Pet Health Advocacy: BirchBark Foundation
By Dina Eastwood
Raja the Chiweenie was in big trouble. The tiny dog was experiencing bladder problems that went from bad to worse. His human, Cherri Bollman, knew it was serious. “I took Raja to the emergency vet immediately. They quickly diagnosed the problem and said that a stone or large crystal was blocking his urine from coming out and that he would die within a couple days if he wasn’t operated on. They came back with the estimate. It was $7,000!” 24 | coastalcaninemag.com | Fall 2019
Massive estimates for necessary procedures at the vet’s office are always shocking. This one left Bollman—a mom to two dogs and who’d rescued Raja from a homeless couple—despondent. “All of my credit cards were already maxed out, I had no savings, and was feeling desperate, sad, and hopeless, like I was letting Raja down. It is my job to protect him and keep him safe and healthy. The thought that my best friend may die because I don’t have the money quickly overcame me. The guilt and shame were inescapable.” Bollman’s broken heart—and Raja’s life—were saved by a local nonprofit that is alleviating the financial burden in