Image / Text Courtesy: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/09/world/video/cnnheroes-tribute-hoty-stephen-knight

“When somebody makes that decision to go into treatment,

it’s one of the biggest decisions, the bravest decisions,

they’ll make.”

In 2011, when Knight was 51 years old, he had

lost everything to meth addiction – his family,

his job, his home, and nearly his life. HIV

positive and living out of his car, Knight

entered rehab at the behest of his mother.

Eight months into recovery, Knight answered

the door of his sober living apartment to find a friend in

tears.  She had relapsed, and in her arms was a 15-pound

Maltese / Dachshund mix named Jayde.  Knight’s friend

said no one would take Jayde, and she asked Knight

for a ride to a shelter so she could surrender her.

Instead, Knight became a dog dad to Jayde.

He soon learned that other people struggled

to find temporary homes for their beloved pets

when they needed to enter rehab, often delaying or

forgoing substance abuse treatment because of it. Today,

Knight and his organization, Dogs Matter, provide foster

care for pets while  their owners are in rehab.  They vet

applicants, conduct animal behavior assessments, and

execute contracts that require participants to stick to

their recovery plan and complete a 12-month post-

release wraparound program. His nonprofit has

helped more than 1,200 dogs and their owners.