Community rallies to pay for life-changing surgery
Dec. 12—Less than one week from a final checkup with his vet, a 100-pound rescue dog named Flip enjoyed his first outing to a favorite place since an expensive surgery offered the 6-year-old pooch a new lease on life.
Green Springs resident Erik Childress, Flip's owner, treated his best friend to some needed sunshine at the Oredson-Todd trailhead Wednesday. The warmth between dog and owner seemed to melt the morning frost on nearby trees and grass. All smiles, man and dog took a short jaunt down the trail with Childress chatting about summer road trips and a bucket list adventure to Niagara Falls.
Homeless since age 15, Childress arrived in Ashland three years ago and set out to transform his life. A rough childhood, mistakes in his youth and far worse had done no favors for 30-year-old Childress.
Living for a stint in Milwaukee, the Missouri native and lifelong dog lover took solace in helping at a small animal rescue group. His first case, a scared black dog dubbed "the poster child of aggressive dogs," would become his first real commitment in life.
In a case of the universe not cutting him any breaks, Childress' decision to adopt the dog was overshadowed soon after by a vet visit that revealed ruptured cranial cruciate ligaments in both hind legs and at least one torn meniscus. With one leg far worse than the other, the dog was unable to put any weight on it at all.
At a crossroads with his own situation, Childress said he nearly gave up in the beginning before realizing how much the mastiff-lab-pit mix was counting on him.
After hitchhiking to the Rogue Valley, his transportation stolen just before the pandemic, Childress found himself embraced by a new community. Working at a local restaurant, he signed on for training to become a wildland firefighter. He saved every penny to fix Flip's legs, working all the hours he could and setting up solar power to cool an acquired van for Flip to remain comfortable on the hottest days of summer.
A glimmer of hope for both Childress and Flip was meeting Laurie Cuddy, director of Street Dog Project, which helps low- to no-income community members afford medical care for their animals.
With Flip's pain level increasing — he was unable to get in and out of the car without help — Cuddy's organization would help pay for Flip's first surgery in February 2020 while Childress and his dog were living at a local hotel.
Still in disbelief this week that the second surgery recently was completed, Childress said his faith in humanity slowly has been restored. After being featured in the Mail Tribune this Fall, Cuddy received enough donations to cover Flip's second surgery — to the tune of $4,824.67 — Oct. 5.
"And it was even a little bit cheaper than we expected," quipped Cuddy, noting Childress applied all of his own savings — more than $1,000 — toward the surgery.
Said Childress, "I really didn't think we were gonna be able to do it this year. Truth be told, I was even talking to Laurie about it, and I told her I still had a few leftover things from my past I've really been trying to chip away at and pay off."
For the first time in recent memory, knowing his dog is out of pain, Childress said he is full of hope with some faith restored in humanity.
"Since we got some people to kick in, we're paying it forward when we have any extra. We always try to help people who need it, helping with a repair or getting groceries or something. Gotta pay it forward," said Childress.
To know Flip is no longer in immobilizing pain, Cuddy said, affirmed her decision to help.
"Erik told me that he was watching Flip play recently with other dogs, and it made him cry," said Cuddy.
"He always messages updates, and he just loves Flip so much. There are people who won't make hard decisions to help their dogs, and then there are people who would do anything to care for their animals. I was determined to do something for Flip and was just truly shocked by how the community stepped in."
Touched by the story of Childress and Flip, Medford resident Susan Lichtenwalner kicked in more than half the cost for surgery: over $3,200. Lichtenwalner said she was touched by the way Flip and Childress had saved one other.
"The fact this young man was in a tough way, being homeless and without even a roof over his head. And yet he made his mind up, after meeting this little life, 'I'm going to step up to the plate for him.' Even when nobody had stepped up for him before in his life," she said.
"To learn how he suffered and faced so many obstacles and still pushed his way up to buck the system and make it happen. He was out firefighting, which that alone is to be admired, and saving all the money he could by doing a dangerous job, all because he loves a dog."
She added, "Not everyone is a dog person, and that's OK. No, they're not human. We get it. But that animal deserves a decent life ... and in return for his person giving him one, he brought a human being back to life."
To donate to Street Dog Project, which provides supplies and medical care for the pets of homeless and low-income community members in southern Oregon, see
https://streetdogproject.com/?fbclid=IwAR0xgP40EbTWb-D6ise0-J1OoxB5JTQ8oB6qYHurw2bO2NIrTkA3_rJ9PXQ
Donations can be sent to Street Dog Project, P.O. Box 642, Talent, OR 97540. Call 541-816-6374 or 541-816-6035.
Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 541-776-8784 or bpollock@rosebudmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal
