You might be asking, why is an animal rescue raising funds for a family? This story is one we simply couldn't turn away from. We are sharing many details and life-shattering moments, that this family & their pets have endured.

My name is Teresa Fee, Founder and President of Loving Paws Animal Center, located in Battle Ground, IN. This campaign has been created to help a homeless, widowed mother, her autistic son, their dog Dozer and the cats that were sadly, left behind. We hope that you will take a moment to read her heart-wrenching story! Please consider contributing, to help us change the world for this deserving family.

Dawn once lived the most beautiful, secure life. She was surrounded by love, laughter and comfort, with her beloved husband Tom of 18 years, their children and family pets. She and Tom adopted their youngest son when he was a baby, now 14 years old. They knew at a very young age, that he was autistic. They showered him with unconditional love, protection and adventures. Creating family memories many of us only dream of.

This beautiful family was shattered, after Tom passed away in 2018 from lung cancer. Dawn, a former EMT, was blessed to be a stay-at-home mom. She had no time to grieve, as she consoled her children and scrambled to provide for everyone, emotionally and financially. Shortly after Tom’s passing, they began receiving survivor benefits, relieving some of the financial hardships. Though, it didn't heal their broken hearts. Dawn did everything she could to keep their home filled with love & laughter. They spoiled their animals rotten and continued helping every stray cat or dog they crossed paths with. Life just wasn't the same without Tom, nothing felt normal & togetherness started to feel empty. As time passed, their son started acting out, clearly missing his father and unable to process his death.

Devastation continued to break this family. In 2021, they lost their family home to a fire. Everything they worked so hard for, and their safe haven filled with the most loving memories, gone! Dawn & her son hopped around from hotel to hotel, until she was finally able to purchase another house in 2022. She worked hard to make it a comfortable home for them, their dog Dozer and cats. But it never felt like home. The mental & emotional impact from all the loss & constant changes, caused her son’s mental struggles to escalate. He became a danger to himself & others and was eventually court ordered to be placed in a residential facility. A residential facility that was one and a half hours away from his mother, in a town she wasn't familiar with. Dawn continued trying to make their new house a home. She drove back and forth to see her son, making sure he knew that she was by his side, no matter the distance. If all these tragedies weren't enough, another hit came; their survivor benefits were discontinued due to her son being in a residential facility, they no longer qualified per government regulations. Dawn just couldn't catch a break. It was heartbreak after heartbreak, and struggle after struggle. Not long after losing that big portion of their income, utilities started getting shut off and house payments got behind. Dawn lost her house to foreclosure in October of last year (2025). Furthermore, she is now required to pay back a portion of the survivor benefit money. She had no choice but to only take necessary essentials she could fit in her van and leave the home behind.

This woman went from having everything to being homeless (twice), due to countless unforeseen events, that were out of her control. Dozer, their 9-year-old dog stayed with her in the van. A van that has NO heat, curling up to stay warm from the brutally cold Indiana winter temperatures. Dawn did attempt to keep the cats too, but they were very unsettled in the van. Having nowhere for the cats to go, she had no choice but to put them outside. She lived in her van in front of the foreclosed home, praying for a change. Dawn, beat down and defeated, made arrangements for her neighbor to look after the four cats and feed them. Her hope is that she will be able to at least get her sons cat back and find homes for the remaining three. Finding a rental allowing five animals, is nearly impossible. She left the home behind in December and came to Lafayette, Indiana to be closer to her son. She was hopeful that there would be better opportunities in a larger city. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case. She has contacted multiple resources only to find out they are currently out of funding. She has been placed on months long waiting list, was too scared & treated poorly the one night she stayed at a local shelter and has no address to get established in a new county. Dawn has been applying for jobs and doing everything right, but luck has not been on her side.

So why are we helping Dawn and her family? Because we don't just care about the homeless dog sleeping in the van and the cats that were left behind; we care about the human family too. Dawn's situation has been closely monitored for almost 2 months. We followed all her posts, read every comment from concerned viewers, and focused heavily on how she responded. We took time to read years' worth of posts on her profile, background check, verified non-confidential situations, and engaged in lots of deep conversations. This past Monday, January 12th, we briefly stated her story in a post on our Facebook page, with an immediate goal to get her & Dozer into a hotel. Just a couple of hours later, they were in a safe, warm place.

Our goal is to raise the funds to keep them in the hotel, until we can raise enough funds to get her established as a Tippecanoe resident. Then we can help her apply for assistance programs, purchase personal items for both her and her son (including age/disability appropriate toys, etc.), and necessities for Dozer. Eventually we hope to have enough to pay for a rental deposit on a 2 bedroom apartment or home. Maybe even 3-6 months of rent, utility deposits/monthly payments, furnishings, groceries, etc.

This little family deserves time to grieve, to feel cared for, rest without concern, and to spend time together with a sense of peace & security. Dawn is looking forward to not only having a place to call home but awaiting the day she is able to bring her son home.

We hope that you will consider a life-changing donation to help this deserving family. No amount is too small, and all contributions are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

What we have accomplished thus far:

We have a mechanic donating his time and Church funding to help start repairs.

Individual Contributions have covered a two week hotel stay.

Received some hygiene items, groceries, daily essentials, electric skillet, dog food & totes to store her belongings in.

Dozer the dog has seen the vet and got his vaccines updated & monthly preventatives due to the kindness of another local rescue & low-cost vet clinic.

*Please note, this is the ONLY GoFundMe campaign set up for this family. Please be careful who you are donating to. All questions or additional donation offers must go through Loving Paws Animal Center.