Wigan mum's appeal will help care for her dog and other pets

Laura Rigby’s French bulldog Eric appeared to be perfectly healthy until three weeks ago.

Laura, who lives in Hawkley Hall with her partner and two children, said: “He woke up one day not being able to walk properly at all.”

She took the three-year-old dog to a vet and was told he had a neurological issue.

And she was stunned to discover it would cost £6,000 - which she would have to pay up front - to carry out scans and treat Eric.

“At the minute I don’t think it’s something a lot of people could afford,” Laura, 33, said.

Although she did have insurance for Eric, Laura discovered that the fine print said it would only pay £1,000 per year - nowhere near the amount she needed for his care.

Laura had no idea where to turn, until someone suggested she contact a not-for-profit vet in Bolton.

He did a scan and found two bulging discs in Eric’s neck, which were compressing 50 per cent of his spine, and his respiratory nerve had almost shut off completely.

It is a common condition for French bulldogs, but not something Laura had come across when carrying out research before he joined her family.

Treatment and hydrotherapy sessions afterwards with this vet would cost £3,000 - half the original bill but still a large amount of money.

Laura said: “It’s coming up to Christmas and I have two young children and with everything that’s been going on this year, it’s’ a lot of money.”

She decided to set up an online fund-raising appeal to collect money for Eric’s care, with any surplus being used to help other pet owners who find themselves in a similar situation.

But Laura paid the first part of the bill herself so that Eric’s treatment could begin.

She said: “He has had his surgery and it’s gone really well, so he’s on the road to recovery.

“Apparently a lot of Frenchies get diagnosed with this, but it isn’t well-known within breeders.

“Now he has to learn how to walk again. We are having to syringe water to hand-feed him. I’m up every two hours to make sure he’s okay, as well as working full-time and with two little ones.”

Laura’s appeal has so far raised more than £500 and she has a target of £3,000 - with two thirds of that helping to pay for Eric’s treatment and the rest going to another pet owner struggling with a large vet bill.

She fears people may be forced to put their pets to sleep if they cannot afford to pay for treatment, so also wants to raise awareness of not-for-profit vets.

Laura said: “There are a couple of charities that can help people if they really need it, but they have been affected by Covid.

“I was hoping to be able to donate it all to somebody who might be in the same situation and give them a helping hand.”

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