Hello, my name is Patti Gudas and I live in the community of Appleton Wisconsin. I am a 72 year-old retiree who lives at home with her 4 year old Cane Corso Rebel, and parakeets Drogo and Yqritte just over 6 years old. I am an extraordinarily strong animal empath.

I began rehoming pets approximately three years ago when I realized just how many pets were being offered for free on social media. The pet rescues and shelters are having to turn away many animals due to being overburdened with the number of them being surrendered or rescued. This has left many pet owners giving their pets away to uninvestigated parties, not ensuring their safety, responsible care, and love. I have stepped in to take on the task of seeing these precious pets go to loving and deserving forever homes.

I do not charge adopters for these pets, my service is far from a money making mission. However, I am often asked to find homes for pets that are unvaccinated, unaltered, or have other medical needs. I set up a fund at a reputable vet clinic in my area that is for deposit only and services rendered. Money is never withdrawn so people who occasionally donate can be sure it is going towards the welfare of the pets I’m Rehoming. My own pets have a different clinic.

The fund is never enough to cover costs, but I pet sit, house sit, do odd jobs that my health permits, and have even picked up feces to cover the pet costs and needs.

I seldom am without demands for my mission. I currently have four dogs and six cats to find homes for. I post introductions to the pets on social media and forward them to a circle of individuals I network with to get them shared. When interested parties come forward I do the background checking to see if they meet approval. This is everything from their personal home environment, current or past vet records, landlord approval if they rent, financial ability to give the pet proper care, to checking court records to see if there are any concerns there. I have now successfully rehomed over 300 pets.

Henry’s caregiver reached out to me for help approximately three months ago. He was in an unhealthy environment which he was removed from, and because of treatment there he now has unsocialized behavior with other dogs. Henry is a two year-old purebred Cane Corso, and even finding him a proper foster was a challenge. He was finally taken in by someone without other dogs. Within a very short time we were noticing a slight limp in his front left leg. Within two days it had gotten worse so I scheduled him with an appointment right away to have the lump determined as an injury such as a sprain or something more serious. The doctor found the pain to be related to his shoulder rather than his leg, and he was put under for x-rays. The vet found a problem with his shoulder that was neither a sprain or something that would recover on its own. He didn’t know if it was from abuse but said Henry would need an MRI and would be looking at surgery with a specialist down the road, with an expected cost of over $20,000. This is something I cannot even begin to dream of doing for him. I live on approximately $12,000 a year, and even the MRI is beyond my reach.

I started looking for rescues inside and well outside of my area to see if I could find him a place that could take him on and get him care. I spent days which turned into weeks trying to find somewhere for him. Finally a specialist that is known to help hardship cases was suggested to me by a donor of his. Afraid to get my hopes up, I still reached out to him. After some initial contact, and finally the doctor receiving all of Henry’s medical records up until now, he agreed to see Henry and do what he could do.

My problem is having to take Henry to Colorado. Besides having to get repairs on my vehicle’s power steering unit to have it ready for the trip, there is also gas, food, and lodging necessary for me to take him there. I have absolutely no idea what the cost will be,, but I am setting my goal at $5000. Past experience tells me it will be more which is a bridge I will just have to find a way to cross if it comes, but if it comes to less the extra will go 1/2 to the doctor Henry is to see, and 1/2 to my vet fund to help with Henry’s follow up care when we get back.

I am pretty well-known in the Nextdoor app for the area I live in, and I have countless people to confirm what I have told you about my mission with animals along with the success. I hope this is enough to initiate some interest in helping me get Henry the care he must have as he gets significantly worse each day. I am shooting at leaving with him the 1st of September, the day after my current Pet Sitting commitments. I’ve canceled my plans for surgery in the beginning of September in order to get him there and back. PLEASE. if you cannot help monetarily, please please please help with prayer. I know it’s value, and it will mean so much to Henry and myself. God bless you.