Sometimes keeping a pet family together isn’t the “right” decision.

Knowing when we can no longer care for our pets is a heartbreaking realization. And for many seniors like Julie, when this day comes, it’s one of the hardest goodbyes–because, in her heart, while it hurt so deeply to say goodbye, she knew this was the best decision for her animal companion.

Julie reached out to our team to ask if we could offer her any guidance with rehoming her dog, Quincy, and we learned that she is experiencing severe medical issues, making it impossible to care for her best friend in the way that he needs and deserves.

With limited support, Julie was doing the best she possibly could to ensure Quincy was kept happy and healthy but struggling immensely.

Our staff who work with clients like Julie are trained social workers. In this case, our team was there to hear Julie’s concerns, validate her feelings, and offer as much guidance and support as possible within our means.

Sharing in her sadness, our team told Julie to think about all of her options. We went over them with her and asked her to let us know about her decision so we could be there for her in her time of need.

The next week, Julie called to let us know that she spoke with a caring man with a pet family of his own, who was more than happy to care for Quincy for her.

This caring man, Julie told us, promised to send her photos and updates of how Quincy was doing whenever she asked about him.

Her heart hurt from saying goodbye, but she was grateful to have found someone to care for Quincy in the ways she no longer could and was happy that our social worker was there to offer support however she needed it.

The Arizona Pet Project meets pet owners where they are in their journey, free from judgment. We realize that not every pet family is meant to be together forever, and sometimes, there are circumstances where it’s best for people and pets to part ways to ensure they are happy and healthy.  And we recognize these decisions are difficult, heartbreaking, and selfless.

Keeping pets out of shelters is always our goal–which is why we fully support re-homing a pet from one home to another, preventing the pet from having to enter the shelter where they face an uncertain fate.

In our eyes and in our hearts, this story is a win. We know Julie will miss Quincy but will feel relief in knowing where he is and how he’s doing.

Thank you for supporting pet families when they need it most.