Teen refugee left her dog behind when she fled Syria for SLO. Can they be reunited?

Editor’s note: This story mentions suicide.

The last time Nour Makhoul saw her beloved dog Tuti, she was mere hours away from leaving her home country of Syria for good — but forefront in her mind was making sure her faithful companion didn’t know what was happening.

“I didn’t want Tuti to feel anything was wrong,” Makhoul told The Tribune. “I was like, ‘Yes! Come on Tuti! We are going to visit (her friend).’ She was jumping and happy. And then I put her leash on her, and then my friend took her.”

After Tuti left the room, Makhoul collapsed.

More than two months later, the memory still sends the 19-year-old, now living in San Luis Obispo, into tears. But there is hope on the horizon.

Thanks to an animal rescue group, and some fundraising led by local radio host Dave Congalton, Makhoul could soon be reunited with Tuti as she and her family embark on their new lives on the Central Coast.

“She was my biggest motivation when she was first in my life,” Makhoul said. “And I need that motivation now.”

Teen flees Syria with her family for Central Coast

Makhoul and her family left Syria in the early morning hours of April 4, leaving behind most of their possessions as they fled from the war-torn nation.

Makhoul, her parents and one of her older sisters arrived in San Luis Obispo on April 5 with some help from the local nonprofit SLO4Home, which aims to help refugees find safety on the Central Coast.

So far, it has been a big adjustment for them all, particularly her parents, Makhoul said.

“It’s a huge step — like we left everything behind,” she said. “But, you know, we are here, we feel safe, so it’s worth it.”

With plans to study computer science at Cuesta College starting in August, Makhoul is working on building her new life in the United States — but the memory of the furry little friend who helped her during some of her darkest times has stuck with her.

Their story began in 2021, while Makhoul was in her final year of high school.

That year is particularly important for Syrian students, she said, as “your whole future depends on your grades.” But after catching COVID-19, Makhoul was bed-ridden for two months, unable to go to school.

She said she felt like she was falling behind and soon fell into a severe state of depression; at one point, she began having thoughts of suicide.

“I was so depressed, like I felt that my future is ruined forever,” Makhoul said.

Then, in February 2022, her parents brought her a gift: a small white fluffy Bichon Frise she named Tuti.

“It was the happiest day of my life,” Makhoul said. “We all will say that someone rescued a dog or a cat or something, but in this situation she rescued me. I can admit that, without her, I wouldn’t be alive right now.”

For the next year, Tuti was Makhoul’s faithful companion. She helped inspire her while she was studying for her exams, sitting beside her all day long, and helped entertain her when Makhoul needed some fun.

Because of Tuti, Makhoul said, she was able to get her grades back up and enroll in the university of her choice.

“I always imagined her supporting me and saying ‘You can do it, Nour!’” Makhoul laughed.

GoFundMe raises money to bring dog to SLO County

Despite their connection, Makhoul was unable to bring Tuti with her when she and her family left Syria for SLO County.

Tuti went to stay with one of Makhoul’s friends who also had a dog, and Makhoul resigned herself to the fact she would likely never see her beloved pet again.

When she learned of a group called Kabul Small Animal Rescue, which specializes in getting pets out of Afghanistan, Makhoul said she realized there might be a way to reunite with Tuti.

“It was like my dream in front of me, my dream was coming true,” she said. “Even though I have lots of dreams to achieve here, bringing Tuti here is my biggest one.”

Around this time, Congalton became involved thanks to his partner, Kathy Minck, who sits on the board of SLO4Home.

He told The Tribune he learned of Makhoul’s story and went to go meet with her to hear more. That’s when he knew he would do everything he could to help reunite Makhoul and Tuti.

“Here’s this bright, articulate, intelligent, young woman — very mature, very responsible,” he said. “And then the second you bring up the dog, her voice cracked, she starts tearing up and I’m sitting there going, ‘Dammit, we’re getting the dog.’”

Congalton started a GoFundMe page with the intent of raising money to help pay the costs of getting Tuti to SLO County.

According to Kabul Small Animal Rescue, the funding would have to cover a range of expensive vaccinations, testing and medical procedures required by the government to allow Tuti into the country, as well as the actual transportation costs.

As of Friday morning, the GoFundMe has raised $4,050, just over its $4,000 goal. Congalton said more donations beyond the goal are welcome because the estimated cost of getting Tuti isn’t set in stone.

“It gets expensive,” he said. “You would go to the vet office, and we might pay $100. In Syria, that same test is going to cost $500, so that’s why it’s so expensive. So between all the testing and then figuring out the logistics of transportation ... it’s a whole big challenge. So every dollar we get is appreciated.”

Congalton warned that though they have raised the money, it might still take some time to get Tuti directly into Makhoul’s arms “because of all the red tape.”

His goal is to have Tuti here by Labor Day, he said.

“That’s just my hope — by Labor Day, that dog will be here,” he said.

How to get help

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 988.

You can also call the Central Coast Hotline at 800-783-0607 for 24-7 assistance. To learn the warning signs of suicide, visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.