Monterey County Nonprofit Max’s Helping Paws Gives Holiday Hope to Families Who Can’t Afford Treatment for Pets Who Beco

1. Monterey County Nonprofit Max’s Helping Paws Gives Holiday Hope to Families Who Can’t Afford Treatment for Pets Who BecomeIll To Heather, her dog Trigger is more than a companion, he’s her “gift from God” and a certified Emotional Support Animal (E.S.A). But even more than that, he’s a member of her family along with her husband and threekids. Del Rey Oaks, CA, December 23, 2018 —To Heather, her dog Trigger is more than a companion, he’s her“giftfromGod” andacertifiedEmotionalSupportAnimal(E.S.A).Butevenmorethanthat,he’s a memberofherfamilyalongwithher husband andthreekids. Heather is a U.S. Navy veteran, a former mineman used to dealing with high explosives, and suffers from PTSD. Trigger helps her deal with everyday life as a PTSD sufferer. So when Trigger fell ill, with blood and vomiting, hewasdiagnosedwithamultitudeofconditionsthat neededto be addressedrightaway, Heather’s heartsank. Heatherand herfamilywere facedwithaverydifficult decision.Thefamilywasnot abletoaffordthe necessarymedicaltreatmentforTrigger.Withouttreatmentandsurgery,hewouldsurelydie. “It’shardtoimaginethatyoucouldloseamemberofyourfamilyovernotbeingabletoaffordasimple testthatweashumanstakeforgranted,”saidHeather.“Icouldn’timaginewhatmylifewouldbelikeif I didn’t have him inmy life.” Luckily, Pet Specialists of Monterey, one of 20 partners, graciously arranged to have Trigger receive assistance from Max’s Helping Paws Foundation (MHPF). Max's Helping Paws Foundation is a Monterey County-based animal welfare organization that has actively given back to the community by helping more than 100 senior, low-income, veteran, disabled, disadvantaged and in-need responsible pet owners in the past 18months. Sinceitsinceptioninmid-2017 ithasawarded $75,000infinancialassistancetothoseneedingit.Max’s Helping Paws is a financial lifeline for those desperate to save their dogs and cats from unexpected circumstance. “We cannot express how much we appreciate all those that chipped in and came together to help him and us,”saidHeatheraboutTrigger’slast-minutereprieve.“Iamsogratefulforallthehelpwe received. There was a point where I really felt we may have to say goodbye to Trigger. When I count my blessings atnight,Max’s isatthetopofthelist.”

2. Today, Trigger is continuing a smooth and steady recovery. His gastro-intestinal complications have almost completely resolved and his skin improved just in a few days of medication. Trigger is also back to climbing up on his owners bed to snuggle with his best friend, the family’s 8-month-old son Wesley andevengettingbackintothehabitofbeggingforarideinthecarwhenhehearsanyone grabthe car keys.” Butotherdogs and cats maynot beso lucky,theirowners areconstantlyfacedwithdecisionsthatno pet owner wants toface. “Thesearemybabies,Idon’thavekids.Ithinkabouttheirownhappinessbeforemyown.I'dgo homeless beforeI'dgetridofher,”saidone,Sarah.“Wewouldn’tamputatehisarm— he’ssoyoung. I consideredputtinghimupforadoption,”saidanother. “Toseepetssuffer,ortoseepetownersconsider euthanasiaorsurrenderbecauseoffinancial circumstance is heartbreaking,” said Dyana Klein, executive director and co-founder of Max’s Helping Paws Foundation with her husband, a veterinary internist. “With your help, we can keep families together and keep giving deserving Monterey County pets an incrediblegift." This year, Max’s is also part of Monterey County Gives fundraisingcampaign. Forevery dollargiven toMax’sHelpingPawsthroughMC Gives!,aproratedmatch isappliedtothefirst $75,000 the organization raises during the MC Gives! campaign, which runs throughDec. 31. And every dollarcounts: >$100 can provide medications for a pet inneed. >$300 can pay for critical blood/labwork. >$500 can pay for biopsies and diagnostics to determine ifa pet has a chance. >$1,000 can provide initial treatment ofchronic illnesses, including diabetes, Cushing’s, Addison’s, asthma and somecancers. >$2,000 can provide a life-saving amputation orsurgery. A generousdonationtoMax’s throughMCGives!allowsMax’stocontinuetohelpfamiliesfromhaving tomakedifficult decisionsandsavetheirpetsfromanawfulfate. To donate, go to the MC Gives! website at www.montereycountygives.com/PAWS. To be accepted as partofMonterey CountyGives!,allchecksfromdonorsmustbemadepayabletoCFMC/MCGives!,and includeinstructionsthatitisadonationforMax’sHelpingPawsFoundation,eitherinthememo lineor on a separate piece ofpaper.

3. About Max’s Helping PawsFoundation Maximillian was co-founder Dyana Klein's 14-year old Miniature Pinscher, who passed away on May 27, 2016,fromararekidneycancer.Whilegrievingtheloss,she and herhusbandfoundcomfortinknowing theydideverythingmedicallypossibletotrytosaveMax'slife,thoughultimatelythewarwaslost.What theyrealizedwasjusthowimportantitwastoknowthatnostonewasleftunturned,andtheyimagined theguiltandheartbreakforthosewhomighthavetoallowtheirpetstosuffer,or mayneed to euthanize or surrender them because of financial circumstances. Wanting to do something meaningful, and honorMax'smemoryinaway thatwouldhelpthemheal whilehelpingothers, Max'sHelpingPaws was born. Max's Helping Paws provides a financial lifeline for responsible Monterey County pet owners with a pet in a healthcrisis.ll Contact: Marci BraccoCain Chatterbox PR Salinas, CA93901 (831)747-7455 http://www.montereycountygives.com/