The story of a Tennessee woman and her dog, Lilo, recently went viral after the staff at the McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga worked to reunite the two.
On January 24th, the center posted on Facebook about a good Samaritan who had brought Lilo to the shelter after she was found wandering around Chattanooga with a note attached to her collar.
The note, written by Lilo’s mom, explained that she was homeless with two kids and could no longer care for Lilo due to the costs involved. She asked for Lilo to be loved and not abused and requested that her name be kept. The center posted the story along with pictures of Lilo, hoping that her owner would come forward.
In the post, the workers expressed their understanding of the difficult decision Lilo’s mom had made but wished that she had come to the center first. They offered to help in any way they could, promising to take the best care of Lilo and find her a wonderful new home, but also expressing their hope that Lilo’s mom would reclaim her. The center received an outpouring of support, with many Facebook users applauding the shelter for their kindness and understanding.
Less than a day after the post was made, Lilo’s owner decided to accept the center’s offer, and on January 25th, the dog was reunited with her owner. The center posted an update with a picture of Lilo’s mom embracing her and explained that they were actively working with the family to set them up with a safe haven, shelter, and resources to tackle homelessness.
In another update, the shelter wrote that they were blown away by the outpouring of support and were working with other non-profits in the area to get Lilo’s family the support they needed to be reunited and find long-term solutions for their situation.
The story of Lilo and her owner has touched the hearts of many and serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting those in need, both humans and animals alike. The staff at the McKamey Animal Center should be applauded for their efforts to reunite Lilo with her family and for their commitment to helping those in need.