Have you ever wondered what goes into your dog or cat’s food? What about the freshness of it? Do you buy their food based on a cute animal on the front of the bag or the recommendation of your vet? There’s so much to consider when deciding on food for your fur kids. It can feel a bit overwhelming! Here are some ideas that will hopefully move you toward selecting the food that best fits both your pet’s and your needs.
“A cold sadness overcame us and our hearts we thought couldn't possibly break anymore were then shattered. Just then our wonderful angel of a vet came in and let us know about Ellie's Rainy Day Fund. I am so thankful. Otherwise we would have lost a family member that we have had for only 6 months but yet has transcended our lives forever.”
– Whinnie's Family
“Leela is everything to my son. I wasn’t sure how he’d make it without her. But the hospitalization and treatments were going to be thousands of dollars we just didn’t have. She wouldn’t be home right now glued to my son if it wasn’t for you kind, generous people. She wouldn’t still be on this earth. Thank you for saving Leela. Thank you for saving my son.”
– Leela's Grandma
As the tax deadline looms, don’t forget about write-offs that could literally go to the dogs! Whether your adorable pup is on patrol or your cat exploits her gorgeous looks, you may want to read this. Although pets cannot be reported as dependents to the IRS, there are a number of deduction possibilities.
“I’m a single dad, living on a policeman’s salary. But a member of my family needed help! I had to get her out of pain and give her back the ability to move well again! She provided for me for the last 8 years. She did her service. The donors of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund have honored her legacy of the thousands of citizens she’s protected. Thank you for giving her back her life and for keeping my family whole.”
– Zeta's Dad
“What did it mean to us that you made this surgery possible? The world! You saved our world. There aren't words strong enough to say what this means to my family. I was going to try to mortgage my home to save her. But it wouldn’t happen fast enough. I am crying just typing this up. I truly feel like it's a miracle. I am so beyond thankful to every single donor to your organization.”
– Indy's Mom
“I was never a cat person but this sweet boy has become my third child. During the two months I was in bed because I was so weak from COVID and then having a heart attack, Mowie is what got me through. With no paycheck for those two months, when he needed surgery, I was sure it was over. I just laid in bed and cried because I felt like I was killing him. I felt I had nowhere to turn and I’d be forced to just let him die. But then you amazing people swooped in and saved us. I can never tell you what it means that you saved my best friend, my other child”
– Lupin's Mom
“We desperately wanted to try to save her but living on a widow’s social security benefits, and already paying to care for my Mom, didn’t leave me any options. That is, until the folks who support Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund stepped in. Now our baby will have the surgery that will keep us all together for as long as possible. Thank you for giving Lil Bit a chance and for keeping Mom and me together with the pup we adore.”
– Lil Bit's Mom
“To have received help from great people we don’t even know, through Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund, was a New Year’s miracle! 2022 started out as the worst year ever but thanks to you, now it’s the best! Brutus is getting back to his sweet, loving, high-energy self and we are all so thankful to still be together.”
– Brutus's Mom
“You saved her life. When the vet came back, we we’re ready to tell him we’d have to put her down. It wasn’t fair. She was so young. My kids think of her as a sibling. There were so many memories still to make with her. And now thanks to your supporters, we’ll get to make them. There are no words to express the depth of our gratitude, or what your kindness truly means to us and our girls.”
– Darla's Mom
“Monty couldn’t have had the surgery for his perforated bowel without you kind people who give to Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. I don’t even want to think what would’ve happened without you. I have no words to describe how much it means to me. Thanks to you Monty will live a healthy and love-filled remainder of his prime years. And we will enjoy each other’s companionship and love for as long as possible. Thank you for giving me back my boy. Thank you for giving me back my life.”
– Monty's Dad
“I don’t know how to thank you for keeping that from happening. I’ve always believed that animal people are good people—caring people. The donors of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund have certainly proved me right. We’re still awaiting the test results that will guide the treatment for our sweet girl, but thanks to you we have a chance to make her whole again. Thank you for keeping her as a part of our family.”
– Badglee's Mom
New year, new m…err, fur kid! You know how it goes this time of year, everyone’s starting their new year's resolutions. Common ones include trying to get back on track with your health, trying new things, saving money, etc. But what about your four-legged family members? Have you ever thought about setting some resolutions for them? How about with them? There’s no time like the present to start How many of these can you embrace?
