Hope had a hard time growing up. She faced bullying and difficulty making friends. That’s when her mom Elaine decided to get her the kind of friend that wouldn’t judge or bully her. When Hope met Samson, the family dog, she fell in love. He was like a brother to her. Hope would tell him her secrets and talk to him. Then, Samson passed away. Losing a dog, is nothing short of losing a family member. It’s exactly the same. Meredith Vieira decided to send Hope and Elaine on a caravan with Animal Aid USA.

Hope got to play with a ton of rescue dogs. That’s when Elaine noticed something. Hope was opening up again. She was coming out of her shell. She didn’t just talk to the rescue animals, she was talking to people, too. There was something about being with the dogs that gave Hope this spark. She was alive again. There was one particular rescue that caught her eye. He was a Jack Russell named Buster and the first dog to come to her. The scrappy little guy was abused and abandoned in a trailer park. They wanted to adopt him, but were told he needed more time.

As the mother and daughter stood on the set of the Meredith Vieira Show, they were in awe: out strutted Buster as Meredith declared that he was Hope’s to keep. The look on her face says it all. She was stunned!

“After we went on this caravan, it really did change my perspective. Dogs really are like people. When you give to them, they will definitely give back to you,” Hope says.

Please SHARE if you think Hope has a big heart!
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