For Patricia, losing her home of 25 years was devastating enough, but she also had to worry about her two dogs and two cats. She had friends who would take her in while she was seeking new housing and still working, and her son Raphael was in school. Patricia couldn’t have her pets with her as she went through these difficult changes. HHF foster mom, Natalie, stepped up and not only housed Mirabel and Wallace, the two older Chihuahuas, but cleaned up a condition on their ears and helped Mirabel gain much-needed weight. The two older cats, mother Abby and son Michael, stayed at the HHF office keeping staff and volunteers company.

The animals were briefly reunited with Patricia and Raphael recently. The family is still looking for affordable housing, but a family in Denver will provide long-term foster care for the dogs. The cats will stay with Cat Care Society for 30 days, then be permanently reunited with Patricia and Raphael. Both foster situations are much closer for the two, who are also located in Denver, so they’ll be able to enjoy more frequent visits with their pets.