Gravey's Story

This is Gravey. She is happy today, but things weren't always so good for Gravey. Gravey now has a heated, air conditioned dog house with a human-sized door and has free run of 20 acres ofland. She has a family that loves her and takes good care of her. She has not always been this happy.

When Healing Species founder Cheri Thompson first found Gravey, she looked like this:

She was covered with mange, had lost her fur and her whole body was like a giant scab.

Cheri had to pull over on the road to cry, promising, "I'll come back for you, Gravey."

Cheri named her Gravey because she was barely alive. She had one foot in the grave.

Gravey did not trust Cheri to pick her up and rescue her, so Cheri came back with food and water every day for the next 30 days. As the days wore on, Gravey would eat the food and drink the water and let Cheri get closer.

One day, when Cheri was feeding Gravey, a car drove up from behind. The people inside it pointed and said "Look, that's the lady who's been feeding that dog." You see, Gravey lived in somebody's yard. It was then that Cheri realized that the people responsible for Gravey could see Gravey with their eyes, but they couldn't see her with their hearts.

Cheri got permission to take Gravey home and get her medical care.

Gravey inspired Cheri to write the Healing Species curriculum. She never wanted anyone else to loose a piece of their heart. She wanted the teach children to always keep their heart.

Gravey helped Cheri teach the Healing Species lessons in South Carolina schools for a few years, but now Gravey is retired so she can run and play the rest of her life.