Many homeless individuals own pets in spite of criticism. This is not an article about that. The debate should only exist when a homeless person is putting their pet in harm’s way and most of the time, they are not. They go without so their pet has a steady diet, a warm coat, and adequate shelter. And in many cases, they will stay in a shelter or on a friend’s couch, not because they want to but because they want to do what is best for their furry friend.

Wilma Price, from Houston, Texas, saw a homeless man holding a sign outside of Walmart that read, “Dog in pound, need help.”

The sign broke her heart. The homeless man, named Patrick, stood there desperate for someone to help him. He wasn’t asking for food or money for himself. He was asking for someone to help his best friend, Franklin, who remained in the pound until Patrick could raise $120 to get him out.

rice told People.com: “He seemed like a nice, gentle soul who just happened to have a hard life. The look in his eye was desperation; he looked like a big kid who just lost his puppy.”

For Patrick, $120 may as well have been $1000…

Price gave Patrick the money and then posted the story to Facebook. Her post read:

“I’m just so shocked he is a wonderful man and Franklin is a wonderful dog I did this because I would want somebody to do it for me I’ve done homeless animals all my life and dedicated my life to them we all could be in his situation in the blink of an eye and you never know somebody situation or what’s going on in their life so I am not a very judgmental person and I never judge somebody by the cover of their book is until you’ve walked in their shoes you have no idea what somebody’s went through you should always pay it forward if you’re able because like I said in the blink of an eye you could be in the same situation I know how hard I struggle every day just to make sure that the animals have everything and will never end back up on the street again while they’re waiting for their forever home and I have been blessed in my life with unconditional love with all the homeless animals.”

When asked what compelled her to help Patrick, Price responded: “Sometimes just one person would lend a helping hand [and] it would make so much of a difference,” she adds. “I’m a firm believer you don’t judge a book by its cover until you read that book yourself.”