For some folk, a barking Maltese can be a nuisance, but for dear Judith it is a lifeline.

Judith is profoundly deaf and it is her cheeky little Milo who helps her stay connected to the outside world. Yes, Judith can arrange an interpreter when the need arises, but day to day Milo is the one who alerts her to activity and visitors, entertains her with his cheeky antics, and then lays loyally by her side as her constant companion.

Judith lives a very simple life on a disability support pension and in recent times has struggled to afford the costs of Milo’s veterinary care. He suffers from chronic ear and skin issues that require regular attention. A local veterinary hospital recently referred Judith to Cherished Pets’ social service, and we have since provided home care and veterinary assistance.

However, the situation escalated last month when Cherished Pets received a frantic phone call from Judith’s case worker and interpreter expressing serious concern about the deterioration in Milo’s health. Over a short period of time dear Milo developed a painful growth in his ear canal, most likely as a result of years of inflammation, that was growing rapidly and causing severe pain. It was causing Milo to become aggressive when touched and they feared that euthanasia would be necessary.

The CP team stepped in immediately with an after-hours home vet visit to assess his condition and provide some pain relief. We then set about coordinating a plan of action - which is something we do very well! Coordinating all aspects of pet care, and creating funding solutions with our clients, is a critical part of our service.

Fortunately for Milo, we were able to develop a solution that worked for all. We arranged for a review by Dr John at Bellarine Vet who recommended a surgical procedure that would normally cost $2000. With a generous discount from Bellarine Vet, $1000 from our friends at Pet Medical Crisis Fund and a subsidy from Cherished Pets Foundation, the surgery was able to proceed and it went beautifully. CP Community Vet Care has continued to provide pro bono care for Judith and Milo through post-operative home vet nurse visits and transfers.

The good news is that Milo has recovered fantastically after his surgery and both he and Judith are happily enjoying each other’s company again!

Through our social veterinary service, Cherished Pets provides 24/7 support to elderly people and people with a disability who are living independently in our community. Our community vet nurses do the rounds to ensure medications, wellness care and good nutrition are provided. We provide behaviour and training support, volunteer pet carers, respite care and emergency care plans. We are pretty much there as the support team for the pet and person through whatever life dishes up!

This service is a huge undertaking. No two cases are the same. We go above and beyond the call of duty every day. And it can be exhausting when our limited resources are already so stretched. This is why we need your continued support. Demand for our services is growing and we are officially at capacity with the funding that we have secured.

So please VOTE FOR CHERISHED PETS in the Sunsuper Dreams for a Better World grant contest. If we get through this round, we are in the running for a grand prize total of up to $50k. All of these funds will go directly to funding support for pets and people like Milo and Judith through whatever challenges they are facing. Our goal is to keep pets healthy and well so that the benefits of the human animal bond can be accessible to all.

VOTE here: https://dreamsforabetterworld.com.au/finalist/1857