Kevin, AKA @KevinGremlin, is a Chihuahua mix puppy in Columbus, OH, who needs $2,000 for surgery to repair carpal valgus.

"Poor, little Kevin was abandoned in a neighbor’s back yard in April 2020," explains Jennifer T. She saw the "found puppy" posting and immediately offered to foster the adorable dog. Jennifer is no stranger to caring for lost, stray, abandoned pups. She has a pack of senior dogs herself and she has worked with the Marysville, Ohio-based Hospets rescue organization in the past, and so she introduced Kevin to her furry family of rescues.

"He is a ball of energy, and has a huge personality and extreme intelligence," she exclaims. "We call him Kevin after the strange bird in the movie 'Up.' He is a wonderful, weird, and wild mix of genetic flaws." A lovable, slightly off-center canine with a funny underbite, long, lanky legs, Pomeranian ears, two sets of dewclaws, two sets of regular nails, and who-knows-what-else.

Jennifer notes that he has been enjoying his time "tormenting my seniors." Meantime, she has worked diligently to try to find his original family, plastering posters around town, contacting rescue groups and shelters, and searching neighborhood websites." Sadly, no one has claimed him, so she diligently set out to find him the perfect fit for his forever home—and she succeeded. A Christmas miracle!

Along with these efforts, Jennifer took him to the vet for a check-up; the vet confirmed his age, and that, sadly, he had worms and particularly tiny, needle-like teeth, and, of course, he was not yet neutered. The worst news, however, was that he suffered from extremely bowed-in front legs. He was diagnosed by Audrey Wanstrath of the Ohio State University Veterinary Clinic with carpal valgus. This condition has not impeded his mobility—at least not yet—and, it often corrects itself; one leg seems to be doing just that. The other leg is not.
"We have pinpointed a wonderful home for Kevin, and I cannot, in good conscience pass the financial burden of his surgery to his new family, particularly while COVID-19 has created its own burdens, and in our area, we've had two shuts-downs," she further notes. Kevin will need orthopedic surgery on this leg, even though he has learned to compensate. However, surgery must be performed sooner, rather than later. "We feel it is best to correct this while he is young," Jennifer states.

Kevin has evolved into a Twitter and Instagram star (#KevinGremlin and @KevinGremlin). This funny, sweet, and oddball boy—a mix of Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, and Pomeranian—is a heartthrob! Beams Jennifer, "You can't look at this sweet goofball and not smile...your heart just melts."
If your heart is melting as you gaze into the eyes of this needy, little boy, could you please contribute to his wellness? Kevin truly needs a helping paw.