“Please God fix Alfie, so he can play longer.” That’s what six-year-old Aiden was praying for the night after his bestest friend, his dog Alfie, had to get emergency surgery in order to survive. We’re so happy to report that Aiden’s prayers were answered, and Alfie and Aiden are happily playing together again.
Journalist Lucy Noland from Fox 29 reported that the nine-year-old Sheltie needed a very complex surgery for a severe perineal hernia. Dr. Mark Magazu and Saint Francis Veterinary Center of South Jersey were kind enough to step in to perform the difficult surgery, knowing how much Alfie meant to Aiden, with the help of Don’t Bully Us Rescue to cover the costs. The founder of Don’t Bully Us Rescue explained, “When we saw the bond between Aiden and Alfie, I just knew we had to do something.”
Alfie’s recovery and reunion with Aiden was caught on tape by Fox 29, and the pup had tons of kisses to give his best friend! Because the surgery was so costly, a YouCaring page was also set up to help cover some of the dog’s medical costs. Luckily, the goal has already been met, but we’re sure any little donation would still be helpful for the family.
Here’s to Alfie and Aiden having many more years of playing together!
“Please God fix Alfie, so he can play longer.” Six year old Aiden had been saying that prayer night after night for his life-long best friend who needed emergency surgery to survive.
Aiden got an answer to his prayers. And that answer was affirmative.
“Want to give him kisses?” Aiden gave Alfie, his beloved dog, big kisses right there in the lobby of Saint Francis Veterinary Center in Woolwich Township, New Jersey. Alfie couldn’t stop wiggling with joy. It was their first time seeing each other since Alfie’s very complex surgery for a severe perineal hernia.
The nine year old Sheltie made it through, but his recovery was anything but certain. “As long as the tissues can hold, I think we’re going to be fine,” Dr. Mark Magazu told Aiden’s very nervous mom Kelley Karle.
Alfie is Aiden’s best bud. He’s Aiden’s rock– Aiden’s comfort as he struggles with newly diagnosed medical issues including profound hearing loss. All the doctor appointments ended up costing Kelley her job.
But because of so many of you here on this page, because of Don’t Bully Us Rescue which stepped up for a boy and his dog, because of the generosity of Dr. Magazu and Saint Francis Veterinary Center of South Jersey, Alfie and Aiden will have many, many years together.
When I told Don’t Bully Us founder, Mark Peters all that Alfie’s family had been enduring, he didn’t hesitate to help. “When we saw the bond between Aiden and Alfie, I just knew we had to do something,” Mark told Kelley at the hospital. Tears welled up in her eyes, “I have no words to honestly thank you enough.”
And I want to thank all of you who have reached out with words of encouragement and donations through Alfie’s YouCaring page after my original post last month. We didn’t have time to round up enough money to cover the deeply discounted surgery, but Dr. Magazu said Alfie couldn’t wait any longer so he and his staff performed the emergency surgery anyhow. If you can make even a small donation to help pay Alfie’s medical bills, here’s his YouCaring page (all tax deductible): https://www.youcaring.com/aiden-s-dog-518526
Sam’s Hope (click the name for the link) also donated $500 toward Alfie’s bills. The Pennsylvania non-profit is dedicated to saving pets by keeping them out of shelters and with their families who have hit a rough patch. AMAZING!
And Saint Francis Veterinary Center is also all about keeping families together. Its Angels for Animals Foundation provides assistance to the families of pets in dire need when those families simply cannot afford the bill. Here’s a link to help the cause: http://www.saintfrancis.org/community/angels-for-animals-foundation/
The night Alfie went home from the hospital, I received this message from Kelley that brought me to tears, “Lucy, I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done ❤️️ Aiden fell asleep on the floor tonight with his arm around Alfie.”
Perfect.
Thank you to FOX 29 editor extraordinaire Michele Greene for helping me with this story ❤️️
Posted by Lucy Noland FOX 29 on Wednesday, March 2, 2016
