Hi. I'm Stef. And this is my dog, Dobby. Dobby is my entire world. So much so, that I stayed in a bad situation for a long time just to not lose him. After getting out of that situation, it was clear to me that I needed to fight for my dog from my ex. I have been fighting to get him back for over 4 years now. Recently, a judge determined that I was, in fact, a rightful owner of Dobby and granted me shared custody of him, which I happily took as an opportunity to get my dog back, even if it wasn't full time. We came to a fair agreement on custody time and the judge signed off on it.

Now, my ex is filing an appeal of this decision and on the Friday afternoon before Memorial Day weekend, at 4:30 pm in the afternoon, a singular judge on the appeals court, with no background knowledge or context, has decided to stay the order that granted me Dobby beginning on June 1, 2025. This means I have to wait even longer now to see him.

I have put my blood, sweat, tears, and funds the equivalent of a down payment for a house into getting Dobby back and I was so grateful to the Superior Court who acknowledged me as a co-owner. I was happy to share him as long as I got time with him. And now it looks as though not only will June 1 not happen, but I will need to invest thousands more dollars into fighting this appeal.

I am not one to ask for help. In fact, I HATE asking for help, especially when it comes to money. I am self-sustaining and work very hard at a job I love and live in a part of the country that I also love with a person who has helped heal so much of my past traumas. But I have to admit to myself that I need help. So I am asking you to please help me continue fighting for my baby by contributing to my legal fund.

I get that some might say "He's just a dog" and scoff at my insistence at fighting for my baby. I understand this lifestyle isn't for everyone. But it is MY life and I would never forgive myself if I gave up after all this time. I haven't seen Dobby in over 4 years now, but my heart and soul are tied up in that tiny being. He is mine and I am his. And we deserve to have our fair time together in this world.

So thank you for helping me in any way you can. I am eternally grateful for your support in my battle to get my baby, Dobby, back. Thank you.

-Stef + Dobby