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Some pet owners are forced to surrender their loved ones to new owners or animal welfare agencies. Some may even have to consider euthanasia. This is why Darlene Royce founded Angels Among Us Pet Hostel (AAUPH) in the Upper Valley. Her mission: to provide a safe and loving temporary shelter for family pets of all kinds until they can rejoin their owners. Royce and Executive Director Barbara Welch work tirelessly alongside other foster home volunteers to offer care and general support for pets of veterans, soldiers, seniors, and domestic violence victims. Whatever the
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hardship, AAUPH enables people to improve their situation without the stress of worrying about the wellbeing of their pets. Royce created the small nonprofit in 2007 in memory of her late husband Phil, a lover of people and animals who lived by the philosophy of performing random acts of kindness. It started with his reaching out to a veteran needing hospitalization who refused to leave his dog with nowhere to go. Phil arranged temporary care for the veteran’s dog while he got the help he needed. With this simple act of caring, Phil’s dream was born and is now a reality in AAUPH.