An American woman’s compassionate mission to take her ailing dog on a final adventure led to an unexpected friendship that’s capturing hearts of social media onlookers worldwide.
Jennifer Lee from Seattle, wanted to bring her beloved dog comfort in her final dying days. Little did she know her choice would lead to a whole new adventure that’s gone viral on TikTok.
Lee, originally from Seattle but living in Amsterdam, decided to travel to Spain, after receiving devastating news about her beloved dog Maggie.
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“Maggie was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, and they told me she had three to six months to live,” Lee told PEOPLE
“I thought, well, I want her to be out in nature experiencing life.”
Seeking a peaceful exit for her dog, Lee rented a remote casita near Chulilla, Spain, in November 2024. The decision surprisingly led to an extraordinary friendship between the two and and another dog named Piggy.
Piggy, who is considered an “outside dog” which is a puppy that has a home but spends their time outdoors began visiting Lee and Maggie shortly after their arrival.
“He kind of came wandering up to her on one of the first days,” Lee recalls. Despite initial concerns about Maggie’s reactive nature, the two dogs quickly formed a tight bond.
Their daily routine soon included Piggy’s regular visits. “Every day after that first meeting, he comes over first thing in the morning to greet Maggie,” Lee says.
He even joined them on their mountain walks, which later led to him seeking evening cuddles. “At night, he’ll scratch at my door and come inside,” Lee adds, noting Piggy’s growing desire for indoor companionship.
When Lee first observed Piggy, she noticed he may be in need of a veterinary visit. Lee reached out to the dog’s family, however, they were at first skeptical about her concerns. Eventually, they took the dog to the vet.
As Lee and Maggie built a special bond with Piggy, she recently offered to adopt him. “I thought, maybe this is a good opportunity,” she says. A price of $50,000 was floated, based on a conversation with Piggy’s owners about their business needs.
Piggy’s original family has so far declined Lee’s offer, expressing their desire to both keep the canine and also keep him outdoors. This has only increased Lee’s desire to get Piggy under her roof sooner.
Lee’s efforts to adopt Piggy have garnered significant attention online, leading to the creation of a GoFundMe campaign to help. At press time, it sits at more than $18,000.
“I am conflicted about giving this amount of money for one dog when the same amount could save hundreds of dogs in a different situation,” Lee writes on her GoFundMe page. “But I also can’t rightfully just do nothing.”
Reflecting on the public sympathy and efforts surrounding Lee’s potential ownership of Piggy, she added;
“This shows the power of collective action.” Lee emphasizes that she plans to donate the funds to Piggy’s future care and an animal rescue organization if the adoption doesn’t materialize, though she is hopeful that the family might eventually settle for a sum of less than $50,000 for the dog.
