The Secret Prince Who Dreams of Running Free

A Fundraising Story for His Royal Majesty Prince Arataki Itto of Laredo

If you see little Ito at an adoption event or rolling in the grass of his foster home, you might not know you’re looking at royalty. His Royal Majesty Prince Arataki Itto of Laredo—Prince Itto to his friends— doesn’t exactly carry himself with the quiet dignity of royalty. He is still young, just 18 months old, and he’s never known the love and security that all dogs deserve.

Prince Itto should be in the prime —bounding through fields, learning to fetch, and curling up in someone's lap after a day of adventure. Instead, this brave little soul lives each day with physical pain of an injury on top of the emotional yearning for a family of his own.

A Prince Born

Prince Itto's doesn’t really have a kingdom. He was born on the unforgiving environment in Laredo, where survival consumed his days. Love, comfort and snuggles - those were fantasies for luckier pups. While other puppies his age were discovering the joy of squeaky toys and belly rubs, Prince Itto was learning to navigate a world that showed him no kindness. The streets taught him resilience, but they also left their mark—an injury to his back leg that now threatens to define his future.

When he finally found safety with CAWS, he ended up with a foster family who saw the royalty through his rough edges. He reveled in the snuggles and snacks and pets fit for a king. But a trip to the vet’s office revealed a sad reality. The injury to his leg, combined with hip dysplasia, means that every step is a reminder of his difficult past. This adventurous spirit, who should be exploring mountains and chasing squirrels, instead moves carefully through each day, his body betraying his eager heart.

The Quest for Healing

But there is hope for Prince Itto - surgery. The procedure would repair his injured leg and give him a fighting chance against the hip dysplasia that compounds his daily struggle. But it is expensive - $5,000. And he is a prince whose treasure lies in the depth of his loving stare, his eager spirit and his loyal heart. The only way he can have surgery is if strangers are willing to donate money to a pup they’ve never met.

Imagine Prince Itto finally able to:

Run free through mountain trails, his paws finding purchase on rocky paths
Chase a tennis ball with the pure joy that's been locked away inside him
Walk without wincing, discovering that movement can bring pleasure instead of pain
Play with other dogs, finally experiencing the carefree interactions he's missed
Explore the world with the adventurous spirit that shines through his gentle eyes

Most importantly, surgery would prepare him for the greatest adventure of all: finding his forever family.

A Royal Heart Waiting to Love

Despite everything he's endured, Prince Itto loves the world with a pure heart that recognizes no strangers—only friends he hasn't met yet. He greets each new day and each new person with hope that would inspire kings. His foster family with CAWS has witnessed his remarkable spirit: the way he leans into gentle touches, the gratitude in his eyes for the smallest kindness, the regal patience with which he endures his pain.

This is a dog who will bless the lives of those who love him, bringing the loyalty of a prince and the wisdom of a survivor to his future family. But first, he needs our help to become the dog he was meant to be.

Your Royal Summons

Prince Itto's surgery cannot wait. Each day of delay means another day of pain for this brave soul who has already waited too long for his happy ending. The cost of his surgery and recovery is beyond what his foster family and CAWS can manage alone—they need the kindness of strangers who believe that every dog deserves a chance at happiness.

Your donation could be the key that unlocks Prince Itto's future:

$25 provides pain medication for his recovery
$50 covers post-surgical care and monitoring
$100 helps fund the specialized surgery he desperately needs
Any amount brings him closer to a life free from pain

The Crown Awaits

Somewhere out there, a family is waiting for Prince Itto—they just don't know it yet. They're looking for a dog with wisdom beyond his years, loyalty that runs deeper than blood, and a heart big enough to forgive the world that forgot him. They're searching for a secret prince who will transform their house into a castle simply by calling it home.

But Prince Itto can't find them while he's trapped in a body that won't let him be the dog he truly is. He needs surgery to become whole, to run toward his destiny instead of limping toward an uncertain future.

Every prince deserves his happy ending. Every dog deserves to run free. Every soul deserves to love and be loved without pain.

Will you help write the next chapter of Prince Itto's story?

To donate to His Royal Majesty Prince Arataki Itto of Laredo's surgery fund, contact CAWS (Companion Animal Welfare Services) or visit [donation information to be added].