It’s always heartbreaking when a dog is abandoned. But while some people discard their pets for arbitrary and selfish reasons — like the dog becoming too old or sick — others have more sympathetic reasons for giving up their pets.
Animals require a lot of love and care, and some people get fall into life circumstances where they can no longer support a pet, no matter how much it pains them to give them up.
When one shelter recently found an abandoned dog, they found a heartbreaking note from his owner… and wrote a very moving reply.
LifeLine Animal Project, a nonprofit no-kill shelter in Atlanta, Georgia, recently took in an 8-and-a-half-month-old dog named Milo, who had been left outside the shelter on August 17, according to a Facebook post.
While it’s heartbreaking to see a dog abandoned like that, Milo was left with a letter that explained that his owner was in a desperate situation.
“Please do not judge me on this single act alone,” the letter says. “I am simply a human trying to do what’s best for my puppy.”
“I am homeless and can not fulfill the duties needed to care for him. I have tried rehoming and searching for fosters. I cannot support him or myself. This is the only way I know you will take him & he’s safe. He’s a sweetheart & very well mannered and trained.”
Moved by the letter, LifeLine Animal Project replied with a kind “open letter” to the owner.
They said that employees found Milo in the morning and took him into the building for an intake exam. Though shelters discourage people from leaving pets outside their doors overnight, LifeLine said that the owner took precautions to make sure Milo would not be hit by a car or wander off.
In their response, the shelter expressed sympathy for Milo’s homeless owner and said that, all things considered, they did what was best for the dog.
“Reading the opening lines, we thought of how it must have felt for you to write that message as you left your loved one behind,” they wrote. “What a brave act of self-sacrifice to risk scorn and judgment while trying to do what was best for Milo, to make sure that he would be safe, would be able to get veterinary care, and would have food, water, and a roof over his head.”
They also thanked the owner for including important details about Milo, including his name, vaccination status, and behavior with cats and other dogs, all important things to know when rehoming a surrendered pet.
“He is very obviously loved,” LifeLine wrote. “We love him, too, and will do everything in our power to help him go home.”
LifeLine tried to track down and help Milo’s owner, saying they would be “met with compassion and understanding,” however, in an update the shelter said they were unable to find them.
But in happier news, an “incredible family” came in to visit the shelter interested in adopting Milo: “They fell head over heels for this sweet boy,” the shelter wrote.
“We felt the chances of reuniting Milo at this point were very slim, especially after all the coverage, and didn’t want him to deteriorate in the shelter without a family to spoil him,” they explained. “We’re happy to report that Milo is now adopted, loved and in a fantastic home with his new family.”
It’s always heartbreaking to give up a pet, but it’s clear Milo’s owner loved him and did the best thing they could given the circumstances. We’re glad Milo has a new home, and hope things get better for his former owner ❤️
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