After working as a teacher in Europe for eight years, Hillary Barrows returned to her home country of England in January 2015. There, the 57-year-old dreamed of building a new life with her two dogs.
But three weeks later, she was left with nothing! Her savings were exhausted and there was no new job in sight. Dogs were not allowed in the emergency accommodation offered by the city. So Hillary had to make a decision!
Teacher lives with dogs in her car
And her decision is clear - her dogs, Robbie and Cleo, come first. As the rest of her family had also left England, she had no one to take in the dogs that she rescued in Spain.
So without further ado, the 57-year-old moved into her car with her two dogs! Her new address was a 20-year-old Alfa Romeo, parked on a large supermarket lot in Canterbury, Kent.
"I went to Canterbury because the Salvation Army helped me and fed the dogs and there's a public toilet and shower room there, which I use once a week," Hillary explained. The supermarket staff would provide her with breakfast, as well as hot water for soup.
Hillary charged her phone and laptop, which she needed to apply for jobs, in a nearby fast food restaurant. But she herself realised that no one would hire a teacher who has to live in her car.
A happy turn of events
When she launched a crowdfunding campaign on the internet, things took a decisive turn! Hillary received almost £10,000 to help her build a new life. And that's exactly what she did.
The 57-year-old set up her own kennel to provide a home for four-legged friends in need, while continuing to work as a teacher. What a brave woman and an incredible dog owner!
