Donate!
Your support is critical to our mission!
Any financial help we receive goes directly to care for senior and dogs who started their lives in a puppy mill, many of which have medical issues and special dietary requirements. We make sure all of our fostered pets are groomed, given a check up by a veterinarian, and receive any treatment, medications or sometimes life-saving surgeries, that they’ll need to live a happy life.
Become a Puppy Mill Sponsor!
As funds allow, we visit the auction where dogs are bought and sold for the main purpose of breeding more puppies. Many of these dogs live their entire lives in cages and receive little to no vetting. For the few lucky ones, the cycle of abuse stops when a rescue can purchase them. It is then, they find out what love is and have the opportunity at a happy life! Help us be their hope for a better life! If you would like to become a puppy mill sponsor, please donate below and include a note that says mill sponsor. We will then mark those funds to be used for our mill dogs ONLY.
Marigold’s Memorial Fund
In Loving Memory of a Puppy Who Fought With All Her Heart
Marigold came to Leia’s Hope as a tiny, joyful puppy born into the harsh world of a puppy mill. From the moment she arrived, it was clear she was special — full of life, affection, and a spark that made everyone who met her fall in love.
But beneath her cheerful spirit was a heart that needed help. Marigold was diagnosed with a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) — a congenital heart defect where a small vessel in the heart fails to close after birth. Without surgery, this condition can cause heart failure and, ultimately, be fatal.
Despite the risks, we chose to give Marigold her chance — because that’s what love does. She underwent delicate surgery at the University of Missouri Veterinary Hospital to repair her PDA. The procedure was complex and dangerous for such a small puppy, but we had faith she could beat the odds.
Marigold fought with every ounce of strength in her tiny body. For a short time, she held on, but complications from the surgery proved too much. She passed away surrounded by people who loved her, held gently and honored as the precious soul she was.
Her time on earth was brief, but her impact was profound. Marigold reminded us — and everyone who followed her journey — why we fight so hard for these dogs.
Purpose of the fund:
The Marigold Memorial Fund provides life-saving medical care to dogs with serious or congenital health conditions, especially those with heart defects or critical needs.
Its purpose is simple but powerful:
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To ensure we can act quickly when a dog like Marigold needs urgent medical intervention.
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To remove the financial hesitation that too often stands between a dog and their chance at life.
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To turn one puppy’s story of heartbreak into a lasting legacy of healing, hope, and love.
All future donations to this fund — will be reserved exclusively for dogs requiring significant medical treatment, surgery, or specialist care.
Every dollar donated to the Marigold Memorial Fund helps save another life that might otherwise be out of reach.
Her spirit lives on
Marigold may be gone, but her light continues to shine in every dog who gets their second chance because of her. She was small in size but enormous in heart — and through this fund, her love story never truly ends.
“Some lights are too bright to fade — they just guide others home.”
A Legacy of Hope
In the days after Marigold’s passing, one incredibly kind and generous supporter stepped forward with a gift that left us speechless. Their generosity came at a time when our hearts and finances were both heavy. It gave us stability, strength, and the ability to continue saying yes to dogs in need.
From that gift — and from the love Marigold inspired — the Marigold Memorial Fund was born.