Thousands of dollars raised to help man who ‘spent nearly everything’ taking in stray animals
A Missouri man who sacrificed nearly everything he had to care for stray animals is now receiving help from both animal advocates and generous donors.
Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) announced last week that it rescued nearly 40 dogs and five cats from a property in Missouri. The animals were transported to ARC’s rescue center in Tennessee, where they are now receiving medical treatment and care.
According to ARC, the man — identified only as Ted — had been trying to care for the animals on his own. However, as more stray animals continued to appear at his home, the situation quickly became overwhelming.
Following the rescue, Cynthia Trent of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, launched a GoFundMe campaign to help Ted. Trent said Ted had been living in a rundown camper accessible only by a dirt road, without electricity or running water. She added that he walked daily to collect water for both himself and the animals.
Trent said she befriended Ted while trying to help improve conditions for both him and the animals. Through their conversations, she learned that Ted was once a university professor, but health issues forced him to leave his teaching career.
Ted reportedly began with just one small, spayed dog, but more animals were eventually abandoned near his property.
“In this rural part of Missouri, there are very limited resources for animals, and the trailers mentioned are known dumping grounds in the county,” Trent explained.
Despite declining health and limited resources, Ted continued caring for every animal that arrived, often at great personal cost.
“For a short time, he was able to get dogs vaccinated and spayed or neutered, but the animals kept coming, and it simply wasn’t sustainable,” Trent wrote.
As conditions worsened, Trent reached out to multiple rescue organizations. Those efforts eventually connected her with Animal Rescue Corps. She said that within an hour of contact, ARC sent funds to cover food for all the animals and offered to pay veterinary costs for those needing urgent care.
With the animals safely rescued, Trent said Ted agreed to seek help for himself as well.
The GoFundMe campaign was launched with a $50,000 goal and has already raised more than $40,000 in just a few days.
“I talk with Ted every morning, and he is incredibly grateful to everyone who has shown him kindness and support,” Trent wrote in an update. “He’s overwhelmed, but he truly feels loved.”
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