Cleo is a 2-year-old English Setter in Winchester, VA, who needs $1,000 for Tail Amputation.

Cleo was the best Christmas gift I have ever received. I got her when she was 6 weeks old and we bonded intensely. Both of her parents were trained Llewelyn English setters, and Cleo has had the pointing and hunting instinct in her blood since day 1. Cleo and I live together, just the two of us, but spend lots of time visiting friends and family and exploring as much as possible.

Cleo has always been mad about being outside. There are days when she has run for 8 hours and still doesn’t want to come in at night - I’ve never met a dog as energetic as Cleo! She just recently has become interested in toys; we have a basket full of them and she will take them out one by one and occasionally even put them back in when she’s done.

Cleo is one of the sweetest and gentlest dogs I know. She is wonderful with children, letting them pick her up, climb on her, and generally shower her with affection. Cleo loves to ride in the car (I think this is from the 6 hour car ride she spent in my lap the day I picked her up) and would gladly have her head out the window - rain, shine, or snow!

On Valentine’s Day of this year, Cleo was hit by a car and left for dead. She had severe chest and head trauma with a pneumothorax, two broken ribs, and multiple contusions. Cleo is truly a miracle to have survived. She has healed amazingly well, except for a very crooked tail. At follow-up, we learned her tail is broken and displaced at the sacrum and requires amputation.

The first 24 hours in emergency care for Cleo totaled over $4000. Follow up appointments have added another $1000, and the estimate for amputation is $5000. I am a single person household/income, and I truly believe this surgery would greatly improve Cleo’s quality of life.