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Zeeland family helping others keep their pets healthy

Posted at 2:51 PM, Apr 05, 2015
and last updated 2015-04-06 09:32:19-04

ZEELAND, Mich. -- A family is helping to raise funds for a pro-bono veterinarian clinic after finding and falling in love with a  dog this past winter.

For Sondra and Caleb Gilllean, Gruff, a tiny Yorkshire Terrier, has become a part of their family.

"We were driving down the road... running some errands.. and we found this pile of snow running down the road at us.. so my husband pulled over and it ended up being this little guy here. he was covered in mats and ice and he was malnourished.." Sondra told Fox 17.

The Gillean's quickly fell in love with the dog and were set on making him a part of the family.

"..He ran right up to us and just fell in love with us. and we fell in love with him."

But the cost of cleaning Gruff up and getting him healthy was something the family wasn't anticipating.  With veterinarian bills growing, the family was searching for a way to be able to afford keeping their new member of the family.  In doing so, they found a way to also help others finding themselves in a similar situation.

'Pro-Bone-O Boutique' was born as an idea to raise funds for a local veterinarian clinic that provides services to customers at no cost.  The family runs the secondhand-goods store out of their garage.  It operates entirely on donations and all proceeds go to helping others afford medical procedures for their pets.

Sondra's husband, Caleb, told us about their plans for the future, "We want to move into a Zeeland store front and start helping people with their vet bils... that they cant afford so hopefully less animals get put to sleep because of money."

Until then, they are planning a neighborhood sale April 17th & 18th in the Wrestling Winds Subdivision in Zeeland.