Bella never asked to be paralyzed. She never asked to be abandoned by her owner or to be threatened with euthanasia. Bella’s only request in her short ten weeks of life has been for love and to find a family that she can love in return.

Bella is an adorable yellow Labrador Retriever puppy, and with one puppy kiss she can melt your heart.  That’s why the veterinarian at a San Diego vet clinic, who had been tasked with ending the life of this innocent animal, couldn’t go through with the procedure. And that’s why volunteers from 2^nd Chance 4 Pets, an all-volunteer animal welfare organization, have united to help Bella find a forever home and to make sure that she receives the medical treatment and rehab that she deserves.

2^nd Chance 4 Pets collected contact details for 50+ Southern California rescue and shelter groups and started distributing information about Bella to them and to the public. Simultaneously, 2^nd Chance 4 Pets began conversations with the San Diego vet clinic and realized that Bella needed to be re-homed as soon as possible.

Volunteers from 2^nd Chance 4 Pets drove to Southern California on Saturday, August 1, and brought Bella to a new foster home in the San Jose area. On Monday, August 3, Bella was seen by one of the area’s very best orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Andrew Staatz, who also brought in a neurologist, Dr. Christina Vitale. During the appointment, which lasted almost three hours, Bella was tested for neospora and a urinary tract infection. 

On Friday, August 7, test results showed that Bella does have a urinary tract infection, but she tested negative for neospora.  The neurologist and the orthopedic specialist believe that her paralysis and other health issues are related to a neurological condition and are not an orthopedic issue.

Scout’s House, a rehab center in Menlo Park, California,  saw Bella on Tuesday, August 4.  The rehab specialists spoke to the neurologist and also performed their own examination.  They demonstrated several stretching exercises designed to help Bella’s rear legs become less stiff.

2^nd Chance 4 Pets’ virtual volunteer team received no responses from their efforts to contact Southern California animal groups.  The volunteers switched their focus to developing a website for Bella (helpbella.org) and this blog. They also began to research organizations to apply to for financial assistance to cover Bella’s medical expenses.  A team of about 15 virtual volunteers located throughout the U.S. continues to focus on these efforts. Several local volunteers and friends of Bella are distributing more than a thousand flyers in the area in an effort to raise donations. 

Raising the necessary funds to provide Bella the treatment and equipment she needs has proven to be a daunting task. However, through the generosity of the public and the dedication of the volunteers, a handicap cart was built for Bella by the HandicappedPets.org foundation.  We have also received three carts from Best Friends Animal Society.

Bella’s medical problems are far from over. Just last Friday, August 7, Bella had an emergency procedure done, a consequence of her neurological issues.  Bella will be seen by Dr. Sheehy again on Monday and we hope to be able to determine how successful Friday’s procedure was and to discuss the next steps for ensuring care and comfort for Bella. 

If you can make a donation to help Bella, please visit Help Bella.

Donations can be made online at 2nd Chance 4 Pets or mailed to

2^nd Chance 4 Pets - BELLA FUND

1484 Pollard Rd, No 444,

Los Gatos, CA  95032

About 2^nd Chance 4 Pets

2^nd Chance 4 Pets is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer non-profit animal welfare organization established to reduce the number of pets unnecessarily euthanized each year at animal shelters and in veterinarian offices due to the death or incapacitation of their human companions.

Bella’s Got Wheels!