Kingussie chef fundraising to rescue ‘soulmate’ American bulldog - again
A Badenoch chef who rescued a dog from starvation is now having to rescue it from a crippling disease – which is forcing him to move house.
Kingussie man Dave Lee told the Strathy he could not bear seeing his four-year-old “soulmate” in agony and is calling on animal lovers throughout the strath to help him pay for the operation the vets say is the animal’s best hope.
“It pains me to even contemplate doing this but my boy Reznor is such a big part of my life that I have no choice,” said Mr Lee, who works as a chef at Newtonmore’s Mains House care home.
“Reznor is not just a dog, he’s not my pet, he is my soulmate, and anyone who knows us knows the special bond that we have.”
Mr Lee had lived in Spain for years and just before moving to Badenoch three years ago he chose to have an American bulldog sent over, selecting one that he especially liked the look of.
“But the dog that I finally received in Scotland bore no relation to the one I had selected,” he explained.
“The animal was barely 19 kilos and desperately in need of love, care – and food.
“He weighed way less than half what healthy, well-adjusted American bulldogs do.”
Mr Lee says the love and care he showered upon Reznor was more than doubly returned by a gentle, loving canine who became just as much as a life-saving friend to him.
The new crisis, though, came naturally when the dog was diagnosed with cruciate ligament disease which the species is prone to.
A vet has advised that an operation is vital.
“I’m told that Reznor has to undergo TPLO – tibial plateau leveling isteotomy surgery – to help him walk and live pain-free again.”
But the surgery is a specialized and costly procedure.
“The vet estimates the total cost, including surgery, post-operative care, and rehabilitation, to be around £3000,” said Mr Lee.
“While I’m doing everything I can to cover these expenses, it’s become clear I need some help to ensure Reznor gets the care he desperately needs.”
Mr Lee has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help raise the money, and as it approached the first £1000 this week he explained: “Every donation, no matter the size, will bring us one step closer to giving him a second chance at a happy, active life.
“He’s worth it. Believe me, Reznor deserves saving again from a life of intolerable pain. Seeing him unable to enjoy the activities he loves most is just crippling and heartbreaking.
“That’s why I’m currently having to relocate because I live in a first-floor flat in Kingussie which he simply cannot cope with.
“If anyone knows of a ground-floor place for rent in Badenoch, we’d both love to hear from them.”
Any Strathy reader who wants to help pay for Reznor’s op can do so here
