Meet George

On September 20, 2017 Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island of Puerto Rico as a high-end Category 4 storm, with wind gusts close to 160 mph, killing nearly three thousand people.

The following September, Emily began to walk dogs to support her career. It was then she met her first dog, George, a survivor of Hurricane Maria, and a suspected street dog. He was a broken pup, afraid of the wind, rain, and people - walking in every direction but straight when on a leash. He was blind in his left eye from blunt trauma, and he showed fear aggression when people moved too quickly. His family was apprehensive with anyone who came near him, all the while being worried about how his past would affect his future.

Every day Emily walked George on her lunch break, pausing, sitting, and waiting for George to gain the assurance to walk by her side. It didn’t take much time for Emily to realize that George’s walks were not just exercise and bathroom breaks, but a time for him to heal, bond with her, and learn how to trust, and feel safe, but most importantly how to become a confident dog after trauma. Emily began to educate herself in canine behavior until she found a method that worked towards communicating with George. With consistency, patience, a steady hand, and the help from George’s family and fur-friends, George overcame many of his fears. His family saw his life change, and they were able to love the dog they always new he could be.

George became Emily’s muse. By summer of 2019, he inspired her to leave her 20-year career in order to walk dogs with purpose. Today, George is still amongst her play groups and hikes, having her back and riding shotgun.