At just eight months old, Bellatrix had already found exactly where she belonged.

She was only four or five weeks old when a Good Samaritan brought the tiny abandoned kitten to Bella Terra Animal Hospital. She needed a home, and Claudia stepped in. From that point forward, Bellatrix became part of the family.

Today, she is the kitten who cuddles with Claudia’s husband and waits on her window perch for them to come home. Until recently, she was also a healthy, active kitten with no indication that a medical emergency was just around the corner.

That changed suddenly when Bellatrix was diagnosed with pyometra, a serious infection of the uterus that can quickly become life-threatening. She needed emergency surgery.

For Claudia, there was never a question about getting Bellatrix the care she needed. But the unexpected expense came at an especially difficult time. A recent car accident had left Claudia injured and forced her to take a lower-paying position, making an unexpected veterinary emergency particularly difficult for the family to absorb.

Bellatrix’s veterinarian saw a family deeply committed to its animals.

“Claudia is an amazing human that is going through a lot of things and can’t seem to catch a break,” her veterinarian, Dr. Desiree Davisdon, shared in advocating for the family. “She does best medicine with all of her animals.”

Claudia didn’t hesitate. Bellatrix went immediately into surgery, giving the young kitten the best chance for a full recovery.

And when the financial weight of that decision became another burden for the family to carry, Bellatrix’s veterinarian had another way to help.

As a Texas Veterinary Medical Association member, Dr. Davidson could apply on Claudia’s behalf for a Rusk Veterinary Assistance Grant through the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation.

The Rusk Veterinary Assistance Grant Program gives TVMA members another avenue to help when a client is experiencing financial hardship and a beloved animal needs medical or surgical care. It gives veterinarians a way to advocate for their clients and connect them with meaningful assistance.

And that assistance begins with donors. Every gift to the Rusk Veterinary Assistance Fund helps put this resource into the hands of TVMA member veterinarians, giving them somewhere to turn when a client desperately wants to say “yes” to needed care but is struggling with the financial burden.

“Being approved for a grant would mean a great deal to us,” Claudia shared. “Most importantly, it would allow us to focus on her recovery without the constant worry of how we will cover the expenses.”

Today, Bellatrix is doing well following surgery, and her prognosis is excellent. She can get back to being an eight-month-old kitten. Growing, playing, cuddling with her family and waiting for them from her favorite spot by the window.

TVMA members provide the care. They advocate for their clients. And through gifts to the Rusk Veterinary Assistance Fund, TVMF donors help make that care possible.

Your gift to the Rusk Fund helps ensure that when the next Bellatrix walks through the doors of a TVMA member’s clinic, there is another avenue for help.