Buddy is a friend to dogs and goats everywhere

A rainy roadside goat stand in rural England has turned into a $15,000+ fundraiser for shelter dogs, thanks to one determined 6-year-old and a wave of helpful strangers.

Let’s rewind… Last Saturday, Buddy Braley sat outside his family’s farm near Gloucester beneath an umbrella next to a handmade sign reading: “Stop here! To feed goats for charity!”

Buddy’s plan was simple: Visitors could feed his goats, Bella and Bertie, while donating money for local animal rescue centers in memory of his dog Brody, who died unexpectedly from bone cancer last month.

• At first, business was slow. Buddy and his goats waited nearly an hour without a single visitor.
• Then one man stopped by, fed the goats, and handed Buddy about $80.
• “I cried, my husband cried,” Buddy’s mother, Abbie Braley, told The Washington Post. “Buddy was in disbelief because it was a huge amount of money.”

Word quickly spread after Buddy’s grandmother shared the fundraiser in a local Facebook group. Soon, a steady stream of people were making the drive out to the Braley family’s 2.5-acre farm to meet Buddy and feed the goats.

By the end of the first day, Buddy had raised about $155. Then social media stepped in. Abbie Braley, who shares videos of the family’s rural lifestyle with 2+ million followers, said their supporters kept asking how they could help. A GoFundMe followed, with more than $15,800 pouring in from hundreds of donors within just a few days.

• The fundraiser carries extra meaning for Buddy’s family. 
• His parents say spending time with animals helped him overcome selective mutism, an anxiety disorder that once made speaking difficult in certain settings.

Now, Buddy says he hopes Brody would be proud of what’s happening in his name. “I think he would like me to help other dogs that don’t have families to love them,” Buddy said.