Companion Bridge. The name is clear and concise, designed to reflect the goal of this small but mighty organization.
On their website, the mission is stated as follows: “The Companion Bridge mission is to provide a loving and supportive community for people to connect share and assist one another on behalf of their companion animals. The Companion Bridge purpose is to address, educate, and provide online space to raise funds for people with either special needs companion animals or animals requiring significant financial medical attention that would otherwise be euthanized.”
Scope of assistance
From the start (and by necessity), Alice knew that Companion Bridge needed to limit the type of assistance it could provide. Submission for funds are evaluated and focus on assisting those in need of financial help with animals needing major medical care or with purchases of mobility assistance such as animal wheelchairs. Funds are disbursed only to the vet or vendor helping the animal.
Tonka ~ The Inspiration
It can be a heartbreaking moment for a pet owner when a major medical expense or an emergency situation from an accident occurs and the owner simply can’t afford the care/service needed. Imagine that moment. Making a horrendous choice to provide the care the pet needs or have to deny the care simply due to financial strain. THIS is what Alice Peek, one of the founders of Companion Bridge recognized as a dramatic need that she wanted to help create a solution to address.
It started when she was spending time at vets and emergency care providers for her own beloved Great Pyrenees Tonka that she began to be tune into the need that would lead her to founding Companion Bridge just a few years later.
Companion Bridge. The name shares the sentiment and heart of this amazing non profit started about 5 years ago. As is the case with so many worthy and amazing programs, Companion Bridge was conceived when the founder’s, Alice Peek and Gina Stanford, were caring for their own beloved dogs Tonka and Oliver.
Tonka was a Great Pyrenees who was born with retinal detachment in both eyes. But his medical conditions would eventually lead her down a number of other difficult roads.
Alice chronicled Tonka’s tale in a blog “The Journey of Tonka” which starts when he was a pup in 2008 through a range of medical chapters leading to his final and tragic one … a nasal tumor leading to his passing in 2013.
During Tonka’s visits to the emergency vet, Alice would hear forlorn pet owners at the practice as they shared their distress related to not having the funds required to pursue the care their pet needed.
Fortunately, Alice was able to provide Tonka the care he needed. But her compassion for others who might not always be in that situation was her driving force to create a safety net for others.
from Alice’s blog about Tonka, this picture accompanies her writings that day which include : Tonka’s last day was a truly great day, he and I slept outside on the porch from about 4am on and then “watched” the sun come up. I was home for the day and so I got to spend time with him. He had a good breakfast, a buffalo bully stick and some cheese. “
It was heartbreaking to Alice, and so she set out to find a way to create a program that could somehow address these needs. And so Companion Bridge was born!
From the outset, Alice determined that her organization would be designed to provide assistance to those who had exhausted all other financial resources to provide the care they needed for their pet.
Alice was joined by co-founder Gina in launching this fabulous effort. Gina had years of experience as a specialty vet practice administrator and first-hand “continuous medical need” experience with her rescue, Oliver the Newfoundland. Oliver was abandoned due to severe skin and allergy issues and ended up in Gina’s care. Through the years they have rallied the support of volunteers who see the vision and embrace the charge to provide this worthy service to the pet owning community.
FUNDING THE ORGANIZATION
In order to consider direct donations for those who apply and qualify for assistance, Companion Bridge has a general fund that is dependent upon donations and year-round fundraisers. Thankfully Alice has some equally dedicated volunteers who believe in the mission of Companion Bridge. One such volunteer is Pam B. For the past few years Pam has been an integral part of the Companion Bridge family and instrumental in lining up and executing fund raising events to fuel the general operating funds which translates directly to pet owners who can be assisted.
Fundraising efforts include Quarter Auctions at the VFW Post 160 in Glen Burnie plus dining nights at Ledo Pizza in Millersville and Brian Boru Pub in Severna Park. You will also see them with tables at events at local merchants including Pet Valu in Gambrills, Loyal Companion in Annapolis, plus Devine Details in Millersville. And, of course, direct donations on their website are always welcome : )
What they can’t directly fund, Companion Bridge uses their site and social media to share stories of “vetted” applicants online to help drive donations. Their social media outreach has been effective in providing additional funds to “come to the rescue” for pet owners wanting nothing more than to provide their pets the life saving or life changing care they need.
REQUESTING ASSISTANCE/VETTING APPLICANTS
It goes without saying that Companion Bridge is contacted by many pet owners in need. So HOW and WHO to assist quickly became a major decision for the organization to make. Their assistance is a LAST RESORT after all other financial resources have been exhausted.
What does this mean? Applicants must have basically maxed out their credit cards, applied for Care Credit (if available/applicable), and have worked with the vet provider to determine any other financial approaches to help them provide the care determined to be needed.
Companion Bridge is up front with letting applicants know that their research to qualify and “vet” that need might be a bit invasive in terms of financial information, but by necessity.
For those who have literally maxed out their credit cards and have no other way to come up with the funds needed for emergency care for their pet, Companion Bridge can become a lifeline. An application must be made to Companion Bridge which is quite extensive in terms of “vetting” financial need of the applicant.