“Thanks to the donors of ERDF, Libby is home with us this Christmas, albeit, in some post-surgery pain, but in a few short weeks, she will finally be able to walk, run and play! Thanks to you, the remaining years we will have with Libby, she will finally be pain free and will have quality of life! Thank you, and Merry Christmas to all the fur babies out there!”
– Libby's Mom
“We couldn’t have afforded to keep Roscoe in the ICU for days while he recovered from this emergency. I honestly believe that the donors of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund saved Roscoe’s life and we will forever be grateful. We can’t thank you enough for your help through all of this, you have brought us so much relief, and a lot of happy tears. Thank you!”
– Roscoe's Family
“I cried when I found out you were going to help us. Now our baby is back to her normal, funny self. We still get to experience the best part of our day. Thanks to your donors our family is intact. I can’t thank you enough for saving our family and for all you do to help so many fur babies.”
– Willow's Mom
“Since the generous folks who support Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund gave us the gift of her full treatment, our sweet girl is back home being the love bug she, and we, enjoy. Her sight has returned and (so far at least) the seizures haven’t! Thank you for giving Luna a chance to live her best life for as long as she is able. Thank you for keeping our family whole!”
– Luna's Mom
Hero Highlight, Tony Ranieri
AMAZING NEWS!
A huge shout out goes to the AMAZINGLY GENEROUS students at Fairmont High School who raised $10,000 for Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund during Spirit Chain, an annual competition against Centerville High to raise funds for local nonprofits. This year Fairmont kicked butt—and pet loving families in our communities reaped the benefits through the students’ incredible fundraising success!
“You have no idea how thankful we all are. I cried until I couldn’t open my eyes. For this to have been a real option and to receive this help is truly something I can never say thank you for enough. All we want is a healthy puppy that can live the happiest life possible in our family. Thank you so much for allowing Sandor an opportunity to heal and continue making us so happy!”
– Sandor's Mom
“We’re blessed to have Twin Maples Vets and the supporters of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund as part of our extended family. Your making the surgery happen was the best news I’ve ever received in my life. Words can’t begin to express what this means to our family, especially to my daughter.”
– Pumpkin's Mom
“Luke is no longer in pain. He will likely be able to move normally and resume his kitten antics once he heals. That’s all thanks to generous people we don’t even know who use Ellie’s Fund as a way to help other families who love pets like they do. I’ve lived with pets since I was 5 years old. I can’t imagine life without them. Now, they are our kids. Through this troubling time in my life, by helping my fur baby, you are keeping me from being lonely. You are giving me a big dose of hope. Thank you. You are a Godsend.”
– Luke's Mom
“We had no idea how we were going to afford to help Roscoe, and weren't sure if we had to make a choice to put him down. That was an unbearable choice for us, until Dr McKinsey mentioned there might be a way to have his foreign object surgery without needing to put him down. It felt like a parachute being thrown to us. To the donors of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund we say, thank you for your kindness. You have literally kept our family together and we will never forget your generosity.”
– Roscoe's Mom
“We’re so thankful that Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund is giving us the best chance to get Jax through his surgery complications. We are financially strained already from the huge vet bills we’ve paid to get this far. I would do anything I could to keep Jax in my life. He’s truly my best friend. It means so much to our family that there are other people who want to help us keep him in our lives.”
– Jax's Mom
“It’s amazing to us that so many people care about us and other dog families and give money to Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund to keep sad things from happening. Marlin has made such an impact on our lives, and now so have you. I honestly wouldn’t know what to do without him. Thank you for keeping us from having to find out.”
– Marvin's Mom
Roy LeMaster & Bill Yowler
My husband Bill and I live an environmentally-friendly life. We recycle, have two compost bins and have two rain barrels to use considerably less water so going solar was just the next step for us. Solar is Freedom, the solar company we got our solar panels from, is not only the number one solar company in Ohio, but also a corporate sponsor of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund.
What’s better on a rainy afternoon than perusing your social media and stumbling on a few adorable pet photos? If only some of them were YOUR posts featuring YOUR fur family. Whether you’re using a DSLR camera or a smartphone, taking pics of one pet or several, these suggestions will up your pet photography game! Which ones have you never thought of?
“All the people who give to Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund were there to save our boy again. I burst into tears then and I still get teary now thinking about what you did. Petey’s out of the hospital now and he’s back home snuggling. He’s even beginning to look for his ball. THANK YOU for saving my baby! We know down the road his eyes will still need fixing but right now we’re just focused on the fact that our family is still whole!”
