A little life changed because of you
25 March 2026
To every single one of you,
We just wanted to take a moment to thank each of you for your generous support in giving this puppy a new start in life.
For those of you who haven’t seen our Instagram posts, after a really honest conversation with the vet, we made the difficult decision to amputate her leg. The break was severe and right through her growth plate, which made it a really complicated repair — with no guarantees, a long recovery, and a high risk of ongoing pain or even more surgeries down the track. As hard as it was, amputation was the option that would give her the best quality of life, the least pain, and the quickest path to being a happy, active puppy again.
Her surgery still came to over $2k, and we truly couldn’t have done it without your support. Every donation, message, and share made a real difference and helped us get her through it.
We’ve renamed her Āio (Ah-ee-yaw), meaning peace, calm, and tranquility, because it so perfectly matches her nature and the feeling she brought into our home. She’s gentle, calm, and it just felt right the moment we said it.
We’re honestly so grateful to each and every one of you for being part of her story and helping give her this chance. It means more than we can really put into words.
If you ever see us out and about with Āio, please come and say hi — she’s here because of all of you.
Ngā mihi nui — thank you so much.
Jesse, Kawiti, Rehutai, Hanamairangi and Āio