Pauly is a 2-year-old Aussie mix in Minneapolis, MN, who needs $1,000 for Patellar Luxation Repair.

Pauly is about to turn two. I adopted him from a rescue when he was just about three months old, they tell me he was born in Texas. We live with Rainy, another, smaller, black dog. She was not thrilled when he arrived but now they're best buddies. He loves all humans, dogs and cats. He's also a very good mouser.

Pauly is pretty good at just chilling out, as long as he's had one decent walk that day. When he was very young he initially would not leave the property to go on walks. I think after so many changes (the ride all the way up here, then the foster home, then me) he was afraid I'd take him away and give him to someone else.

The most remarkable thing about him is definitely how much he loves everyone. Once he was way ahead of me at the dog park and when I caught up to him he was sprawled across the lap of a man who was sitting on the ground with his friends. I thought, from a distance, "that must be his dog, where's Pauly?" but then is was him! He's about 50# so he's not what one generally think of as a lap dog.

Pauly is still quite a puppy at heart and loves to run and play. but he has luxating patellas (his kneecaps are "loose" and move around in ways they're not supposed to). It causes him pain and he can't keep up with the other dogs. When he wrestles with other dogs he sometimes hurts his knee again and cries out. He also can't walk very far. Pauly's vet is Midway Animal Hospital in St Paul, MN.

I have been unemployed and now have a new job but have some catching up to do financially. I have put off surgery for a while already, hoping it wasn't that bad, but it's getting worse and likely to affect his long term health