Kylis is a 7-year-old Labrador Retriever in Ravenna, OH, who needs $500 for orthopedic surgery.

On May 2, 2011 a friend was coming home from work near Branson, Missouri. We had been experiencing heavy rains and severe flooding. As she was crossing a road they were ready to close, she noticed a box that was moving. She pulled over and found a labrador puppy that was not long from being swept away in the flood waters. She knew that my husband had lost his beloved lab just before we got married, and so brought this little guy to us. The moment my husband held this 6 week old wet ball of fluff, it was over. The connection was made. Once I held him, it sealed the deal. He was ours. We couldn't have children, and here was our "son". Now for a name.... I threw around so many names, including Noah-for obvious reason. But my husband had already chosen one. Kylis. (pronounced K-less) Why? Well my husbands name was Ric... no K on the end.... Ric is k less. Get it? I know, egotistical on Rics part, but funny to us! No one ever pronounces it right and I gave him endless grief about that. But that is the way he wanted it. Kylis has two older fur siblings, twin cats, Misty and Milo. They are a year and a half older. They played together as babies, but as you can imagine, as KK (his nickname) got bigger, they learned to give each other more space. Our favorite family past time was going to the lake. We would swim and play ball for hours. KK hated coming home, just as any child would, but he was always worn out after a long playful day!!! Chasing sticks or balls in the backyard was another great past time, or playing in the leaves or snow piles!! It became harder to do some of those things as KKs daddy became sick. Kylis spent a lot of time lying on the sofa with Ric, keeping him company and entertaining him. I was KKs momma and the one he cuddled at night, but daddy, daddy was his buddy. The more time Ric spent in the hospital, the more time Kylis and I had to rely on each other. We had to keep each others spirits up. In 2017, we had to move to Ohio for medical treatment and Kylis was a trooper! He always loved car rides, and moving with him was a breeze. A little over a month after the move, Ric passed away. Kylis did not get to say goodbye. One day he was home, and he never came back. It has been tough for both of us. Kylis has been my life line. I have paid close attention to his grief, and he has mine. I can't imagine my world without him. I miss being able to take him on long walks, or to the dog park. He can't go swimming or play tug until his leg is fixed. He just isn't himself at all having to be so completely restricted. He will never recover more than 50% of his mobility without surgery for his torn CCL. I don't want that life for him. I want my happy, playful, carefree baby back. He wants to chase his girlfriend nextdoor, a beautiful 3 year old white english retriever. He wants to run and bark as my great niece and nephew ride their little tractor in the yard. I want to take him to the lake where we had planned to go as a family, and let him run in Lake Erie for the first time. He's a big part of what I have left of my life with my husband. He's our baby. I look at him and I see all of our memories with his daddy, and all the one we will make just us. There is only one Kylis.