– Petey's Mom
13 year old Whitney had longed for a puppy to join her family for a long time. So this past Spring, she did something about it. She spent her Spring Break researching scientific evidence to back her claim that having a pet is beneficial to kids’ development and really to the health of everyone in the family.
“Pebbles is our baby. She’s such a huge part of us. I can’t imagine life without her! I don’t know what our daughter would do if she lost her only friend! Thanks to your supporters we won’t have to go through the heartbreak of not being able to afford properly diagnosing and treating her. Pebbles is strong. Given this opportunity, she’ll do everything she can to stay with us. Thank you for rescuing us from being haunted by “what-ifs”. Thank you for giving Pebbles, and our family, a chance.”
– Pebbles's Mom
Hero Highlight, Tony Ranieri
What do you do in the midst of a pandemic when you hear that a kitty is going to be put to sleep because the family who adores her can’t afford her emergency surgery?
If you’re Tony Ranieri you ask “how much is needed?” and make the donation that saves her life! Tony thought about how often that happens and imagined what it would be like if it was his furry family member. And he said, “my corporation wants to help! Every month we want to help keep a family together by saving their pet’s life.”
Kevin Lively
In 2018, Kevin Lively’s family came home to find their beloved Beauceron, Cheick, disoriented and unresponsive. They were shocked to discover he had a rare calcium deficiency disorder that would have killed him, if not for the generosity of ERDF donors who made it possible for him to remain in the ICU until he was stabilized.
You’ve spent most of the last several months inside, staying warm, and oftentimes not around many other people. Now that Spring is just around the corner maybe you’re starting to think about all the fun activities you want to do with your fur buddies the second the weather breaks. Should you go camping? Shopping? Swimming? Work out? Go to the beach? Take a hike? Have a picnic? Go on a road trip?
If you’ve ever lived with a dog or cat or any pet, you know that blissful feeling of getting home after a stressful day at the office and being greeted by your floof purring loudly or wagging their tail so enthusiastically that their entire body is just along for the ride. Is there really anything better than coming home to your fur kid who’s been waiting for your return all day, and wants to show you nothing but love? I don’t think so!
“Kevin and I struggled while thinking we could not afford to keep Cheick comfortable and full of life; but thanks to some great veterinarians and the donors of Ellie's Rainy Day Fund, we are able to continue making memories and enjoying the love Cheick brings to our home. I can’t tell you how comforting it was to know his medical care was covered. Thank you, thank you, thank you Ellie's Rainy Day Fund!”
– The Lively Family
“I can’t tell you how thankful I am for your help. My paying part and your kind donors paying part has reminded me that I’m not alone. It means so much to know there are people who value fur babies the way I do and who want to help keep those important relationships intact. My kitties are my other children. THANK YOU for keeping my family whole.”
– Ralph's Mom & Sister
“If you donate to ERDF, we want you to know you truly changed our lives. I thought I would have to watch Pepper die on our kitchen floor. Instead, I was reminded that even in hard times, there are people out there with hearts of gold. We are forever grateful. God Bless you all!”
– Pepper & T’Challa's Mom
“When the physical therapist said Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund was going to help, I started bawling like a baby. It’s been such a tough year. It’s good to know there are still caring people in the world. People who give a little because they want to be involved. It takes everyone to help this world be a better place.”
– Milo's Dad
“I lost my Mom last Mother’s Day. She adored Scarlet! Now when Scarlet cuddles me or stays by my side, it feels like it’s a part of my Mom still with me. We’re just so grateful that you’re giving Scarlet back some quality of life. Thank you for saving my daughter’s and our other dog’s best friend. Thank you to everyone that donates for keeping our family whole.”
– Scarlet's Mom
If you’ve ever lived with a dog or cat or any pet, you know that blissful feeling of getting home after a stressful day at the office and being greeted by your floof purring loudly or wagging their tail so enthusiastically that their entire body is just along for the ride. Is there really anything better than coming home to your fur kid who’s been waiting for your return all day, and wants to show you nothing but love? I don’t think so!
It’s early on a Thursday morning and you’re drinking your coffee, reading the news, about to wake the kids, and suddenly you hear the phone ring. It’s the call you’ve been dreading, it’s the vet. They’re calling to tell you that they’ve gotten your pet’s test results back and have diagnosed Fluffy with cancer. Your heart sinks.
“Thankfully, our vet partners with Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. They saved my girl, my first baby! My husband, son & the rest of our pack couldn’t be more thankful for the work that ERDF & those that donate to it, do for families just like us. The relief you provided for us has felt like a dream! Everyone of you who gives to this fund is a huge blessing to us!”
