Dream didn’t come from cruelty.

She came from love that ran out of options.

Her dad, Phillip, lost his job.

Then he lost his home.

They were living in his car together. He couldn’t leave Dream alone while he went to interviews.

And today, he realized that loving her meant letting her go.

Phillip has had Dream since she was six weeks old.

She’s six years old now.

She’s been his constant. His family. His reason to keep going.

When he surrendered her, he didn’t just cry — he sobbed.

The kind of sobbing that comes from knowing you’re doing the right thing and still feeling like your heart is breaking in half.

Dream is a big, gentle girl.

Docile. Dog friendly.

She looks a little worn because life has been hard — but she has been deeply loved every single day of her life.

Phillip’s only request was that Dream go into a foster home — somewhere safe and quiet — so when he gets back on his feet, he could come back for her.

Or, if that can’t happen, his greatest wish is that she finds a dream home — a family who can give her everything he couldn’t.

He tried every program meant to keep families and dogs together. Every single one is full, with waiting lists.

Now Dream is one of almost 500 dogs, sitting in a loud, overcrowded shelter kennel — after being someone’s whole world for six years.

She doesn’t understand where he went.

She doesn’t understand why everything suddenly changed.

Dream needs a foster, adopter, or rescue urgently.

She does not belong here.

But Phillip needs help too.

We are creating a GoFundMe for Phillip — not for luxury, not for extras — but to help him get back on his feet so he can survive this moment and continue trying to rebuild his life.

Things like:

• Temporary housing

• Transportation

• Basic necessities

• Job-search stability

Sometimes loving an animal doesn’t fail — the system does.

I’ve attached photos of Dream in a home during better days, and of her today in the shelter.

The photo shown is her intake picture ❤️‍

If you can:

• Foster or adopt Dream

• Share this post

• Donate to Phillip’s GoFundMe (link coming)

—you are helping keep a family’s love from completely disappearing.

DeKalb County Animal Services

3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Atlanta, GA

Please share for Dream.

Please help Phillip.

This is what compassion looks like when life falls apart.