When Christine saw Ralph Lauren in his kennel, she immediately bonded with him. Ralph, a pit bull, was often overlooked. And even though Christine was initially looking for a different type of dog, her love of pit bulls and Ralph’s happy demeanor took over, and she brought him home.
Christine and her daughters quickly discovered what a loveable guy Ralph was. Though quiet, he was great with Christine’s children, loved long walks and hikes, and took a road trip with the family soon after he first came home in 2019. Christine, a vet tech, also wanted Ralph to give back to other dogs in need, so she signed him up to be a blood donor. As a healthy two-year-old boy, Ralph was living his best life and saving lives, just like his mom.
But a few years later, after one of their regular walks, Christine’s daughter noticed Ralph fell off the couch. Christine immediately thought it must be something neurological. Later that afternoon, he collapsed again and had a seizure. Christine immediately called the emergency veterinary clinic where she worked and told them they were on their way. After performing an ECG to check Ralph’s heart, the vet determined he had what’s known as a second-degree AV block, meaning the electrical signals that control his heartbeat were blocked, causing a dangerously slow heart rate. Ralph would need a pacemaker, which was an expensive treatment and not something Christine could readily afford.
The next time she was at work, Christine discussed what was happening with her practice manager, who told her their facility had recently begun a partnership with Compassion Animal Project and recommended she look into us a resource. Christine applied and was approved quickly!
“Ralph was put into our lives for a reason. Who knows if he would have gotten the help he needed with another owner, but we’re glad he could get it with us. We thank everyone at CAP from the bottom of our hearts – you gave us our dog back.” - Christine, Ralph Lauren's Mom