Tara is an Iraq veteran whose life was permanently changed when a roadside bomb hit her patrol vehicle in 2006, severing her right leg above the knee. For the last 5 years, Tara’s dog, Porkchop, has been her constant companion and service dog, helping her regain her independence.  But this spring, it was Porkchop that was in need of help!  After presenting with pain and lameness, Porkchop was diagnosed with a CCL tear and required surgery to repair his knee and bring him back to full function. 

As a disabled veteran, Tara lives on a fixed income. Even so, she has always prioritized Porkchop’s health, adjusting her budget to ensure that he gets the care that he needs. The high cost of a TPLO surgery, was beyond what she could afford. That’s when Tara’s veterinarian reached out to TVMF for help through a Rusk Veterinary Assistance grant. 

In Tara’s own words: “Beyond just being an extremely useful and valuable tool in my life, this dog is also a very good friend. In his short 5 years of life, he has helped me through the depths of despair. Just having him by my side most nights helps ease the piercing nerve pain from my service injury. He has used his 75 pounds of bulk as a weighted blanket on my amputation, and as an extra large body pillow. Porkchop has licked the tears off my face more times than I could count. My emotional bond to him is so innate, I can’t remember what it was like before him. So I am asking for your help to bring my friend back to his working strength, so we can travel again together and so he can live the remainder of his life free of knee pain.”

Tara told us that Porkchop has accompanied her all over the United States. She added, “As he’s matured, he’s grown into a companion I can depend on to help me when I need something to brace while hopping on uneven surfaces, or to help pull me through crowds of people faster than the airport motorized golf carts. We know: we’ve raced them.”  We hope that Porkchop recovers successfully and that he and Tara are racing through airports again soon. 

Help TVMF save other dogs like Porkchop by donating to the Rusk Veterinary Assistance Grants today: https://www.tvmf.org/ways-to-give/donate/