When the Petco Foundation asked for pet adoption stories from around the country, Gil Grooms of Hanahan decided he would share his story of adopting Chloe, a special yellow lab who entered his life, just before tragedy would strike his family. “I truly believe that God put Chloe in my life for a reason. She has become so much more than just a pet,” Grooms said.
Gil met Chloe at the 2016 Charleston Animal Society Chili Cook-off & Oyster Roast. She is a beautiful yellow lab who won his heart instantly. While at the cook-off, Gil texted his son Zachary to see if he should get Chloe and Zach gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up! Three weeks later, tragedy would strike, when police say Zachary was killed by a drunk driver.
In his story, Gil spoke about Chloe being the one thing in his life that helped keep him going. Grooms says he wanted to share his story to show that the work Charleston Animal Society does, not only saves animals, but lifts the lives of families who adopt these loving, compassionate pets. Carolina Tails first shared Gil’s story in the Summer 2017 issue. You can see a video as well at CarolinaTails.com.
On December 4, the Petco Foundation awarded Charleston Animal Society $50,000 because of Gil’s story. In total, the Holiday Wishes campaign awarded $765,000 in grants nationwide.