– Zara's Mom
“We were able to keep our sweet boy—in the midst of my being furloughed and my son’s hours being cut due to COVID-- because people give money to Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund to help keep families like ours together. I can’t begin to express what that has meant to me. I just lost my Dad in March, and my Father-In-Law late last year. Family means everything to me. Thank you so much for preventing tragedy and giving us more years of love.”
– Link's Mom
“We were all so terrified we were going to lose him. We’re so thrilled to have him home. We can’t thank you enough. I can’t believe other people care about us enough to help us get Buddy’s treatment. Thanks to you and your supporters, our family is whole, and our hearts are full!”
– Buddy's Dad, Sister & Grandsister
“When Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund made his surgery possible, I was beyond grateful. I would’ve lost him. I couldn’t have done it by myself. And now with being furloughed not only am I thankful from a financial standpoint but also because rather than facing this with a grieving heart, I’m getting through it with snuggles from my baby boy.”
– Hemi's Mom
“I’ve often told my family that when I bury Sophie, they’re going to have to bury me with her. I just can’t imagine living without her. Because of ERDF I don’t have to. Sophie was able to get the immediate care she needed and I know we will be able to share many more years of joy and cuddling. Thank you to every one of you that donates to help make that possible.”
– Sophie's Mom
“I did not know what to do, but I continued to pray and to save any little bit of extra money I could. Then our vet contacted Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund, the answer to my prayers. Currently we are in the middle of testing to see what can be done for our girl. No matter how this all turns out, I could not be more grateful for the BLESSING of just simply having the hope that’s being provided by all of you who support Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund.”
– Bella's Mom
“Brody has his whole life ahead of him! The specialist said he could fix him up so that he could move as well as before. But it looked like finances were going to stand in the way of that happening. I cried with joy when I found out that Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund was going to help to make my boy whole again. He means everything to us and we just want to tell you we’ll be forever grateful that you saved him from a life of immobility and pain.”
– Brody's Mom
“Eddie is my company, my comfort, and my friend. He is the only family I have left. The best days are “super snuggle Saturdays” when I hold him against my chest while relaxing on the couch and we nap or watch TV. Without Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund, Eddie’s quality of life would’ve been compromised and I might have had to face the isolation of my permanent disability without him.”
– Eddie's Mom
“When the ER vet told us that Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund would help, a huge weight was lifted off our shoulders. Our sweet angel wasn’t going to wonder what happened yet again. We get to be there for her just the way we desperately wanted to. My husband is back to sitting on the couch so he doesn’t disturb Zoey who’s all curled up in his recliner. I’m back to having my lap completely covered and my face thoroughly “washed”. My sons are back to having 45 pounds of wagging flesh to romp with. Thanks to you our family is still whole.”
– Lindsey, Zoey's Mom
“My girl is back thanks to Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. She is back to being the social butterfly that goes to greet everyone. (You know, she would lick a burglar to death if one broke in J). She is back to howling with the tornado sirens and asking me to scratch her floppy ears. If you’re a supporter of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund, thank you for returning Lola’s quality of life and for keeping us able to be the playful, cuddly dog family that every day brings us all joy.”
– Lola's Dad
What if you were living the life of your dreams? You used to be lonely but NOW your favorite people are always around and they’re paying lots of attention to you! OR, what if your nice quiet home has been invaded and you feel like you never get your quiet time alone? Either way, in our fur kids’ lives things are about to drastically change.
“We were at an end in being able to get care for my baby and then you came out of nowhere, giving us back our kitty’s life. When they brought him to me after four days of being apart, he gingerly crawled up on my shoulder and tucked his head under my chin. When he does that now at home, with his baby clothes on to protect his incision, and that silly cone around his neck, I still cry realizing how grateful I am to have all my family together as we weather all the changes in our lives. ”
– Teioh's Mom
“We were terrified when Baron was struggling to breathe. We rushed to get him help but we also knew we are facing huge medical bills for my husband and we were worried we couldn’t afford to save our baby. I was scared that if he lost Baron, my husband would lose his will to keep fighting his cancer. You can’t imagine what it was like to find out Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund was going to pay Baron’s bills. It felt like an angel came down from heaven. We can never thank you enough for keeping our family whole.”
– Baron's Mom
Sometimes the way our pets give and receive love can be different than with humans. You might think that the best way to your pup’s or kitty’s heart is through their stomach (and you’re not necessarily wrong), but a little too much love in that way is going to have them packing on the pounds quickly!
