Aussie is an 8-month-old Australian Shepherd mix in Pekin, IN, who needs $2,000 for fracture repair surgery.

We received Aussie as a companion for our daughter for her birthday when she was just 5 weeks old. Aussie came into our lives at a time when we had lost everything we owned & gave us all a reason to smile again. This was esp important for our daughter who suffers from depression w suicide attempts. She is her everything. Although she is ,y daughters dog, Aussie has known from the beginning that our special needs son had boundaries and needs. He has sensory processing disorder and is feeding tube dependent as well as autistic. She knows he needs patience and has been amazing with him. She loves on him during his meltdowns and lays with him till he comes out of it. When my daughter is at her worst, Aussie will NOT leave her side as if she knows her Mommy is sad. They have a bond together. Aussie even barks back at her and says, “I love you.”