If you didn't know, I'm sorry to tell you that my 11-year-old Baby Puppy Jessie went off to college (dog heaven) this past February.

A couple weeks ago, I celebrated my 10 year anniversary as an HSHV employee.

Besides providing your friend with a very lovely job for the last decade, here are some of the ways HSHV has been there for Jessie and I:

In 2016, HSHV brought 2-year-old unneutered, undersocialized Jessie to Michigan all the way from a shelter in Oklahoma. He had flea allergy dermatitis, and no interest in meeting strangers. He was just my type. HSHV is still taking in animals from under-resourced shelters to this day, through our Love Train program.

Four months after a nice family adopted Jessie, HSHV welcomed him back when they were going through a hard time and decided Jessie wasn't a good fit.

He was returned right at my 6-month employment mark, which is when HSHV employees are granted a free adoption. I decided to view it as destiny, and adopted him on election day 2016 (yes, I voted, but only after finalizing Jesie's adoption).

In 2018, Jessie and I were living on our own for the first time, and I decided to get him a cat so he'd have a friend when I was at work. We adopted Kelvin from HSHV, and they were instant BFFs.



In 2022, I decided Kelvin might need his own cat. He'd developed a habit of trying to play with Jessie in a way Jessie did not understand or appreciate, and did not comprehend the meaning of Jessie's growls. So we adopted a 4-month-old kitten from HSHV. Her name is Droste.

Over the years...


HSHV's clinic has provided us with wellness exams, sick exams, nail trims, vaccinations, and dental procedures. They've helped treat Kelvin's asthma. They accommodated us for 2 months of weekly check-ins for Jessie's splint when he fractured his paw.

HSHV's behavior specialists were there to talk me down when it felt like the second cat I'd adopted was perhaps a demon. (She was just going through a standard teenage cat phase, but if you know, you know.)

HSHV's intake department was there to provide temporary emergency shelter for my dad's pets when he was hospitalized. And again a year later, when my dad passed away and I had to surrender his cat and two young dogs to the shelter.

HSHV's adoption department made sure all three of them found loving new homes.

HSHV's wildlife rescue team was there any time Jessie and I stumbled upon something like a sick baby groundhog during one of our walks.



HSHV's Bountiful Bowls pet food pantry is there to distribute all of Jessie's uneaten dog food now that he doesn't need it anymore.

And if I ever find myself ready to start a new chapter of Diana the Female Dog Dad, HSHV will undoubtedly be there to match me with another dog to love. 

P.S. 
HSHV is also where I met my partner, Alex. We just celebrated nine years together. Alex was/is Jessie's second favorite human in the world.