A Virginia man made his dog-loving wife's 40th birthday special by spending $4,400 in adoption fees for 40 rescue dogs.
Andrew and Jennifer Due of Chesapeake, recently. lost When the idea for the birthday was born, one of their dogs, Sierra, washington post Reported.
The couple spends 30 hours a month volunteering at Chesapeake Animal Services, where Andrew has noticed 40 overflow kennels occupied at any given time. When you add up the cost of spaying, neutering, microchipping and vaccinating all 40 dogs, it will cost thousands of dollars to cover adoption.
But he knew it meant a lot to his wife.
“More than anything, she wants every dog to find a good home,” said Andrew, 38. post. “The shelter has a Guardian Angel program where anyone can sponsor a dog adoption fee. We've offered one or two sponsorships in the past, so why not 40? Is that so?”
On November 12, the day before Jennifer turned 40, Andrew asked his three children to help with a surprise.
“I couldn't help but smile because Andrew is always so excited to give presents and it's so hard to wait until the actual date,” Jennifer said, adding that the children gave her a special gift depicting her late dog, Sierra. He said this while remembering the moment he gave the mug.
Then she saw a great gift.
“I'm reading this beautiful note, full of gory romance stuff, and underneath it says I paid the adoption fees for 40 dogs,” she said. “I just cried and cried.”
To keep the surprise a secret, Andrew didn't even tell his children what was written on the card before giving it to Jennifer.
“I told them what he had done, and at first they thought he had adopted 40 dogs and was rehoming them all,” Jennifer said. “We all had a laugh about that.”
Local dog owners will now be able to adopt these 40 puppies for free.
“I was incredibly touched that he knew what was most important to me and did something of this magnitude,” Jennifer added. “Honestly, this is the most sentimental and perfect gift I've ever received.”
The couple only started volunteering at the animal shelter last year, but they're already hooked.
“If the shelter is overcrowded or if there is an animal that needs special medical care, we take them in,” said Jennifer, who has raised more than a dozen dogs and cats since she started helping at the shelter. He added that he was temporarily taking over.
“Right now we are caring for a small dog that is extremely starved,” she explained. “My daughter named her Squishy because she's obsessed with stuffed animals.”
Casey Gallardo, outreach coordinator for Chesapeake Animal Services, said she was surprised when Andrew came up with a $110 fee for 40 dogs.
“None of us have ever paid so much for anything before,” she said. post. “His talent has enabled us to foster even more dogs from the back of our shelter.”
“When you adopt one dog, you're actually saving two dogs,” Gallardo explained, adding that the shelter's overflow kennel is in case there isn't enough space or foster homes. he said.
“Ever since they walked in the door, they've been incredibly positive and never said no,” she added of the Dues. “Andrew would come in and say, 'What do I need to fix?'”
“I'm so happy to know that he understands my heart and understands what I value most,” Jennifer said in an emotional interview with WAVY TV 10. Ta.
“It really meant a lot,” she concluded.
So far, 17 adoptions have already been funded by Andrew's generous donation. post Reported.
After paying the fee, Andrew was also able to share the good news with two people who happened to be in line at the shelter.
“They were waiting to be adopted that day, so I thought, ‘Let’s start now,’” he said. “One woman said it was her birthday and the dog would be her gift. She hugged me and started crying, so I knew right then and there that she was getting a gift back. ”
