Help Nesta - Godfrey Family Dog, Get Surgery On Her Torn Knee Ligaments

When I look at Nesta, I don’t see a dog. I see a friend, a family member, a protector. Her energy is boundless, and she takes great pleasure in running joyfully in the park and along the beach – but without your help, she may never run again!

I read a quote recently that said, ‘If people had hearts like German Shepherds, the world would be full of love, loyalty, and head tilting – lots of head tilting.’ If you’re a dog-lover, I imagine you’re smiling at the words just as I did. Our family dog is named Nesta. She is a 5-year old German Shepherd who is incredibly dear to us.

Several weeks ago, Nesta began to limp every time after we took her out to play in the back yard or took her on a walk. Because her discomfort didn’t seem to be lessening, we took her to the vet to see what was causing her pain. After the vet took x-rays, we were dismayed to learn that she had torn ligaments in both knees.

The vet told us that tearing a ligament is the most common orthopedic injury in dogs, and that all dogs are at potential risk. The most commonly reported dogs with ligament injuries are young, active, large-breed dogs, such as Mastiffs, Labrador retrievers, Rottweilers – and German Shepherds like Nesta. Nesta's right knee was an historic injury. She tried to tough it out by continuing to run on it, but by favoring she had put additional strain on her other knee and tore that as well.

This was hard for us to hear. We knew that we had to find a way to help her. The vet explained she needs a type of surgery where they cut a bone in the knee cap to relieve the tension of the ligament and that it takes 4 weeks to heal. The cost is $3,000 per knee, and the operation will be done at Massey University Veterinary Teach Hospital.

Even though our family of six (four children) love her deeply, we simply don’t have the $6,000 to pay for the two surgeries. We’ve never been in the position to ask for money before, and it is difficult for us to do so now, but because we love her so much, we are hoping that there are kind dog lovers who will help us defray the costs. Even $5 will help!!

Please find it in your heart to donate to our campaign! Every dollar we receive will go directly to Nesta’s surgery. With your help, she will no longer be in pain and can resume her normal activities. Any donation that remains after the cost of the surgeries will go toward canine arthritis research and protection.

Thank you for taking time to read our plea! We pray for your support!