SAVE TURBO

(N/B: There are obviously so many more important online fundraisers that urgently require your attention, such as the horrific humanitarian crisis in Lesvos:

https://assets.gogetfunding.com/refugee-child-urgent-lesvo...

and the ongoing crisis in Calais:

http://about.justgiving.com/content/calais-migrant..

if you have already given generously to these causes, and have anything else you might be able to spare - the price of your daily caffeinated beverage, maybe, or another little luxury - then please read on)

Meet Turbo. He is a happy-go-lucky long-haired jack russell cross who has unexpectedly become my ward. I recently got to know his owner, Sheara, who rescued him from the Battersea Dog’s Home a year ago (where she was also working). Sheara was made redundant from her job at Battersea few months ago, and cannot pay the rent on her council flat anymore. Her landlord has told her she has to give away all her pets, starting with Turbo.

Unfortunately, Turbo has been let down a lot in his short little life (we think he’s between 2-3 years old). Presumably because of some very terrible abusive practices he suffered while with his first owners, he is terrified of practically everything and everyone outside what he considers his ‘territory’. He has a very, very hard time managing his fearful aggression as a result. While inside the house he is a friendly, loveable and trusting little fluffball, the moment he encounters anything he isn’t sure about, be that a person, vehicle or animal, he is very likely to freak out and then lash out in self defence.

I do not have the stability or the funds to give Turbo a forever home, but without me taking him in, Sheara would have been forced to send Turbo back to Battersea. If he goes back there, they will almost certainly put him down - as a rule they do not put dogs with aggression problems up for adoption, as they are liabilities. So before Turbo is able to be re-homed, he needs to unlearn all of his instinctual aggression and re-learn positive, sociable behaviours.

This is where you come in. It is expensive keeping a dog, and I am already struggling financially as it is on my own. I am looking for more work but it is also difficult to keep a dog like Turbo on his own for too long, as he becomes anxious and destructive. While I am desperately learning everything there is to know about how to train dogs, it’s also clear that Turbo needs professional help if he is ever going to be able to cope with the outside world. These training sessions are obviously very costly, and as it stands, out of my price range.

Your donation won’t change the world, but it will mean that one little healthy dog with so much love to give won’t be killed for no reason, other than that his first owners were very horrible to him. It would break my heart if I had to give up on this little guy. He is such a wonderful pet and friend, he just really needs some help at the moment. As it was a chain of less than brilliant people who got him into this situation (not counting Sheara, who was his saviour,) I am hoping we can make a chain of more than brilliant people to get him out of it. Will you help Turbo have another chance at life by helping me to foster him as best I can?

Whatever you have to spare could help a lot. Eg.

£5 would cover my travel to the dog training centre and back

£10 would buy Turbo a fortnight’s worth of food and treats

£12 would help me pay for someone to dog sit for an hour while I’m at work

£50 would cover a 1 hour training session! (main aim of this fundraiser)

Another £50 would also cover a vet check up

I'm not expecting giant sums of money to help this tiny dog, but yeah, as already mentioned I'm struggling and I don't want to give up on him. Hopefully you don't want me too either. So any donation, no matter how small, would be really really appreciated.

Thanks and love from me & Turbo x