From the Stafford Sheriff’s Office:
In the midst of economic hardship, isolation, and uncertainty, our community has not lost its spirit of generosity. Each day, we witness acts of kindness that serve as a poignant reminder that we are not alone—that we will weather these trying times together as a community.
We witnessed a remarkable example of this recently when a family in our community surrendered their 13-year-old dog named Sasha to the Stafford County Animal Shelter. Unable to pay for the pet deposit fees at their new apartment, the family was unable to keep their family dog of 13 years or their cat. They had made arrangements for a friend to take the cat, but couldn’t find a home for the dog.
The incredible staff at the animal shelter then took to social media to share the family’s story. Just moments later, they were inundated with calls and messages from community members asking how they could help and if it was possible to make a donation towards the pet deposit fee. The total funds needed to keep the cat and dog were $600.00.
The shelter then spoke with a volunteer at the Friends of Stafford Animal Shelter—a 501 (c)(3) organization that assists the shelter in finding homes for animals and funding veterinary care—who agreed to accept the funds on the family’s behalf. It didn’t take long before they had raised the money needed for the pet deposit fee, and then some.
Thanks to the generous donations of our community members, Sasha was reunited with the family and will get to spend the rest of her days with them. The inspiring act of kindness deeply moved all of us at the SCSO and demonstrated the lengths our community will go to in order to reduce the impact of these trying times on their fellow community members.
Thank you, Stafford County, for your generosity and selflessness. We are in this together.
