Amy met Rogue several years ago when someone found Rogue as a stray and asked Amy if she could take her to the shelter. She was underweight and fearful of just about everything and clearly needed a friend. That’s just what she found in Amy. She took her to the vet instead of the shelter and they were pretty much bonded for life then.

A few years later, Amy found herself in a very difficult situation. She was homeless. As she shared with us:

“Being homeless in Phoenix is hard enough on a person, never mind a dog. I became depressed thinking I would have to give up my best friend. We had tried making Rogue wear shoes to protect her paws from the pavement but she wouldn’t. Nothing would stay on her feet.

Now with no money and no home we thought for sure we would have to give her up until we found out about AZ Pet Project.”

When Amy spoke with our Shelter Intervention Counselor, Daniel, she shared her story through a lot of tears. She was worried about Rogue in the heat of a Phoenix summer and knew she was due for vaccines and needed to be spayed. She explained that all she wanted was for Rogue to be happy and safe.

Thanks to supporters of The Arizona Pet Project, Rogue and Amy got help in their greatest time of need. Rogue got her vaccines within a few days and was scheduled to be spayed shortly after. She was also able to be placed in temporary boarding, for a safe place to rest away from the street while Amy figured out her next steps.

“Never in my life did I feel so grateful for the help. I no longer cared I was homeless because my best friend was safe.”

A few weeks later, Amy made a life-changing decision to move back east.

“We left AZ for Maine on a greyhound bus. Since then we’ve been thru a lot and been a lot of places but the one thing that never changes is that if it weren’t for the AZ Pet Project I wouldn’t be sharing this journey with Rogue right now.

Y’all kept my family together in our darkest hours. She got me thru the worst times of my life. Honestly, without y’alls help I might not have survived my deepest depression so thank y’all from the bottom of my heart.”

We are so happy to share that not only are Amy and Rogue still happily together today but that Rogue is now dual certified as a therapeutic and registered service dog, with a keen sense of adventure to replace the fears she once had. She goes camping, she visits the ocean! She goes everywhere with Amy.

There are many families experiencing challenges just like Amy has. Thank you for supporting families, like Amy and Rogue’s, in their greatest time of need.