Ray was just running a quick errand at Dollar General when something unexpected scurried into his path — a tiny dog, clearly alone and unsure of where to go.
“She was just running down the aisle like she owned the place,” Ray recalled with a laugh in a video for The Dodo. “It was kind of funny — and a little heartbreaking.”
The little pup had no collar and no one with her, but she ran straight up to Ray as if she’d been waiting for him all along. Sensing she needed help, Ray stayed by her side and called animal control. While they waited, the dog curled into his lap, hungry for warmth, safety — and love.
“She wouldn’t leave me alone,” Ray said. “She was craving affection.”
When animal control called back to say they couldn’t make it out that night, they asked Ray if he could temporarily take her home. Without hesitation, he said yes.
Once inside Ray’s home, the little dog instantly relaxed — as if she'd known all along this was where she was meant to be.
“She crawled up on my shoulder, let out this deep sigh and just melted into me,” Ray said. “It was like she was saying, ‘I’m finally safe. I’m home.’”
In that quiet moment, Ray’s heart knew what she had already decided.
“I looked at her and said, ‘Yep. You’re mine.’”
But it wasn’t quite that simple. Legally, Ray had to turn the dog over to a local shelter for a few weeks while they checked for a potential owner. It broke his heart to let her go — but he visited her almost every other day, hoping and waiting.
Finally, the day came when she was cleared for adoption — and Ray didn’t waste a second.
He brought her home for good and gave her a new name: Dolly.
Now, Dolly and Ray are the best of friends. Whether it’s running errands or relaxing at home, they do everything together.
“She goes everywhere with me,” Ray said. “She just fits right in — like she was always meant to be here.”
