Keeping Families Together: Cynda and Lucy Belle

When Cynda’s emotional support dog passed away last year, she was heartbroken. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cynda needed that support more than ever. Since suffering injuries in 2008, Cynda has multiple medical issues and experiences constant widespread nerve pain.

Looking through online photos of adoptable dogs, Cynda was immediately caught by the sad, puppy-dog eyes of a little scruffy, three-legged terrier mix. “I adopted her sight unseen!” Cynda said. “My new little dog, Lucy Belle, is all I have and brings me so much comfort. We are perfect for each other. She is absolutely starved for attention and love, and I have so much to give and no one to give it to. Lucy Belle helps me get through my chronic pain and also my grief. She makes me laugh every single day.”

At a veterinary appointment last year, Lucy Belle tested positive for heartworms. Despite her own financial limitations, Cynda is determined to provide Lucy Belle with the best possible care, even if that means sacrificing her own needs. Her veterinarian, Dr. Elizabeth Harrison of Cypress Creek Animal Hospital, was moved by Cynda’s dedication to Lucy Belle and turned to the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation (TVMF) for assistance. Through a Rusk Veterinary Assistance Grant, Lucy Belle is getting the heartworm treatment she needs and will keep making Cynda laugh every day!