Nearly $60,000 Raised For 'Hugging Dog' And Owner Who Lost Home in Christmas Day Fire

Louboutina has a huge following on Instagram.

Louboutina, an Instagram-famous dog known for hugging strangers in New York City, lost her home to a house fire on Christmas Day, but thanks to the kindness of strangers, the pup and her owner are on their way to getting back on their feet.

The fire, which broke out in Cesar Fernandez-Chavez’s Chelsea apartment, damaged everything. He was only able to save his passport, reports said.

Fernandez-Chavez had taken "Loubie" out for a walk to a nearby CVS when he saw smoke in the sky. It turned out it was coming from his home.

Although sad he lost everything, Fernandez-Chavez said he’s glad he didn’t leave Loubie inside.

“If I did that, Louboutina would be gone now,” he told the New York Daily News. “Having Loubie is everything. She is the one that is keeping me stabilized right now.”

Thankfully, the community has rallied around the pair by raising nearly $60,000 in just two days through a GoFundMe page.

The fundraising page was started by Loni Edwards, who lost her own famous pup, Chloe the Mini Frenchie, after an animal clinic allegedly made a fatal error during a routine procedure earlier this year.

The Red Cross also placed Fernandez-Chavez and Loubie, who has nearly 200,000 Instagram followers, in a hotel until Thursday. 

“Seeing all the feedback that we’re getting from all of her followers — it’s huge,” Fernandez-Chavez told the New York Post.

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