On the Cover Andrea Robertson, founder and CEO of Lexie’s Voice, with Linny and Pepper Photo by Scott Foust The Instinct to Heal There is a quiet geometry to a household — an unspoken map of who belongs to whom and where the boundaries of affection are set. But as this issue remind us, life has a marvelous way of redrawing those lines just when we think the story is settled. My family adopted Bunny, a shy Manx kitten, when my son was 4 years old. (He recently turned 22.) For nearly two decades, Bunny and I were just polite roommates. My lap was the exclusive domain of Tuco, my Chihuahua-Dachshund mix and constant shadow. Bunny, seeing the vacancy filled, rightfully claimed my husband as “her person.” When we lost Tuco 15 months ago, the silence in the house was heavy. Yet, in the wake of that quiet, a delightful “second act” began. Bunny, now a dignified 18, started slinking out from the shadows to settle herself beside me. She doesn’t ask for much — just a quiet presence. I am convinced she saw my empty lap, recognized a breach in the natural order, and decided, with the instinct of an old friend, to fill it. After 18 years, we have finally graduated from roommates to family. It’s a welcome reminder that even the oldest friends can learn new ways to love. This intuitive, healing connection between humans and animals is at the heart of our cover story this month. We visit Lexie’s Ranch, where animals of all shapes and sizes work alongside autistic young adults. It is a beautiful testament to the fact that animals often understand our needs before we do, offering a silent language that transcends words. From the therapeutic magic on the ranch to our “Last Look” at a brilliant new device designed to guide first responders to pets during emergencies, this issue celebrates the restorative power of the creatures we share our world with. I hope you find a little bit of that same magic in these pages. KAREN WERNER EDITOR IN CHIEF Karen EDITORS NOTE A CAMELBACK MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION FurryFriendsAZ.com Center for Positive Media 5330 N. 12 th St., Phoenix, AZ 85014 480.622.4522 info@frontdoorsmedia.com frontdoorsmedia.com Dedicated to the memory of Andrea Tyler Evans and Mike Saucier. EDITOR IN CHIEF Karen Werner OWNER & PUBLISHER Aaron Klusman CREATIVE DIRECTOR Neill Fox ART DIRECTOR Cheyenne Brumlow LIFESTYLE EDITOR Zenobia Mertel CONTRIBUTORS Julie Coleman SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Lindsay Green PHOTOGRAPHY Scott Foust Studios Furry Frıends Bunny recently graduated from roommate to family.

02 STYLE UNLOCKED Winning accessories and elevated essentials for creature companions 04 COVER STORY The Belle of the Barn 11 BEHIND THE LEASH Jessica Berger, founder and CEO of Bundle x Joy 13 2026 RESOURCE DIRECTORY Animal adoption, care, rescue & support 18 LAST LOOK A beacon for every best friend TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 11 Photo by Alec Favale on Unsplash