A Man Made His Wife Choose Between Her Dogs and Him, and She Stayed With the Dogs

To Liz Haslam, happiness is what happens when she’s caring for and protecting dogs in need. What does she get in return? An immense amount of love and gratitude from these pups. It’s so strong that there’s no doubt in saying she wouldn’t change this for anything or anyone in the world, literally.

Bright Side wants to give you a recount of this particular story in which Liz made the most critical decision of her life when she chose between her partner or her dogs.

Liz got married to someone who she thought was the love of her life.

Liz Haslam met Mike when she was 16 and they fell in love. So when she finished high school, they got married. After the wedding, she moved from her parents’ home to share her life with Mike in a new place. They settled on the English countryside in a 2-bedroom house next to a large rural garden in Barnham, Suffolk. They had a child named Ollie and were married for over 25 years. However, none of the elements in this love story were enough for their love to last, nor to confront any obstacle that came their way.

“It’s the dogs or me.”

One day, fed up with an unusual situation that exceeded the limits of his patience, Mike confronted Liz without considering the consequences: “My husband said: It’s either the dogs or me.” Since that moment I have neither seen nor heard from him, she declared.

The reason behind all of this? When they moved to the country house, Liz realized she had enough space to start a business that would fill her heart even more than her pockets: Beds for Bullies, a foundation for bull terriers that gives shelter to these dogs that are in need. However, her husband felt that their relationship revolved around the dogs, which had many medical and behavioral issues that prevented them from being relocated to new homes.

Since she was a girl, Liz has felt a great love toward dogs.

The love Liz felt and still feels toward dogs overwhelmed Mike, even though it shouldn’t have. He knew she had been brought up in close contact with dogs for the majority of her life. Her mother raised West Highland Terriers, and her father used to own an animal feed company. “I thought that, after 25 years, he should’ve known that giving up dogs was not a part of my intentions, not at all. He knew from the moment we got married what I was all about. I don’t know what he expected,” Liz confessed.

Their goals as a couple were not pointing in the same direction.

However, it wouldn’t be fair to judge Mike or any other person that doesn’t love dogs as much as many of us do. People can’t be forced to like them either. Liz knew this very well so, after this premise, the couple made the healthy decision to separate from each other when their priorities changed.

“We drifted apart. He was very busy with work, and he didn’t give me a chance. I didn’t want to be the woman married to a workaholic, so I took refuge in those who gave me love: my dogs,” Liz explained.

Liz, a dog angel

The dog’s needs and demands left Mike in second and third place in terms of Liz’s priorities. “My passion for dogs was too huge for Mike.” And rightly so. Taking care of 30 dogs that require medical attention and also affection must barely leave enough spare time to even take care of yourself. Liz spends around 18 hours a day taking care of her dogs, taking them out for a walk, and spending hundreds of dollars on their medicines and treatments.

200 dogs and counting

Despite all of this, Beds for Bullies is still working thanks to generous people. It’s a charity “that relies mostly on donations” and on a small business that offers accommodations for pets whenever their owners go on vacation. Liz also welcomes rescued puppies that have been rejected by other shelters. She has admitted over 200 rescued dogs over the years and continues to house more.

Always loyal to her dogs, no matter what...

This situation has left the family with a veterinary invoice of almost $4,500. It also forced Liz to live in a tent for a while after being unable to pay her rent. However, Liz managed to step up and she couldn’t be happier: “I’ve chosen to do this, and I love it,” she shared.

There’s no doubt that she has very good intentions and she deserves our acknowledgment. What would you have done in her place? What would you do today?