‘Broke our hearts’: Strangers help dog and owner reunite after family member secretly abandoned dog

On February 27, a local resident in Money, Illinois, saw a sad sight: Burger King had a dog tied to the collar with a note attached.

“Hi, I am the king,” the note read. “I’m a good boy… I love hugging and kissing… Birthday July 22 – 2018.”

Finding abandoned animals is nothing new in these difficult times, but while this case looked like just another abandoned animal, the reality was much more complicated.

Moni police shared photos of King and his story, hoping someone might know his owners or be interested in the very good boy.

“We had a citizen tonight who found this cute dog with this note on his collar,” they shared on Feb. 27. – He broke our hearts. If you know where he lives, please contact the police. If you are interested in adopting him, he will be available from the South Suburbs Humane Society. He really loves to hug and kiss you!!!”

No one knew that the former owner of the King was struggling with some serious health problems and entrusted the care of the King to the family. But at some point, the family member got fed up and left King outside the restaurant with a note.

King was kept at the South Suburban Humane Society, and when his owner realized what had happened, she went to the shelter to explain.

“Yesterday his beloved parent came to the shelter to tell us what happened,” the shelter wrote on March 1. “After a serious medical incident, she moved in with her family and is trying to get back on her feet. A member of her family has abandoned King without her knowledge and she is devastated.

“She brought all his food, toys, treats, and we had a tearful conversation together. She wants to try to find a new place to live in order to provide her with very good care for the dog she loves very much. So one of our amazing co-workers has agreed to take King into her home for a month so we can hope for a reunion.”

A GoFundMe has also been launched for the couple to help them reunite even sooner.

“Hello everyone! My name is King,” the fundraising page said. “By now, many of you have seen my story on the news or social media. I need help to reunite with my parent. Last year, my parent was injured on work and are currently unable to work due to post-concussion syndrome, which makes them sensitive to light and sound, dizzy when standing or bending over, daily migraines and restlessness We were forced to move in with the family due to money problems, and, unfortunately, we are now separated.

Within days, the page raised over $6,000 to help reunite dog and owner, and by March 6, they were back together.

“We’d like to thank EVERYONE who donated to Miss Cruz and King!” Read the update on GoFundMe. “They reunited today (03/06/2023)! She found a landlord who is willing to work with her. They found temporary accommodation with a loved one whom she trusts. We are truly grateful to live in such a caring and compassionate community. We grew up here and this weekend we learned that it really takes a village! All the kind words, advice and donations have brought tears to our eyes and restored our faith in humanity. Thank you will never be enough, but we can’t say enough, THANK YOU!!

The shelter also shared a video of the reunion that shows King delighted to be back in his person — the reunion is made possible by a large number of generous, caring people who understand the bond between dog and owner.

This article originally appeared in The Western Journal.

We strive for truth and accuracy in all our journalistic material. Check out our editorial standards.

Comment below