While Matthew was eating chicken nuggets outside during his lunch break, he watched in horror as a car driving by threw a trash bag out of the window and the trash bag began moving around. Feeling a pit deep in his stomach, Matthew hurried over to the thrashing bag knowing that whatever was inside it needed his help. Sure enough, Matthew discovered a tiny puppy so small it looked as if it was only a couple of weeks old.

The puppy was scared at first, but Matthew offered him some of his chicken nuggets to gain his trust. As the puppy was snacking on nuggets, he finally let Matthew touch him and hold him. Minutes later, Matthew carried the puppy in his arms and walked back to work. Explaining what had just happened to his boss, Matthew took the rest of the day off from work and brought the helpless puppy home with him. When Matthew took him home, he planned on giving him a bath and caring for him before taking him to a shelter… but this pup had other plans and that day Matthew became a dog dad! Even though he’d only known him for a few hours, Matthew knew the puppy was family.

The name he decided to give his new best friend? Nugget. And they were inseparable.

Unfortunately, Matthew fell on hard times. Like so many families in Maricopa County, Matthew struggled with housing insecurity, moving five times before ending up homeless and living out of his car. Despite struggling to get back on his feet, Matthew always prioritized caring for Nugget and made sure he had enough food and was well cared for even when life was its hardest. The memory of Nugget being thrown away like trash made it impossible for Matthew to bear the thought of surrendering Nugget, and he vowed to always care for him.

Over time, they got back on their feet and into an apartment. When Nugget fell ill, Matthew spent every dollar he had to take him to a vet where he was diagnosed with Valley Fever. Thankfully, Nugget recovered after several weeks of treatment and Matthew was so relieved. But life had another curveball and just weeks later they learned that Nugget had a growing tumor on his stomach and severe dental issues.

Faced between paying rent and vet bills, Matthew chose vet bills and still didn’t have enough to treat all of his sweet dog’s issues. They were at the end of their rope.

Thanks to generous donations from supporters like YOU, we were there to help Matthew and Nugget in their time of need and pay for the rest of Nugget’s medical care. Because no family should have to choose between keeping a roof over their heads and caring for their pets.

When you support The Arizona Pet Project, you are helping Valley families and their pets in crisis. We’re grateful to our clients like Matthew–people who sacrifice their comfort when times are tough to make sure their pet gets what they need to be happy and healthy. When you support The Arizona Pet Project, you are helping loving families and their pets when they need it most.