Just in case your heart wasn’t quite warm enough after the remarkable show of community spirit during the rescue of Nowra pup Brooklyn, residents have banded together once again to raise money for his homeless owner through an online campaign.
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Brooklyn’s rescue has made national news over the past couple of days and captured the hearts of thousands, who despaired when emergency services had to call off their rescue and leave the barking dog stuck down a wombat hole on Friday afternoon.
But despair soon turned to hope, when a pragmatic bunch of Nowra residents grabbed shovels and marched themselves down to the burrow to start digging.
With some good old fashioned elbow grease, they managed to free Brooklyn hours later for a tear-jerking reunion with his owner, Charlie Griffith.
During the rescue, resident Michella Blyth took to the online fund-raising platform Go Fund Me to help raise money for Mr Griffiths and the Nowra homeless hub.
“As most people reading this know, Brooklyn, one of Charlie's dogs, slipped off his collar more than three days ago to chase a wombat,” Ms Blyth wrote, describing how he got stuck down the burrow, and giving regular updates on the rescue as it was happening.
“It is currently 10pm on Friday night and our great community members are still down there digging away to try to get Brooklyn out ASAP, with the people that couldn’t help down there sending food and water down.”
A little while later, an “almost unscathed” Brooklyn was being lifted out of the hole and the funds and offers of help for Mr Griffith were flowing in.
“I've just been notified that Charlie has been offered a place to live with his three furbabies, including Brooklyn when he gets out of the vet,” Ms Blyth said.
“I've put the [Go Fund Me] aim up to $3000 in the hope to pay some rent in advance and help get Charlie and his dogs set up so Charlie has some time to get back on his feet.”
The campaign struck a chord with dog lovers around Australia – with some donations coming from interstate – and easily reached the $3000 target by Saturday afternoon.
“Charlie and Brooklyn's story deeply touched us and we hope a fast recovery for Brooklyn and we hope that Charlie can use this money to start a fresh and better life for himself and his dogs!” one contributor said.
“Warmed my heart to see our community spirit alive and well,” another person wrote. “Time to warm Charlie and Brooklyn with a roof over their heads.”
Ms Blyth said a barbecue at the showground was planned for next Saturday to thank volunteers and raise more money for the Nowra Homeless Hub.