East Boston neighbors rally around dog dubbed ‘Mayor of Eagle Hill’ ahead of cancer surgery

King Kong may not hold elected office, but the 10-year-old East Boston dog has earned a title of his own: the “Mayor of Eagle Hill.”

Now, the neighborhood’s fixture is getting some help from his human constituents.

The dog was recently diagnosed with a stage 1 mast cell tumor on his side and is scheduled to undergo surgery Sept. 3, according to a GoFundMe launched by his owner, Marisa Nieves. 

The procedure will remove the tumor to keep it from spreading. Nieves said King Kong’s medical bills have already climbed into the thousands — costs she has struggled to cover since losing her salaried job about a year and a half ago.

As of Saturday morning, the GoFundMe had surpassed its goal of $1,500, with more than 30 contributors donating a total of $1,745. 

“I am truly overwhelmed by the support we’ve received,” Nieves wrote in an update to the fundraiser. “All of the funds you have contributed completely cover the procedure estimate. Come day of, if there is a difference, the money will be used for his recovery needs. Especially since we live on the 3rd floor.”

King Kong was surrendered to a shelter at age 6 and spent more than three months there before finding a permanent home with Nieves, according to the fundraiser.

Four years later, his owner describes the “goofy, gentle giant” as a local legend known throughout Eagle Hill.

As a thank you for the support, Nieves offered donors their choice of a postcard or an electronic message featuring one of King Kong’s photos.

With the surgery quickly approaching, King Kong has just one immediate sacrifice left to make: “This means no more late-night snacks before his procedure,” Nieves wrote.