Every day, families face difficult choices when housing restrictions make it impossible to keep all of their pets. Barking Mad’s Not Without My Dog initiative exists because no family should have to make that choice. Mila’s owner faced exactly that situation when moving meant she could only take one of her two dogs with her.

Faced with an incredibly difficult decision, she chose to rehome Mila, believing that she would have a better chance of finding a new family than her Pit Bull companion, given the stereotypes surrounding the breed. It was a heartbreaking choice, made in the hope of giving Mila the best possible chance at a happy future.

Mila was added to the Barking Mad networking platform, and it didn’t take long for her story to reach potential adopters. Thankfully, her story resonated with many people, and we were inundated with enquiries from families hoping to welcome her into their lives.

We found the family we believed would be the right fit. From the moment she arrived, it was as though they had always been together. Today, she is happily settled into her new home, surrounded by people who adore her and a family she can call her own.

Mila’s story had a happy ending, but unfortunately, not all animals are as lucky.

As more people face rising living costs and the need to move into more affordable or secure housing, restrictive housing policies can force families to make heartbreaking decisions about the animals they love. The result can be more animals being surrendered to an already overwhelmed shelter system.

No family should have to choose between a roof over their heads and a beloved companion.

Through Not Without My Dog, Barking Mad is working to challenge unfair housing restrictions and encourage more compassionate, practical approaches that allow people and their pets to stay together.

Because animals are family.

And whenever possible, families should be able to stay together.

We are overjoyed that Mila found her forever home. We remain determined to help prevent situations like hers through our Not Without My Dog initiative, supporting and empowering pet owners to keep their families together.

Welcome Home, Mila. 🐾

Learn more about Not Without My Dog and help us advocate for a future where people don’t have to choose between a home and the animals they love.