Help Lucy Walk Pain-Free

Help Lucy Walk Pain-Free Again

Lucy has spent enough of her life in pain. Now, we’re asking for your help to change that.

We’re raising $20,000 to give Lucy the care she needs, including her surgeries, custom braces, and recovery.

Every donation brings Lucy one step closer to a pain-free life.

Can’t donate? Please share her story. A single share could put Lucy in front of someone who can help change her life.

Thank you for helping Lucy find the happy, healthy future she deserves.

Category: Fundraisers

Description

Help Lucy Walk Pain-Free Again

UPDATE: 8/30/2026
Her sutures are out, and her casts are off. Wearing her booties.

Lucy is a 6-year-old black female Doberman Pinscher who has already survived more than any dog should have to. For three years, Lucy lived as “the odd one out” — never taken to the vet, fighting for space among three other dogs in the home who wouldn’t accept her. When she came into a local shelter, she weighed just 35 lbs, emaciated and exhausted.

Since coming into rescue, Lucy has settled in and shown us who she really is: a sweet girl who lights up over a game of fetch and just wants to be safe. And now, she’s safe. But she’s not out of the woods yet.

**Lucy needs surgery on both of her hind legs — and we need your help to get her there.**

What’s wrong?

After vetting review by several vets and X-rays, we discovered Lucy has bilateral Achilles tendon injuries (the tendons connecting her calf muscles to her heel) — a degenerative condition common in Dobermans. Her left leg has been affected longer and is more advanced; her right leg has started showing the same signs in just the past few weeks. Without surgery, Lucy will continue to lose function in her hind legs and live in pain.

Her specialists at BluePearl Veterinary Partners are recommending **bilateral tarsal arthrodesis** — a procedure to surgically stabilize and fuse each ankle joint using plates and bone grafts, along with PRP injections to support healing. Because both legs are affected, Lucy needs two separate surgeries, plus custom orthotic braces and a long recovery to protect the repairs while they heal (12 wks after each surgery).

The cost?

– Surgery: ~$8,000–$9,000 per leg (~$16,000–$18,000 total for both)

– Custom brace casting: $500

– Orthotic braces: ~$2,000

**Our goal: $20,000** to cover both surgeries, bracing, and Lucy’s recovery care.

Why are we asking?

As a rescue, DAR&E doesn’t have the funds on hand to cover a procedure this involved — especially for two surgeries. Every dollar raised goes directly toward Lucy’s surgical care, orthotics, and recovery support.

Lucy already spent three years without a single vet visit. She deserves to spend the rest of her life pain-free, running around on legs that work the way they should.

How can you help?

– **Donate** — any amount brings Lucy closer to surgery.

– **Share** — even if you can’t give, sharing this page helps it reach someone who can.

– **Follow along** — we’ll post updates on Lucy’s surgeries and recovery right here.

Thank you for giving Lucy the chance she never had. She’s already a brave girl — let’s help her get back on her feet.