‘An underground thing’: what happens to a pet when its owners are targeted by immigration raids?

There’s no formal network for families caught up in mass deportations to re-home their pets, but communities are stepping up to helpOn 1 February, Kyle Aaron Reese saw a Facebook post from an old school friend urgently looking for someone to adopt a dog named Benny. Benny’s owners had just been deported after an immigration raid in New York City; faced with high costs and uncertainty, they hadn’t been able to take Benny with them. Reese did not have to stare long at the photo of the jowly bulldog’s silly smile before jumping in his car to go pick him up.“Everything about what I learned about that dog made me want him more,” said Reese, who is 39 and lives in Brooklyn. Continue reading...

Feb 11, 2025 - 17:26

‘An underground thing’: what happens to a pet when its owners are targeted by immigration raids?

There’s no formal network for families caught up in mass deportations to re-home their pets, but communities are stepping up to help

On 1 February, Kyle Aaron Reese saw a Facebook post from an old school friend urgently looking for someone to adopt a dog named Benny. Benny’s owners had just been deported after an immigration raid in New York City; faced with high costs and uncertainty, they hadn’t been able to take Benny with them. Reese did not have to stare long at the photo of the jowly bulldog’s silly smile before jumping in his car to go pick him up.

“Everything about what I learned about that dog made me want him more,” said Reese, who is 39 and lives in Brooklyn. Continue reading...