“Parker was suffering. I want to give my animals everything I can, but I have a limited income. It was unbelievable to me when Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund said they would help. I was speechless. I just cried from joy. I had never even heard of this fund and here they are helping me out in time of need. I can’t thank the supporters of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund enough for what they did for my sweet precious Parker. Thank you for giving me back my comfort, my baby. I appreciate it more than words can say.”
– Parker's Mom
“I will be forever grateful for the nurses and doctors that helped my kitty survive, but they wouldn’t have been able to do it without the generosity of all the people who support Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. They gave us part of our family back, and made our family’s tragedy much less tragic. I will never forget what they did for us. Many miracles had to happen for Ninja to survive. Thank you everyone!”
– Misty, Sean, Rylan & Jagger
Pat Smith
We’d like to introduce you to Pat Smith, a resident of Cleveland who grew up here in Dayton. She’s a big time cat lover who knows firsthand the power of the bond we build with our furry family members.
Pat recently changed her giving status and became a supporter through our Faithful Friends program. Faithful Friends offers you the opportunity to set up monthly giving as an easy, budget-friendly way to keep families together by saving their pets.
“I cannot express how much Eliie’s Rainy Day Fund’s support meant to me and still can't, but knowing she would have a chance made my world seem more bearable. It was touch and go for a few days but with the wonderful care she received thanks to you she and I are together again. And yes, she is once again extremely exuberant! Thank You Ellie’s!!!”
– Smiley's Mom
“We love our sweet, tiny Dash. We didn’t hesitate to spend the funds to get him emergency treatment. But we were in a spot when he obstructed again and we had run out of funds. It would’ve been devastating to be forced to stop treatment now. Thank you for helping to save our boy. You have kept our family together.”
– Dash's Family
“My Cosmo is everything to me. I’d do anything for him but on my limited income, I couldn’t make money appear. Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund was the answer to my prayers. I am humbled to have been helped to keep our family together. I can’t believe that strangers give money to help people like me in our time of need. If I’d lost Cosmo it would have felt like losing my son all over again. You are such a blessing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
– Cosmo's Mom
Content
It’s been a busy month for folks who enjoyed celebrating their birthdays by raising money to keep families together by saving their pets’ lives! THANK YOU to Sarah, Jean & Kris for doing Facebook Fundraisers on your birthdays. Your hearts are amazing!
BorealisPress.net
We’d like to give a shout out to the animal lovers who run borealispress.net.
If you’ve never seen their lines of cards, you’re missing out! To me, they strike just the right balance of simple, meaningful, and profound.
I reached out to them to let them know how much they mean to our recipients whose furry family members cross the rainbow bridge. They responded by providing us with a stock of pet sympathy cards!
“There was no way we could have brought Charlie home if it wasn’t for the help of Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. Charlie provides so much comfort and joy in our family that we would have never been able to replace. We are so grateful we get to continue to witness and be a part of all his lovable quirks and antics. Thank you, Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund, for saving our family. You will forever be one of the biggest blessings that our family has ever received.”
– Charlie's Mom
“I can’t thank you enough for helping me and my baby girl. My recovery is challenging but lying with Fancy Mae leaning against me makes it so much easier. My husband and I have helped others in their times of need. It’s very unexpected to be on the other side and for our family to need or receive all this help. I will be forever grateful. Thank you from Fancy Mae and from our whole family.”
– Fancy Mae's Mom
“I am so incredibly grateful for Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund. I felt so helpless…knowing she needed treatment, but I couldn’t pay. It was such a horrible feeling. It felt like there was nothing I could do to stop this from possibly killing her. I just don’t know how to thank you enough. Animals are our hearts. Thank you for saving mine.”
– Trey's Dad
Camilla Ferguson
We offer our gratitude to two amazing individuals. The first we don’t even know. But we want to say a huge thank you to the anonymous donor who gave ERDF $15,000 through the Charity Navigator website. Your generosity has resulted in keeping eight families together by saving their pets’ lives!
The Staff at Bigger Road Veterinary Center
Please join us in sharing some love for the staff at Bigger Road Veterinary Center, most of whom have chosen to designate Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund to receive the benefits of their purchases on Amazon Smile.
Beth Anticoli from Bigger Road says “I use Amazon Smile for Ellie’s Rainy Day Fund, because it is an easy, convenient way for a percentage of my purchase amount to go back to a charity that is close to my heart. Every penny makes a difference in the lives of pets that need it the most.”