Piper is a 6-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier in Austin, TX, who needs $1,464 for Surgical Growth Removal and Histopath.

Piper and I have been together since she was 6 weeks old, when I got her from a breeder with the intention of using her as an Emotional Support Dog. As time went on Piper learned more and more about how to assist me with my Panic Disorder, eventually qualifying as a Service Dog. She has always been incredibly intelligent and gentle, happy to befriend anyone she meets.

Currently it is just Piper and I, and although she misses the multi-pet households we had with roommates previously, we are happy just the two of us. We enjoy hiking together when the weather is nice and often hang out in bookshops as well. Piper loves going with me to the houses of friends and family and is always happy to get in a cuddle or five with other people and animals she loves.

Piper is an incredibly communicative dog with a wide human vocabulary, able to differentiate words and agree or disagree with options I give or other things I say. She's not a barker, but she communicates in various whines, huffs, and grunts that amuse everyone who witnesses it. As a Service Dog she is trained to assist me in various ways, and she's very insistent about knowing what's best for me!

Village Veterinary Hospital has been our Vet for over 5 years. I was worried about a growth on Piper's side and took her in and he diagnosed it and a separate growth on her opposite side as Mast Cell Tumors. These will have to be removed for biopsy before we truly know how dangerous they are, but the odds are in our favor.

I live paycheck to paycheck with very little overhead and no real savings, so a $1400 expense is not the kind of thing that we are prepared for. I need Piper to be healthy as she, in turn, keeps me healthy. We thank anyone that can help from the bottom of our hearts.