Athena is a 5-year-old Bull terrier in Toluca, IL, who needs $2,000 for Pre-testing and surgery.

My dog Athena is my service animal. I've had her since she was 5 weeks old. She's grown up with other cats and dogs in her life. At the age of 6 months she was trained to be a service alert dog for me. She lives with me and it is just the two of us now. Athena helps me so I can live independently and happy in life.

Athena is a very outgoing friendly dog. When she isn't working she is allowed to play with family, friends and her best friend Max. He is an Ausidoodle. They swim, play ball and romp around in the yard. Before I moved to Toluca she had a German Shepherd husky mix as her play companion. She is very gentle with the children and babies that enter my house just as she is the adults who visit.

I have been disabled for the last 10 years. I am on a fixed income with social security disability. I live in low-income housing I due to my financial hardship. With me being disabled I need Athena to be healed so she can continue being a proper service alert dog.

I just found out that Athena has bilateral Luxating patella. Meaning her knees pop out of joint. She was playing with her best friend Max and ran into a area that is not very level. When she ran into that uneven ground she twisted her back right knee. But now has trauma to the ligament. Before she can have surgery she needs to have pre-surgical testing done. Blood work more X-rays and then surgery

Every morning Athena wakes me up to what appears to be a big smile on her face. It's beautiful to wake up to her shinning face. She loves to snuggle and sometimes she thinks she a lap dog. She loves to go swimming play catch in her free time. When she gets in a pool she just explodes with happiness. It's not a big pool because I do live in an apartment. She brightens up my day everyday.