CO Volunteers Raise Money For Surgery To Save Rescue Puppy

LONGMONT, CO — A rescue puppy named Chaco has been diagnosed with a medical condition that will lead to heart failure, his foster home said. Volunteers have launched a fundraiser for the $5,000 that's required for surgery to fix the pup's heart.

Sara Woo is organizing the fundraiser on behalf of RezDawg Rescue Inc., an organization that rescues stray, feral and abandoned pets that are struggling to survive on Native American reservations in the Four Corners region. The rescued animals are then vaccinated, spayed/neutered, treated for any medical issues and placed into a foster home.

Chaco, affectionately nicknamed "Taco" in his new Longmont foster home, was rescued from New Mexico.

"Chaco taco was a 5lb mangey puppy with rickets that he quickly grew out of," Woo said on the pup's GoFundMe page. "We took Chaco taco to CSU veterinary hospital where he was diagnosed with patentductus arteriosus, aortic stenosis, mitral valvedysplasia and ventricular ectopy."

"Without surgery, Chaco taco will live a short life with restrictions, and his condition will lead to heart failure," Woo said.

Chaco's medical team is "confident that with surgery he will live a longer life and should have the opportunity to be a normal happy dog," Woo said.

"As foster parents we are hoping that sharing his story will help the rescue with the cost a little bit or maybe even a lot bit," Woo said. "Every dollar, every share and yes even every good thought is helpful and welcome!"

Visit Chaco's GoFundMe page to make a donation.

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