Copper is a 6-year-old Catahoula Mix in Prairie du Sac, WI, who needs $2,000 for 3-5 Mass Cell Tumor Removals, and (If Necessary) Penile Amputation.

Copper chose us in March 2021. We drove a couple hours to visit him at his foster; we immediately knew he was meant for our family and brought him home. "Hoping Fur a Home", his rescue organization, mentioned he was around 4 years old. He had spent a couple years being a stray in Texas, but at the time they rescued him he had been tied up on a short leash in a small cage.

It took Copper about 6 months to enjoy playing with toys; it seemed odd to us since we thought it was in his nature to. Unfortunately, being a stray for so long forced him to choose life-needs over playtime. He, however, caught on with commands pretty quickly; he sits, lays down, shakes (can do either paw), rolls over, and stays still. Of course, treats allowed all this to happen pretty easily.

Copper loves toys that squeak and anything with peanut butter on it. His Catahoula breed makes him a great small game hunter - he loves to chase chipmunks and squirrels around our neighborhood. He will do anything for a butt scratch or a belly rub. He loves to meet new human friends especially if they have treats.

Recently, a couple lumps were found in Copper's groin area. After getting them sampled, we were notified they are mass cell tumors (MCT). In order to determine the severity and magnitude of these tumors, they need to be surgically removed. Unfortunately, the largest tumor is on his prepuce, and to hope for good margins (space around the tumor) may require penile amputation.

Due to the type of surgery that is needed, the cost has dramatically increased than what it would typically be for a MCT removal. We are saving as much as we can, but the required cost has been a significant unexpected expense.