At the Chico Disaster Relief Center (DRC), there was a three-year-old big dog named Moose visiting. The dog immediately lightened up the hearts of the volunteers as soon as he walked in. Moose wagged his tail with joy when the volunteers handed him a pan of water to drink.
Jenny Hutton, Moose’s owner, received help from Tzu Chi in the 2008 fire. Unfortunately, misfortune came down upon Hutton and Moose yet again. Hutton told the volunteers that Moose’s whiskers were burnt off, and, sadly, none of his siblings had survived this fire.
There were only two beds left when Hutton arrived at the Tzu Chi shelter for the fire victims. Behind her in the line was an elderly man in his late 70s, and behind the elderly man was a couple with two young children. Hutton showed her great heart and gave up her spot to those who needed it. She then took Moose with her and opted to continue to stay in her car even though the space was small, and at the time, the temperature was cold. Hutton had been staying in her car since the fire took place on November 8.
Despite her hardships, Hutton is grateful to have a blanket wrapped around her arms and to have her dog happy and healthy.
“Take something positive out of every negative,” she said. “If you can’t look back, reflect on what you learn, and grow. Then you can’t stay in the deadness of the dark. Nothing grows in the dark!”