PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A Valley Marine Corps veteran who lost his home nearly had to give up his three dogs.
Ricky Dennis had been sleeping in his car for a week and walked into a Maricopa County animal shelter feeling like he had no other choice but to hand over his senior dogs.
But shelter worker Nora Hoguin had other ideas.
Hoguin, a Shelter Diversion Navigator at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, said her job is to help people and their pets stay together. That’s exactly what she did.
She found out Dennis already had a housing voucher, but couldn’t find a place that allowed pets.
A homeless Marine vet in Phoenix nearly gave up his 3 dogs. A Maricopa County shelter worker made one call and changed everything for this family.(Arizona’s Family)
Hoguin made calls and connected Dennis with the City of Phoenix’s homeless liaison and a local nonprofit called Community Bridges. By that same day, Dennis had an apartment, and his dogs had a home.
“They did it that morning, that night I was in an apartment,” Dennis said. “All I had to do was bring the paper saying that they were my dogs.”
Hoguin said helping Dennis was one of the most rewarding moments of her job.
“He was so excited,” she said. “It was just great.”
Hoguin says many homeless people feel they have to give up their pets because they can’t find pet-friendly housing or afford to care for them.
Her goal is to find a way to keep families, pets included, together.
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