Throughout her life — during periods of both housing and homelessness — pets have been a source of comfort and light for Jacque Lee.

But Lee’s recent transition into subsidized housing at East Lake Villages in Bend put her relationship with her 3-year-old shorthair collie at risk, The Bulletin wrote Thursday.

To stay in her new

apartment with Lacie Baby, Lee would have to come

up with $300 for a pet deposit — money she didn’t have.

Not anymore. The good Samaritans of Bend have seen to that.

Lee called The Bulletin on Thursday to say an anonymous donor had contacted East Lake Villages directly to pay the deposit.

And more than a dozen other readers reached out via email to The Bulletin asking to pay for Lee’s deposit and another dozen called with messages of support.

“It just touched me that she’s alone except for her dog and if it came down to it she would rather be homeless again than give up her dog. It just touched my heart. There’s so many people in need of food, of housing, of things that we take for granted,” said Prineville resident Priscilla Smith after reading the article.

What Smith and other readers didn’t know is that this wasn’t Lee’s first time confronting the possibility of giving away a best friend.

The second time Lee became homeless — after her mother died — she had two cats, Squirt and Bear Bear.

But faced with the prospect of once again living out of her pickup truck, Lee rehomed the two cats with a pair of friends from her church.

“That hurts because I’d like to have my two cats back. I don’t have them, and I wish I did. I miss them,” Lee said.

The generosity generated by Lee’s story didn’t stop at her pet deposit. The day the article was published, Lee found out she also had to pay her car insurance, but she didn’t have any money left. She said she had no idea the due date was so close because the notice hadn’t gone to her new apartment.

Lee found help for that, too. When readers learned the pet deposit was already paid, but the insurance was not, they volunteered to help there.

“Boy that was amazing,” Lee said. “There are good people out there, and I think the Lord leads them to do something for somebody, especially this time of year. I’ve had several people call me and want to help. Some of them are now even helping me with my insurance. I’m so thankful.”