LifeLine Animal Project, an Atlanta based animal shelter, wrote an incredibly compassionate message to a dog owner, who left their dog Milo at their shelter. On August 25th, the shelter shared photos of Milo and the note that was left with her. It explained that the owner was experiencing homelessness and could no longer care for their beloved dog.
"Please do not judge me on this single act alone. I am simply a human being trying to do what's best for my puppy," the owner wrote. "I have tried rehoming and searching for fosters. I cannot support him and myself. This is the only way. I know you will take him, and he's safe. He's a sweetheart and very well-mannered and trained."
Additionally, they provided the dog's name, age, vaccination status, favorite treats, and activities. The center wrote an open letter on Facebook, hoping to find the owner and reconnect them. "We found your dog right where you left him in a space where he wouldn't get hit by a car or harmed when wandering freely in search of sanctuary," the message began.
"We thought of how it must have felt for you to write that message as you left your loved one behind," Lifeline wrote. "What a brave act of self-sacrifice to risk scorn and judgment, while trying to do what was best for Milo. Because of your note, we knew Milo's name, how old he is, that he has been friends with other dogs and cats, and that he is very obviously loved."
The shelter then offered a path forward. "We love him, too, and will do everything in our power to help him go home. If you are reading this and there's any chance that we can help reunite you with Milo and support both of you, please reach out," the organization added.
"You will be met with compassion and understanding. Milo deserves the safety and security of a home, and so do you," the letter continued. Lifeline concluded the letter speaking to others who many be in a similar situation, advocating for adoption or fostering if you are no longer able to care for your animal. They described him as "just one of many dogs" to face this predicament.
In a follow-up statement, the shelter said, "We are in awe of our incredible community's response to Milo's story. His post has been shared far and wide, and we are grateful for everyone's efforts to help us find his owner. After exhausting every option at hand, we still weren't able to find his owner."
Despite not being able to reconnect the previous owner and Milo, they were able to say, "An incredible family came to the shelter, and they fell head over heels for this sweet boy. Shelters are very hard on dogs, especially big, young pups with lots of energy and love to give. We felt the chances of reuniting Milo at this point were very slim, especially after all the coverage, and we didn't want him to deteriorate in the shelter without a family to spoil him. We're happy to report that Milo is now adopted, loved, and in a fantastic home with his new family."
You can visit the organization's website to learn more about other dogs in need of a loving home!
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