No limit exists to the extent of true love, and this pet dad knew exactly what he had to do when presented with a difficult decision between his pup and car. Undoubtedly, it was an easy choice for him!
Randy Etter noticed something was amiss with his canine companion Gemini when the pup suddenly became listless and trailed after him everywhere he went.
When Gemini started vomiting, Etter feared for his pup’s well-being and raced him to the vet. However, determining what had been causing Gemini’s pain remained a mystery.
The vet simply couldn’t identify what ailed Gemini, but Etter had not given up hope. After all, his beloved companion meant the world to him and he was resolute in getting him much-needed assistance.
Etter was so devoted to locating a vet who could attend to Gemini’s needs that he sacrificed his job while desperately scouring from office to office.
Despite consulting with numerous veterinarians, Etter remained in the dark about what was ailing his beloved pup.
“I felt completely helpless and scared at the thought of not being able to get my son help in time,” Etter recounted in an interview with The Dodo. “It was one of the most frightening experiences I have ever endured.”
After some time, Etter and his girlfriend discovered the source of Gemini’s discomfort; a bottle cap had become stuck in his intestines. The couple found that when their baby girl was playing with her puppy pal, she must have tossed him one of her bottles which contained this object.
Etter was very prompt in taking the bottle away from Gemini whenever he threw it to her, yet evidently, at one point she got hold of it without his awareness and ended up ingesting some of the plastic.
To Gemini’s dismay, the bottle piece had caused a blockage and thus necessitated urgent surgery.
Etter faced an insurmountable challenge when he discovered the astronomical price of his best friend’s surgery—$4,500 more than what was in his bank account. Without hesitation, Etter took to Facebook and poured out a heartfelt post on behalf of his beloved companion that detailed their situation before offering up his car for sale.
In hopes of rescuing his beloved canine, he put up the car for sale to generate enough funds. He wished that a kind soul would purchase it and help him save his best friend.
In the end, Etter was spared from having to part with his car thanks to an astonishing display of compassion.
To start, Etters’ friend lent a helping hand and loaned him $2,000. After that, the S.O.A.R Initiative – whose core focus is to strengthen animal-human connections while making veterinary care and human services more accessible for underserved communities– stepped in to raise an additional $3,000 for Gemini’s operation costs!
Despite a few bumps in the road, Gemini’s surgery was successful and he quickly rejoined his beloved pet dad.
With the immense generosity of all who donated, Gemini was granted a second chance at life and Etter didn’t have to face the pain of losing his beloved pup.