Bertha is a seven-year-old Beagle mix in Geneva, OH, who needs $1,601 for surgery and rehab.

Poor Bertha! This sweet girl was picked up as a stray and sat in a hot, humid animal shelter, struggling to breathe. No one came to claim her, and not a single person expressed interest in adopting her; she was too old, too obese, and had too many lumps and tumors.

But when NE Ohio Greyhound Rescue saw Bertha's photo, they knew they had to save the dog. "Her eyes just said to us, 'I need help.' To a lot of people, that may sound corny, but to us, it didn't," Duane J. with the nonprofit group tells Waggle.

The organization raced Bertha to Madison Veterinary Hospital, where they found out she needs a considerable amount of medical care and surgery. "She has extremely high blood pressure, arthritis, several broken teeth, mammary gland tumors, cysts on the back of her neck, and is extremely overweight," Duane says. "She's a little chunky monkey. She should weigh about 17 pounds, but she weighs 31 pounds."

Bertha is on a strict weight loss program and can't have the surgery she needs to remove her tumors, cysts, and broken teeth until she is in better shape and her blood pressure comes down. She is also receiving chiropractic care to help with her mobility. "Bertha is a sweet as can be. She loves the other little Beagles at the sanctuary, and although she cannot run and play because of her weight, she does sit quietly and watch over the other dogs," Duane says.

Kim K. from the rescue says she hopes Bertha's case helps other pet owners realize the dangers of animal obesity. "It's not cool to let your dog get this fat," Kim tells Waggle. "Owners need to be careful about how much they feed and the quality of food they feed their dog, or they could end up like Bertha."

NE Ohio Greyhound Rescue provides lifetime care for animals with medical needs. They rely on donations to pay for animals' veterinary bills and day-to-day care. They take in dogs, like Bertha, who have little chance of being adopted. Bertha is beginning to feel better with her new diet and her tail wags more and more each day. She seems to know that the rescue is trying to assist her.

She was neglected for so long; please help Bertha get the care and surgery she needs!