November 17th 2024.
It was a heartbreaking sight for Lana Chapman as she spotted a large dog, named Cindy, lying in the dirt outside a 7-Eleven. The poor dog was so overweight that she could barely move. Without hesitation, Chapman knew she had to do something and took Cindy in as her own.
Living on the beautiful island of Koh Samui in Thailand, Chapman had been helping local street dogs for years. She was determined to give Cindy a better life and knew that she would need to lose weight and take daily medication for her thyroid before she could live a normal life.
Chapman shared Cindy's journey on social media, where it quickly went viral. The outpouring of love and support from strangers was overwhelming, and donations began pouring in. In just a short time, close to $50,000 was raised to help with Cindy's care.
Unfortunately, the sweet dog's health took a sudden turn when she stopped eating a few weeks ago. This was a worrying sign for Chapman, as Cindy usually ran around the house with excitement before mealtime. After a few visits to the vet, it was revealed that Cindy had lymphoma, a common cancer in dogs.
Without hesitation, Chapman started Cindy on chemotherapy, knowing it was their best chance for survival. The initial tests alone cost almost $2,500, and the vets estimated that Cindy would need at least 19 weeks of treatment to beat the cancer. The thought of the mounting vet bills was overwhelming for Chapman, and she knew she would need help to cover the costs.
Pet insurance was not an option for Chapman as most vets on the island do not accept insurance claims. She turned to the kindness of strangers and started a GoFundMe page in Cindy's name, hoping to raise $10,000 to help with her care. The response was beyond her wildest dreams, as almost $50,000 was raised in just a few days.
Chapman was amazed and grateful for the generosity of people, many of whom had been following Cindy's journey since she was rescued off the streets. She knew that without the donations, they would have struggled to afford the necessary treatment for Cindy. Research shows that Australians are increasingly willing to spend large amounts on vet care for their pets, with an average of $825.50 being spent annually on vet bills.
Chapman is now hopeful that the donations will cover all of Cindy's cancer treatment, with some money left over to help other street dogs on the island. She has been personally funding the care for local stray dogs for years and is dedicated to helping the estimated one million stray dogs in Thailand.
In Australia, many pet owners rely on pet insurance to help with vet bills, with the average cost of a policy being $1,233 per year. However, the kindness shown by strangers in helping Cindy is a testament to the growing trend of people donating money to help other people's pets. In 2023 alone, over 221,000 GoFundMe campaigns were created for animal-related causes.
Chapman never imagined that so many kind-hearted strangers would come forward to help her beloved dog. She is grateful for the support and is determined to use the donations to not only help Cindy but also make a difference in the lives of other street dogs in Thailand.
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