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Loading...Mystery Donor Gives $1.5 Million For Shelter – In Memory Of “Ace”
An animal rescue group in Detroit received the kind of news that every nonprofit organization longs to hear. An anonymous donor is giving them $1.5 million so they can build the city’s first no-kill animal shelter, in honor of a dog they tried to save.
Detroit Dog Rescue (DDR) was founded only nine months ago by TV producer Monica Martino and hip-hop artist Daniel (Hush) Carlisle, but the group gained national attention for trying to stop Detroit Animal Control from euthanizing an emaciated Pit bull dog that wandered into an Ace Hardware store in early November.
When DDR heard about the dog, aptly named Ace, they raced to the hardware store trying to beat Animal Control to the scene. They knew Animal Control had the authority to euthanize 100 percent of the stray Pit bull dogs seized in the city. Unfortunately officials had already arrived.
DDR tried to have Ace released from the pound and even got a temporary restraining order to keep him alive during a five day holding period, so his owners could be located. Thousands of supporters, including those from Care2 rallied for Ace to be freed.
Ultimately DDR was unsuccessful in its efforts and Ace was euthanized on November 10, but the group found a friend in their mystery donor.
Carlisle said news of the gift started with a phone call from a California woman. She explained that she is a “fellow dog rescuer” who is suffering from a life-threatening illness. Then she said she was turning over $1.5 million in stock options to the non-profit rescue group.
“She just kind of nonchalantly, very humbly, just rambled off very quickly, ‘I just want you to know that we’re going to do this very fast and it’s just going to be a quick transfer of stocks to you guys. You should have the million dollars overnight,’” Carlisle said. “And I was like, ‘Excuse me? Did you just say a million dollars?’”
Carlisle said the woman wished to remain anonymous.
”This donation is just the beginning,” Martino said in a statement. “While Hush and I were working on the streets of Detroit, we saw firsthand the true scope and scale of the stray dog situation. This problem in Detroit is an epidemic and the system that is in place to control it is broken. The first step is to build a no-kill shelter.”
Detroit Dog Rescue estimates there are 50,000 homeless dogs in Detroit.
Related Stories:
Urgent: Help Detroit Pitbull On Death Row
Read more: Ace the pit bull, animal rescue, animal welfare, animals, Anonymous donation Detroit, Detroit Dog Rescue Donation, Detroit stray dogs, homeless pets, Mystery donor Detroit, no-kill animal shelter, stray dogs
Photo: Detroit Dog Rescue
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302 comments
+ add your ownWe live in the Detroit area and this donation has been a god send for us.
This story has been particularly hard for those who live in Detroit especially with Ace's tragic death. This was big, big news in November and we are still living with this story every day. Yes, there are dogs and cats, kittens and puppies dying needlessly everyday and I don't know exactly why Ace's story catapulted our dire situation into international news and why other deaths did not.
What is most important for us now is to prevent more needless deaths and this donation is going to help DDR do just that. I wish more than anything that Ace was still here with us but I have a feeling he is with us in spirit, looking down on us from The Rainbow Bridge.
I hope the world will keep watching Detroit and DDR.......the shelter will hopefully be up and fully functional by the end of this year. DDR WILL stay true to their beliefs of that I am most certain. They are a wonderful, compassionate group of people who are dedicated to helping the animals of Detroit. We will do this.
BOMB. nice!
Thanks good people of Detroit for bringing this problem to public awareness.
Thank God there is a DDR out there to help the animals because apparently the SPCA is no friend to them. Thank you California Anonymous Angel for being there and caring about complete strangers and animals alike..
It is so sad that Ace was euthanized. Now that the Detroit Dog Rescue will be getting the money for a No Kill shelter, maybe they can name a room or wing for Ace since the lady wants to remain anonymous.
Aww, I teared up. Bless this woman who is unfortunately suffering atm. May she find peace in her afterlife.
A very sweet ending to the story of Ace.
That's what I like to hear... God Bless! and Thank you for your donation to build a no Kill shelter.
God bless. Thank you
Thank you.
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