherwise a very happy and healthy dog.

“Decided against putting him to sleep. However 3k+ was needed from my sister to pay for his operation. There’s no way my sister could get her hands on that amount of money then and there.

“The only other option was to sign him over to the vets. Which is what has sadly happened. My sister and Caelan desperatel­y want Chase home after his operation but in order to do this she needs to raise this money to cover part of his operation.”

Talking about the last week, Kelsey said she knew she had to fight to get Chase back.

“The operation would have cost me £3,000 and I didn’t have £3,000 at the time so I handed Chase over to the vet. The vet handed Chase over to Friends of the Animals Wales. I contacted them and the lady was absolutely amazing, she was willing for me to have Chase back if I could meet his needs which was to raise £1,500, in order for Chase to have his operation which is costing £3,800.

“They have raised £500, so she said that £500 will be donated to

Chase’s operation.”

The rescue centre will contribute the balance needed and the family will set up a monthly payment to reimburse their funds.

One of the reasons why Kelsey was so determined to get Chase back was for her five-year-old son Caelan.

“On the Sunday, I was downstairs and I could hear him crying. When I went upstairs Caelan was cwtched up in Chase’s bed crying.

“My sister has gone above and beyond, she has done a big raffle for him. Chase was my son’s second birthday present, he classes Chase as his brother. We were devastated, we cried for days.”

The family were reunited with Chase on Monday, two days after they had taken him to the vets. She described the two days without their pet as “horrific”.

Talking about the reunion, she said: “He (Caelan) was crying his eyes out, he was so happy.

“I cannot thank everyone enough and I can’t just say the Rhondda because my uncle from Germany has donated money and cousins in Australia have donated money to Chase.

“We cannot thank the community enough, everyone has been fantastic. If it wasn’t for Jenna I don’t think I would be able to do it.”

At the last count yesterday, the gofund me page had raised nearly £2,000.

A HUGE quad-engine military transport plane was spotted flying low before landing on a Welsh beach.

People in Llanelli heard the drone of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules on Thursday afternoon and into the evening as it circled before landing at Cefn Sidan Beach, Pembrey, Carmarthen­shire.

The massive turboprop plane from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshir­e then crossed the Bristol Channel before returning to base via Exeter and Swindon.

Dramatic pictures and video captured at Pembrey Sands show the transport craft landing and taking off from the beach to the roar of its four engines around sunset on Thursday evening.

An RAF spokesman confirmed that the transport, operated by No.47 Squadron, was conducting essential, routine training at Pembrey.

Used extensivel­y by the United States Air Force and Marine Corps in operations in Iraq and Afghanista­n, the Super Hercules was also used as a support aircraft by Nato during the Libyan Civil War in 2011. It is also utilised for civilian purposes and can be used as an air tanker to fight wildfires from above.

The Super Hercules has a crew of three and can hold 64 airborne troops, 74 patients with five medical personnel or two or three Humvee road vehicles.

With a wingspan of 132ft, it weighs 34 tonnes and is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 turboprop engines which can propel the massive craft to a maximum speed of 417mph.

The flight was a four-hour round flight for the crew from RAF Brize Norton, where it departed at 4:44pm and landed safely at 8:27pm.

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 ??  ?? Caelan with his dog Chase
Caelan with his dog Chase
 ?? RYAN MILSOM ?? The Super Hercules at Pembrey Sands
RYAN MILSOM The Super Hercules at Pembrey Sands

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