(DOGS/ANIMAL RESCUE) ILLINOIS — Jon Byler Dann lost his home to the devastating tornado that recently struck Washington, Illinois, but he is very fortunate that his wife and four children are still alive.
Sadly, there was another important member of the family who was stuck in harm’s way.
Before the storm, Byler Dann tried coaxing the family dog, Maggie, into the basement with the rest of his family. However, Maggie was too agitated to enter the safe room, so Byler Dann was forced to leave her upstairs to protect the rest of his family.
After the storm passed, he discovered the destruction of his five-year home, assuming Maggie was dead. A day and a half later, when he returned with friends and family to search through the rubble, he made a shocking discovery.
Relive his story in the gallery below.
“I felt intense relief and elation but also just panic,“ Byler Dann said after finding Maggie injured. “I’m very thankful and blessed to have my wife and my children. And finding my dog today was just unreal.“
Donations poured in from all over the country to cover the cost of Maggie’s care, eventually exceeding the goal by more than $1,500.
“It really says a lot about the generosity of people, and our country,“ he added. “People who have seen the story and want to donate, and we tell them that we’ve got enough for Maggie, but they say just put it towards other patients.“
Animal lovers everywhere should be inspired knowing their influence helps preserve the delicate lives of their most precious companions.
— Kayla Newcomer, exclusive to Global Animal
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