A woman was left heartbroken after her tiny dachshund was suddenly injured during a walk in the park.
Dog walker Jan Rowley, 64, from London, was playing fetch with her dog, Pickle, when her little leg suddenly gave way and she was unable to walk home.
After spending her retirement savings on Pickle's £6,000 emergency surgery, Jan is asking kind strangers for donations on her GoFundMe page.
Jan told The Mirror : "I could almost cry thinking about how much Pickle means to me. She is my companion and has got me through many close family deaths.
"I think as you get older and your children grow up, your pet becomes more important to you and Pickle means everything to me."
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Four-year-old Pickle is much more than a pet to Jan - she's her emotional support and best friend.
"I got her when she was 12 weeks old. She helped me through the death of my niece and my brother. She's been a real blessing," Jan said.
Jan and Pickle live alone together at home, with the company of Jan's cat, and you'll often find the three of them snuggled up on the sofa.
"Pickle has lots of energy and she is really fit because I take her on some of my dog walks," Jan explained.
"Her favourite toy is her ball - if she's got a ball, she's happy."
A couple of weeks ago, Jan and Pickle were playing fetch in the park on a Monday morning with Pickle's favourite ball when she suddenly injured her spine.
"I threw the ball one last time and she went after it, then disappeared in a dip in the grass. I saw her back right leg stick out and heard an almighty cry," Jan explained.
"The vet advised bed rest but her state deteriorated. The next morning, I woke up and she couldn't walk.
"I put her in my bike basket and cycled straight to the vet. Time was short."
Pickle was referred to an emergency neurosurgeon and spent five days in a veterinary clinic having surgery on a prolapsed disc.
The operation was a success and Pickle is now on crate rest and recovering with the help of a sling.
She is uncoordinated and wobbly on her legs, but Jan is hopeful she will be able to walk again one day.
"It cost £6,100 in total and I had to use my life savings for the first chunk on the day," Jan explained. "The insurance company will pay up to £3,500 less five per cent.
"They have agreed to split it over three months starting this month."
Jan was hoping to retire next year and this huge chunk has set her back.
"I had a little pot so I could move out of London to somewhere quieter," Jan said.
"I'm really struggling financially and this has come at the worst possible time."
To help cover the cost, she set up a GoFundMe page and asked friends and local dog owners for their donations.
"They have all been so generous. I am amazed," Jan said.
If you would like to donate to Pickle's fundraiser, you can visit Jan's GoFundMe page.
Do you have a dog story to sell? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
