Jeannette & Highway found each other on Hume Highway
If you believe in fate and that some things are meant to be, then it is Jeannette and Highway’s story. About 4 years ago Jeannette Freeman found a skinny, neglected 8 week old Great Dane X Labrador puppy on the side of the Hume Highway. She took him home and called him ‘Highway’.
Jeanette is a 64 year-old single woman trying to make ends meet on the disability pension. She suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis and lives in chronic pain. She has had 2 total hip replacements and every day is a struggle. Her 2 dogs Highway and her soulmate ‘Nellie’ are both rescues, so are her cats. “My animals are my world – they are so wonderful and so good for my mental health.”
On Thursday 28th March Highway was running along the driveway of their Oakland Junction property near Tullamarine. Unfortunately, he mistook his footing and got his right back leg caught in a cattle grate – screaming in agony as his tibia and fibula snapped with the unforgiving metal’s force on bone. Jeanette heard his agonising cries and raced frantically to see what was wrong. He scrambled towards her and collapsed at her feet crying in pain.
Jeanette’s son was able to help get Highway into the car and off to Dr John Carter at Moonee Central Vet. Knowing she was unable to afford the cost of surgery and facing having to put him down, she was in tears and kept saying, “I can’t, I just can’t!” Jeannettes’s sister had some advice from a friend about Pet Medical Crisis so she made a call.
Pet Medical Crisis liaised with Dr John who also had not heard of Pet Medical Crisis. He explained the usual cost of surgery would be $2,500 so with our $1,000 maximum donation and a huge discount for Jeanette, she would have to contribute $650 by paying $25 per week ($50 per fortnight) out of her pension. Assuming no other unexpected expenses come in she will have to pay it off over the next 6 month.
Highway had his surgery at Moonee Central Vet on Tuesday 2nd April 2019 under Dr John’s care. Mum Jeanette is relieved he has come through the operation and is coming home to her.
If you’d like to help Jeannette & Highway – or many others like them, you can donate below.
All donations go through the Pet Medical Crisis charity and are tax deductible. Donors just place the pets name (Highway – PMC – CASE 503) in the message area and the charity will transfer 100% to pay the bill. Any residual funds stay in the charity to assist future cases.
Master Bowie has donated $50 to Jeannette and Highway. Their story has resonated with us deeply. As a dog owner myself and having been through a similar thing with Bowie, I could understand the feeling of wanting to do anything possible for your pet. We hope this story will help fundraise the much needed monies for Jeannette and Highway.
PS: We’re not affiliated with Pets Medical Crisis, but they have done such an amazing job in assisting people in need with their pets medical costs. Go to petmedicalcrisis.com.au to find out more.
