A DOTING dog owner in a frantic race to save her cancer-stricken pooch is begging people to donate towards his £16,000 life-saving surgery and treatment costs.

Barney is a “treasured ” Lhasa Apso owned by Claire Blake, who has set up an online fundraiser to help him beat an aggressive brain tumour.

The Bristol woman told Metro that she was devastated when vets told her the eight-year-old dog would die in about two months unless the tumour was removed, followed by radiotherapy.

Claire – who received the grim diagnosis on June 5 – was gutted upon realising that her pet insurance policy would cover neither the £10,000 radiotherapy bill, nor the £6,000 brain surgery to remove the tumour close to her pet’s right eye.

She posted on Facebook shortly afterwards: “It’s been a very long and distressing day.

“The consultant oncologist has said that Barney has an excellent chance of making a full recovery if he has surgery followed by radiotherapy – BUT this treatment MUST start immediately as the tumour is so large.

“The treatment will cost £15,000… and I need to find the money in the next few weeks.

“Worried and stressed doesn’t even come close.

“I will contact everyone who has sent messages asking after him tomorrow as I am exhausted… Any suggestions for fundraising gratefully received.”

Barney is a treasured and much-loved member of our family. He's adored by all, particularly my 7-year-old niece and 5-year-old nephew.

Claire told Metro that thousands of pounds had already been spent on biopsies, blood tests, ultrasounds and CT scans to determine the cause of his severe weight loss.

Although she has a “very respectable job” at the Department of Food and Environmental Affairs (DEFRA), her salary and savings were not enough to cover an additional thousands of pounds in cancer treatment costs for Barney.

Claire added: “I don’t like to have to ask for the money but £16,000 is an awful lot to have to find, especially with no warning.”

She has set up a GoFundMe page for donations, where she explains that – if well – “Barney should have at least another eight-ten years ahead of him.

“Barney needs treatment at the leading Canine Cancer Centre in the UK and this treatment needs to start immediately.

“Barney will need brain surgery to remove the tumour and this will have to be followed up with radiotherapy to ensure any surrounding cancer cells which will have been left behind have been destroyed.

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“This treatment is going to cost £12,000 minimum – and without this Barney will die within the next one-to-two months.

“Barney is a treasured and much loved member of our family. He is adored by all, particularly my seven-year-old niece and five-year-old nephew, who have grown up with him.

“Please, if you could look into your hearts and help me to raise the much-needed funds to save my beautiful Barney’s life I would be forever grateful.”

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