A Margaret River couple is calling on the community to help save their beloved rescue dog Zeus, launching a GoFundMe campaign after a routine cancer surgery became a costly fight for his life.

Zeus, a senior rescue dog, spent almost nine years in isolation before finally finding a family through Margaret River dog rehabilitation business Gypsea Tails.

Business owner Taz Grace said Zeus arrived in her care in March after being rescued through SAFE Espereance.

“When Zeus arrived, it was clear he’d spent years surviving rather than living,” she said.

“He’d lived in isolation for the first nine years of his life, and he wasn’t an aggressive dog, he was a frightened one.”

Originally intended to be a three-month foster placement, Zeus quickly became part of the family.

“My colleague Georgia and I devoted hundreds of hours helping him build confidence and trust. Watching him slowly learn to enjoy life again was one of the most rewarding experiences of our careers,” Ms Grace said.

However, just as Zeus was making progress, he was diagnosed with a mast cell tumour.

When SAFE Esperance could no longer cover his treatment, Ms Grace and her husband adopted him to ensure he could continuing receiving the care he so desperately needed.

His surgery was expected to be straightforward, however Ms Grace said he developed severe complications.

“The surgical wound broke down, infection spread and the surrounding skin died,” she said.

“Since then, Zeus has undergone repeated procedures, daily wound management and ongoing specialist veterinary care.

“We are now facing the possibility of referral to Perth specialists and have even had discussions about the potential need for leg amputation if the infection cannot be controlled.”

The couple has already spent more than $10,000 on veterinary bills, with costs continuing to rise, prompting them to create a GoFundMe page to help cover Zeus’s treatment.

“We refuse to give up on him,” she said.

“Throughout all of this, Zeus has never stopped showing up with hope. He still wants to explore, still wants to love, and still believes life is worth embracing.

“That’s why we’re fighting so hard for him.”

Ms Grace said the campaign was about more than just one dog.

“We hope his story shines a light on a much bigger issue — every day, rescue dogs with complex medical or behavioural needs rely on ordinary people stepping in to give them a chance,” she said.

“We believe Zeus’s story highlights both the incredible resilience of rescue dogs and the importance of community support when the road becomes far more difficult than anyone expected.

“We truly believe Zeus deserves another five healthy years of adventures, family time and being someone’s priority. With the community behind him, we’re hopeful we can give him exactly that.”

Donations can be made through Zeus’s GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/8b46056d4.