Heartbreaking Note Left with A Dog Found Abandoned

A 4-year-old dog arrived at an animal shelter in Tennessee with a heartbreaking message that the dog could no longer be taken care of by her homeless owner. Now, the dog is being reunited back her original family. Lilo, a German shepherd-Great Pyrenees mix, was brought into the McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga, Tenn., last ... The post Heartbreaking Note Left with A Dog Found Abandoned first appeared on DogExpress.

Heartbreaking Note Left with A Dog Found Abandoned

A 4-year-old dog arrived at an animal shelter in Tennessee with a heartbreaking message that the dog could no longer be taken care of by her homeless owner.

Now, the dog is being reunited back her original family. Lilo, a German shepherd-Great Pyrenees mix, was brought into the McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga, Tenn., last week after someone found her walking around a neighborhood with a leash on.

My name is Lilo. Please love me

Lilo, a 4-year-old German shepherd-Great Pyrenees mix
Lilo, a 4-year-old German shepherd-Great Pyrenees mix.
Courtesy Of McKamey Animal Center

When Lilo arrived at the center, there was a note attached to her collar from her last owner, saying that she could no longer afford to care for the dog.

ā€œMy name is Lilo. Please love me,ā€ the note read. ā€œMy mom canā€™t keep me and is homeless with 2 kids. She tried her best but canā€™t get help. I cost too much for her.

ā€œShe really loves me and Iā€™m a great dog and loved to be loved on. Please donā€™t abuse me,ā€ it said.

The note also asks not to change Liloā€™s name.

Lauren Mann, director of the advancement at the McKamey Animal Center, said it was ā€œgut-wrenchingā€ when staff saw the note.

Get the Everyoneā€™s Talking newsletter in your inbox. Get caught up with the trending news you need to know.

ā€œThere was a bunch of us that honestly started crying,ā€ Mann told. ā€œSomething about the note really stood out to all of us. It was clear that this person didnā€™t want to let go of their dog, so it hit home for all of us.ā€

Heartbreaking Note

Animal center staff wanted to try and find Liloā€™s owner, so they shared her story in a Facebook post and wished ā€œthe power of social mediaā€ would help.

Within the next 24 hours, Liloā€™s original owner had been found. Mann said her owner had heard about the Facebook post from a friend and had no idea she ended up at the center. Finally, the owner was able to see Lilo again.

While Lilo can soon be reunited with her family, animal officials noted that people shouldnā€™t abandon their pets.

In honor of Lilo, McKamey sent up a fund dedicated ā€œto preventing as many families as possible from being separated from their beloved pets.ā€

Mann said places like McKamey have pet food pantries and other services to lower the cost of caring for a pet, as when people are struggling financially, their first option is to get rid of their pet.

The center said, ā€œWhile we understand what and why Liloā€™s mom did what she did, we wish that she had come to us first for resources and help.ā€

In a Jan. 26 update, the center said it was blown away by the amount of support Lilo and the family received, and the note left on Lilo played a crucial part in reuniting her.

ā€œI think Lilo was really lucky that she had a note attached to her collar,ā€ Mann said. ā€œWe donā€™t know the story of every dog that comes into our building, but I could easily say that sheā€™s not the only one that came from a situation just like that.ā€

The post Heartbreaking Note Left with A Dog Found Abandoned first appeared on DogExpress.