If the organization HAS the necessary funds and feels that the need is within their requirements, an approved amount is paid directly to the treating vet/care facility IF THEY AGREE they will participate.
If funds are NOT readily available, Companion Bridge provides a platform to start fundraising for the pet in need on their website and through their social media outlets.
Max
Max’s story is one that is sadly not so uncommon, yet tragic and often fatal.
Max’s owner told her tale:
“This is Max. She came to us from an uncomfortable and unfortunate situation and is only 7 months old. See, for the past few days she’s been really down, barely wagging her tail, and not moving much. She hasn’t eaten a thing or had one sip of water, then the vomiting started along with the diarrhea. We could see the pain in her eyes. We rushed her to the vet and they told us she was positive for ParvoVirus. They told us that the best treatment for her would be to keep her over night for a while with a constant IV bag and constant treatment. But then they told us the cost of all that. It starts at $2,000. I had $200 in my bank account. Just enough to cover the single treatment for that day. I cannot stand to look at this beautiful dog and know how much pain she must be in. I would do anything to be the one who’s sick and take it all away from her. She just got out of a horrible situation and now she’s right back in one. Max needs help and I want to provide it for her but I simply can’t with where I’m at in life right now.
Companion Bridge raised enough thanks to a quarter auction to have the owner be able to do outpatient treatments.
I just want to thank you so much. You guys have no idea how much you helped. The day you emailed me was the day I was going to tell the vet I couldn’t afford the treatments anymore. I thought Max’s fate was decided but you guys proved me wrong. You got back to me insanely fast and exceeded my expectations. Max is going to make it because you guys, and all of the people who donated, cared enough to listen to her story. She’s doing fantastic. She’s back to being a puppy again. Tearing up the couch and terrorizing our cats. I couldn’t ask for anything more.
So, thank you again, from the bottom and Max’s and my heart.
Imagine if Companion Bridge was not an option!
Frank
Here is Frank the cat’s story as shared by his owner:
“Frank was given to me by a woman moving across the country in 2012. He was a healthy cat then, but over the last year has lost a significant amount of weight. Bloodwork at the vet shows that he is “very, very hyperthyroid.” This means he has a tumor sitting on his thyroid gland causing him to be hungry all the time, and metabolize everything at a super fast rate. He is so skinny, weighing around 5lbs, that it’s impossible to pet him. He’s a skeleton with skin and fur. Frank eats around 6 cans of food, 4 pieces of cheese, and all the dry food he wants per day, and he still screams for food. When he finishes a can, he screams for more. His stomach constantly gurgles, often so loud it wakes me up. He steals food off of our plates, despite having a full bowl of dry. I know he is uncomfortable, and despite having his meds increased, he is not doing well.
Frank needs radio-iodine treatment of the tumor on his thyroid. This is a common procedure done, often called I131 or Radiocat, and it is a total cure of hyperthyroidism. To do this, we first have to pay for a senior blood panel at our vet to ensure he is not in the beginning stages of kidney failure. Frank is an awesome cat, and he doesn’t need his life cut short at 13. We think this is his lucky year!
Through Companion Bridge the $1500 needed for Frank’s radiocat treatment was raised and he is THRIVING!”
According to his owner “He is doing fantastic He’s gained so much weight, and he doesn’t scream at me for food anymore. I spent years with him yelling at me every time I went in the kitchen. He would steal my food if I walked away from it so I got in the habit of hiding it in the microwave.. His physique is so much more filled out, I can’t feel his spine or ribs anymore. When I pick him up, he has a small heavy belly! I feel like you have given him years to his life and I can’t thank you enough for that. He seems so content now, and has taken to sleeping on my chest when we nap on Sundays. I can’t explain how we’ve bonded more, but I get the feeling that he knows I did something (through you) to make him better and he’s become so affectionate for it.
This was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had in finding help for an animal. You made it so simple, you were fast and efficient, and you didn’t charge me anything. You also genuinely care about these animals that you’ve never met! I’m often tempted to tell people about you, but I don’t want you to be overwhelmed. I know the animal welfare field is no easy place to be and what you’re doing for others is an absolute god-send. Thank you, a million times, over!”
What’s ahead
There is no doubt that Companion Bridge will continue to receive an influx of pet owner requests for assistance. Based on the dedicated and hard-working volunteers of Companion Bridge, their sorely needed, and appreciated, assistance will continue to make a huge difference in the lives of those they accept for assistance. They have created a model and vehicle to answer a need. By attending fundraisers and making donations, the public can play a vital role in how many lives they will be able to directly touch. And, we can share the stories they highlight for assistance that are funded through individual donation campaigns.
So visit their website Companion Bridge and Facebook page often to learn about pets in need, and fundraisers you might attend!
Not so uncommon to meet those in need of services like Companion Bridge
As I travel about the communities I serve, I meet so many people, many of which fall into the category of needs that Companion Bridge serves. Everyday people. Life happens as they say, and unexpected expenses can suddenly mount. Then, a beloved pet requires major medical care. When I met Alice and Pam at an event, and learned more about Companion Bridge, I knew I needed to share their story and fantastic work. Hoping others will share info about Companion Bridge with others, along with considering ways to support their efforts and general funds.
