Dehradun, Aug. 19 -- We were lucky enough to adopt Olive from the Humane Society when she was six and a half years old. For the next eleven years, our entire home was built around her. People often use the phrase "family pet", but that never felt quite right to us. Olive was simply part of our household, a quiet, steady presence at every dinner, riding along in the backseat on weekend errands, and waiting patiently by the front door whenever someone came home.

Because she was so deeply woven into our daily lives leaving her behind when we had to travel was heartbreaking. Like many families, we relied on traditional boarding facilities, but the anxiety never left. How could a chaotic kennel housing dozens of barking dogs provide the gentl...