Make It Work- Brody and Echo’s new home

I am Melanie and I am the dog mom of these two derpy grins in the pic. I also wrote the post on social media called “Make it Work”. (copied below) It is my story of getting thru life obstacles without giving up my pups, hoping to get other pet owners to see that, yes, it is doable.

Part of that includes dealing with unaffordable housing. The post gives some details about this, but right now I am still sleeping in my brother’s tool shed in order to be with my pups. (let me please state that I chose to do that and he is not mean or evil)

we still have to move after my surgery which originally had a later date estimated so he was allowing us to stay til the end of the year, but it is now set for 12/7. Our move out is supposed to happen during my time off work for recovery.

I need to find a home for us. Brody and Echo want to be inside with me, they miss the time and closeness. The best and most affordable option is going to be another used camper, and I can move that later to be closer to my grandkids as well.

I did not want anything for us when I made the post, many generous offers of help were made and the suggestion to create this was made. If this helps get all of us back in the same home, then I will do this.

I pray that anyone who has even had the desire to help would receive back multiple blessings in return.

Thank you doesnt even cover the kindness in the responses I have gotten.

Making it work….

While seeing more people wanting to rehome or surrender their dogs as we close in on the holidays, I would like to offer some encouragement and share how I am making it work, something we dont hear or see much of.

I am 54, single, kids grown, live in SC, have 2 rescued dogs with a history of abuse and neglect and I work for a hospital system….sounds great right?

For the first time in my life I have not been able to afford to live alone- since that virus thing swept thru the world everything has gone insanely and inexcusably high….yall know what I mean.

I had to figure something out so I first got rid of everything that wasnt essential for living. I down graded to an older truck and bought an older RV to live in so I didnt have to depend on family, most of whom don’t understand keeping my dogs at all costs.

Living in the RV was working pretty well but a limb fell thru the roof and my camper was totaled.

Let me add that I also spent my weekends either driving 3 hours to help my elderly parents or 1.5 hours for my physically disabled brother. Dogs tag along since I was gone for hours. And I have no time that is really “off”.

I moved in with my brother short term, dogs staying in my room and this made it easier to help him, and helped me until I could figure out where to go next, but my dogs chased his cat so he evicted them into the yard, not even allowed in at night. It was still below freezing at night and they have never been outside dogs. He said to lock them in the tool shed which is not climate controlled and they have never been forced away from me. He wouldn’t agree to letting them be carefully walked in and out on leash just to go to bed.

I couldnt leave them outside and alone so i cleaned the shed inside as best I could and partitioned a small area to heat or cool and moved a bed in there for myself and we sleep side by side in this shed. I built the outside fence so they can be in or out when I work. I go in the house to dress for work and fix their food, still running my brothers errands and helping him and my parents.

He wants us to leave by the end of the year.

Living in a camper or shed is not ideal, but it wont be this way forever. Sacrificing is what i did for my kids and now i do for my very loyal dogs.

Keeping people or pets that love you with you is far more valuable than having stuff. i have had stuff. it doesnt love back.

hang onto your pets, even if you can only give a little here and there. it is so much better than what waits for them, and they give you so much more than they get. dont give up.

Adoption means family and family means for life.