Every Happy Ending Starts With Someone Who Cares
Your gift helps frightened, overlooked, and medically fragile pets find the love, healing, and forever families they deserve—just like Jade did.
Recently, we received a heartfelt letter from an adopter named Alex that reminded us why we do what we do.
In early 2019, Jade was a nervous, shy resident at Homeward Pet. At 5 years old, she had the appearance of a much older being. Her eyes were clouded with the “scraping dryness” of chronic dry eye, and she was in obvious pain. Yet, despite her discomfort, she spent her days giving deep “pittie kisses” to every volunteer she met.
Will you make a gift today to help the next frightened, overlooked, or medically fragile pet find their person – just like Jade did?
Because somewhere in our shelter right now is another animal waiting for their happy ending. And another person whose life is about to change forever because of them.
Thank you for being a part of their journey home.
The letter we received speaks of a life after she left us, filled with love. To follow is the letter in its entirety.
“My name is Alex. When I was 13 on March 24th, 2019, my mom and I went out to your pet shelter to pass some time in Woodinville. We looked at your dogs and one caught our eye. During that time, Homeward had a newcomer to their kennels. A 5 year old, brown, special needs pitbull named Jade. I remember that I knelt down and saw those sad eyes wanting to get out. We talked to Homeward and found out that she was not able for adoption because she had a procedure scheduled a week after.
So naturally every day, I stalked your dog adoption page to find her again. We visited her once every week just to make sure she was still there. On April 25th, 2019, around 7pm, she was finally listed on your website. I frantically called my mom to let her know Jade was finally available and we prepped the house. We went to the shelter right when Homeward opened and came home with our newest family member and my first ever dog, Jade.
For 7 years, Jade was loved, taken on trips to the seaside, and even got a new puppy brother named Odin! A standard sized Chiweenie mix. She was a crazy couch potato. very quiet, yet very sassy. She loved our home cooked meals we made for her which was typically chicken and beef boiled with some fruits or vegetables. Jade being special needs, had dry eye syndrome, and was extremely patient getting her eyedrops but totally mean when she got her nails cut. She was a great, intuitive, and smart dog. Although her older age made her blind and (selectively) deaf, she lived her life to the fullest with her birthdays being filled with dog-safe cakes. (Her favorite being pumpkin oatmeal pie I made myself.)
I am now 20. I have made paintings and models based on my Jade. She was there for my greatest achievements and hardest failures. My high school graduation, love and heartbreak, and long nights studying. She always slept with me because my parents didn’t like her fur on their bed. Jade was always there for me during those hard nights where I was low and would cuddle up or lay on my chest and lick the spare tears. Sometimes I’d think she was jealous of the fact I could produce tears but she couldn’t.
This May 8th, 2026, Jade being 12 now, was laying on my bed behind me and suffered a grand mal seizure. We had noted that she was deteriorating fast months prior as discussed with her vet but this came to a surprise to me. We rushed her to the emergency vet to get her evaluated but at 1pm, we had come to the decision to put her down.
These last 2 two days have been filled with absolute grief and tears as I am typing this out. Even if my nights feel empty from the lack of Jade on my bed or Odin walking throughout the house looking for his sister, I couldn’t help but think of Homeward Pet Shelter and how they provided us with this beautiful dog that was loved unconditionally up until the end. (For only the adoption price of $75 too, haha!) So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do. The volunteers, the programs, the non-profit, everything.
Jade was her given name by the shelter but she had many nicknames such as:“Jadey”, “Big Girl”, “Lechon”, “Fatty”, “Jayla”, “Sweet baby”, “Chuck-Chunk”, my dad’s “The Fat One,” “Jade (pronounced Jah-dee)” and my special name for her, “My Sugar Plum.”
Thank you Homeward and the selfless volunteers that fill it. Feel free to share this with your team or the public for a quick bittersweet story!
Tears and all,
Alex”