Ava is a 3-year-old Labrador Retriever in Escondido, CA, who needs $2,000 for Cruciate Ligament Surgery.

Ava came in to my life three and a half years ago, just when I needed her most. It had been a rough few years and I knew I needed something to pour my love into just as much as they would to me. So I found her, in a sea of cute black pups, she hung back just looking up at me willing me to take her home. And so I did. It was love at first sight.

Ava lives with me, my dad, and Molly our 11 year old cat. After 3 years I can say without reservation that dad loves her almost as much as I do, and Molly tolerates her as much as a moody, independent feline can. Ava also has lots of extended family, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends who she loves though she is definitely mama's girl. I think that happens when you take your dog everywhere you go.

Honestly I wasn't expecting surgery to be quite this much. I've been putting money aside for a few months but it just isn't quite enough. I don't want to wait on the surgery any longer as I am afraid she will further injure herself while overcompensating on her other leg.

Late in 2019 Ava was playing with her Portuguese Water Dog friends Mario and Vena. They were chasing each other around after some light rain and Ava's back leg slipper out from under her as she went to turn. I could tell something not great had just happened but being a her, she hid it for a while. Eventually she couldn't hide it and we went to the vet and learned she tore her cruciate ligament.

Ava is my best friend, emotional support, and all around general inspiration to get up and do stuff. Her two favorite activities (besides eating cause she is a lab) are playing Frisbee and swimming in the pool or the ocean. Her preference is to combine those activities. It took a while to learn the swimming pool, she hates stairs and they were an obstacle to enter the pool. But now, she is pro.