An animal shelter wrote an open letter to a dog owner who had to make a “ruff” decision about her furry friend.
LifeLine Animal Project shared photos of a dog named Milo alongside a note from the 8-month-old pup’s owner in an Aug. 25 Facebook post.
Milo was left outside of one of the shelter’s facilities on Aug. 17 with a note to explain that they are homeless and Milo can’t be properly cared for in their situation.
“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 letter read. “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, and he’s safe. He’s a sweetheart and very well-mannered and trained.”
The owner also included information about Milo that the shelter might need to know, such as his name, age, vaccination status, favorite treats, that he gets along well with cats and other dogs, and that he’s a “cuddle buddy” who “loves naps.”
After reading the letter, LifeLine took to Facebook to write an open letter to Milo’s owner, hoping to reunite the pair and offer support.
“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 post began.
They noted that the shelter team brought the puppy in, did an intake exam and he joined the other dogs in the shelter.
“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,” the shelter wrote of the letter. “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.”
“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. We love him, too, and will do everything in our power to help him go home.”
The shelter understood the owner’s heartbreaking decision and wanted to help.
“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 to our team,” the shelter wrote to the owner. “You will be met with compassion and understanding. Milo deserves the safety and security of a home, and so do you.”
It was also noted that Milo is “just one of the many dogs” with an owner in difficult situations who wants to do what’s best for their pets.
“The struggle animals face is directly tied to the hardships their families face. If you are in a position to help, please consider becoming a foster parent,” the shelter wrote.
While LifeLine wasn’t able to find Milo’s owner after “exhausting every option at hand,” Milo did find a new fur-ever home.
“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,” an update in the comments of the Facebook post read.
“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 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. We hope to get lots of updates on his journey and we thank you all for being a special part of it.”
