Tennessee Shelter Reunites Homeless Mother With Dog She Was Forced To Abandon

A Tennessee animal shelter reunited a homeless mother with her beloved dog Lilo after she was forced to give up the pet due to her financial and living circumstances.

Earlier in January, a resident of Chattanooga found Lilo wandering the streets with a handwritten note attached to her collar. “Please keep my name. My name is Lilo,” the note read. “Please love me. My mom can’t keep me and is homeless with 2 kids. She tried her best but can’t get help. I cost too much for her. She really loves me and I’m a great dog and love to be loved on. Please don’t abuse me,” the note read, per the Washington Post.

The resident subsequently took Lilo to the McKamey Animal Center where the staff and director Lauren Mann were determined to reunite the dog with its owner. “We all cried reading the note. We see a lot of sad stuff every single day, but it just really hit us all. The last line is gut-wrenching,” Mann said.

“We decided collectively that we were going to do everything we [could] to reunite them and get them back on their feet,” she added, according to the Washington Post.

The staff at McKamey Animal Center reached out to the community on social media in hopes to find the owner.

“We want you to know she is safe, and we will take the very best care of her,” the Facebook post read. “But if you are reading this, we hope you will come forward to reclaim her. We will help you with whatever you need to care for her, to the best of our ability. Lilo definitely misses you, and we would like nothing more than to see her go back to the family she loves. Either way, please know that we understand, we will not judge, and we are here to help in any way we can,” the message continued. (RELATED: Homelessness Hits 8-Year High)

Staff further encouraged Lilo’s owner to contact them so that they could assist with connecting the family with resources to help with their situation.

On Jan 25, Lilo’s owner contacted the shelter and was reunited with her beloved dog.“There was not a dry eye in the room,” Mann said, adding that even Lilo was choked up. “I swear, if a dog could cry like a human could, she was crying,” Mann said according to the Washington Post.

According to Mann, Lilo’s family are currently living in a shelter that does not allow animals. The staff at the animal center are actively working to help them find a new situation that will allow them to get back on their feet and stay together, the outlet reported.