Mega is 7-year-old pit bull in Oakville, CT, who needs $2,000 for surgery to remove an obstruction in his GI tract and additional treatment for aspiration pneumonia.

How do you sum up what your best friend means to you?

I knew when I first laid eyes on Mega (and his sister) that they belonged with me. I've had dogs my whole life which can be hard. You fall in love knowing that they are going to die before you. But it is worth it, the love that you get is returned a thousand-fold.

From the very beginning, Mega was special. His temperament was unlike any other dog I had encountered. He was born with THOSE eyes and had the biggest heart I have ever seen. I got a call once from my neighbor to "Come get my dog before he gets killed by my cat!!!. I drove over to the farm next to us and saw Mega pinned in the corner by a giant cat who was attacking him while he kept his head down and just took it. He needed 12 stitches (his lip had been ripped wide open) but defending himself wasn't an option for him. He doesn't have the gene. Mega would be an incredible ambassador for the breed. Gentle, patient and one of those dogs that walks right past toys to lean against someone and get his ears scratched. I found out at 7 months old that he had an enlarged heart and I have always said it was because of how much he loved everyone.

Not long ago, I had to return to Connecticut to help my mother care for my father who had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. I was able to bring my 3 dogs with me and we began the near impossible hunt of finding a place to rent with 3 bullies. Options are VERY limited in CT--landlords and insurance companies are not bully-friendly here. Parting with them was NEVER an option; my dogs are my family. Period

I found a place above my price range but took on a second job to make ends meet. Then the dogs started to get sick and the vet bills dipped into $7k in the last year and a half. I'm a construction worker--very seasonal, so that was a hard hit. I spent my reserves (without a second thought) and worked side jobs where I could find them. It's been lean for a while but when you adopt dogs, you are committing to take care of them for life. Here I am again now and I am crushed. The night I took Mega to the hospital, I knew it was going to be expensive and I sold a classic car that I had been restoring to sell so I could find a place to move with more land for them. Then, things got worse and Mega needs immediate surgery. I am without any options right now, unless I sell my work truck, which I NEED to keep any revenue going for us.

I have such a small window of time and I don't know what to do. It KILLS me to need help but my pride means nothing compared to the life of Mega.