Fear of leaving their pets behind is one of the most common reasons victims of domestic abuse cite for remaining with their abusers.
Many shelters are working to alleviate this stress by creating pet-friendly facilities, but unfortunately, the woman we will call “Nicole” in this post did not have that option when she needed it.
Thanks to the generosity of the Lincoln County Humane Society and several online donors, Nicole has been reunited with her little dog just in time for the holidays.
When she packed up and fled her abusive home, Nicole took only the essentials – clothing, her daughter, and her beloved Chihuahua mix Cuddles. But when an Ontario shelter refused to admit Cuddles, she was forced to board her at the Lincoln County Humane Society for over a month.
Nicole rescued Cuddles from a life of abuse when she was just a puppy – they had been inseparable ever since. Living without Cuddles and imagining her alone in a kennel broke Nicole’s heart.
Nicole soon located a new home that she, her daughter and Cuddles could move into on January 1. Unfortunately, moving expenses had drained Nicole’s savings, leaving her without the funds to pay for Cuddles’ nearly 6 weeks of boarding – adding up to about $1,000.
The wonderful people at the Lincoln County Humane Society slashed Nicole’s bill in half, but $500 was still out of reach. That’s when they decided to share Nicole’s story and set up a donation line to help bring Cuddles home for Christmas.
Not only did they generate the funds to pay for Cuddles’ kennel stay, they also presented Nicole with a $500 Walmart gift card to help her get back on her feet again. On December 21, just in time to celebrate the holidays, Nicole arrived at the boarding facility to reunite with Cuddles.
The little dog’s reaction was simply priceless.
A woman who heard about Nicole’s plight has agreed to foster Cuddles in her own home until Nicole and her daughter are settled into their new apartment. The outpouring of support for one woman and her little dog is a touching display of just how much kindness the human spirit is capable of.
H/T to The Dodo
Featured Image via Facebook/Lincoln County Humane Society
Toledo, United States.
