Stephen Knight, the founder behind Dogs Matter, has been named the 2024 CNN Hero of the Year.
The 64-year-old North Texas man was recognized for his efforts in supporting individuals undergoing addiction recovery by providing foster care for their pets.
Knight’s journey began in 2011 with a meth addiction battle that included losing his family, job and home. At a critical juncture in his recovery, a friend’s plea for help in finding a home for her dog, Jayde, sparked a realization in Knight about the pressing need for such services.
“I did some research to see if there was any programs out there that help people but there was absolutely zero programs,” Knight said. “So I thought, ‘Well, you know what? I’m going to go on this journey and see if I can help some people.’”
Understanding that many individuals delay or forgo treatment due to concerns about their pets, Knight took action. He sought guidance from local animal rescue organizations and educated himself on foster care protocols.
In 2015, Knight, who lives in Richardson, officially registered Dogs Matter as a nonprofit organization and refined his pet assistance program. This involved screening applicants, assessing animal behavior and implementing contracts that mandate participants to follow their recovery plans and complete a 12-month support program after release.
“I think our biggest struggle is that the need is bigger than us,” Knight said. “There’s so many people that want our services, and the struggle is, is the lack of foster families… and what happens is that they have to be put on a waiting list and when we’re in addiction, we make a decision to go to treatment, and it’s a very time sensitive.”
Today, he is now 13 years sober, lives with his three dogs — Jayde, Piper and Lady — and said his organization has helped more than 1,200 dogs and their owners.
“A lot of our clients have been homeless or very low income, so another challenge has been taking care of dogs, because it’s expensive to have a dog, so what we try to do is pay for their food and their pet deposits and anything that they need.” Knight said. “My biggest reward is reunion day, when those that the dog goes back to the owner and you see the love and joy that they have for each other.”
Meaning of being CNN’s ‘Hero of the Year’
He said a board member of Dog Matters nominated him for the CNN award.
For Knight, receiving validation for something he does every day while working to help others is a sign that he is doing good in the world.
“This is putting me on a platform where I can let people know what we do, what our need is, and what we need, and be able to reach out to those people that never heard about us, that are struggling with addiction,” he said. “The visibility of what being a Hero of the Year provides is we’ll be able to get more support, hopefully more foster families, but also be able to reach out more to people that are struggling.”
What’s next?
He hopes to make Dogs Matter bigger. He is partnering with a local organization to open a center in 2025 where people can complete their 12-step recovery process or undergo job training in order to get a fresh start in life. He said his goal is to give pet owners and their animals the same second chance at life that he received.
Knight said he wants to open a “one stop center, where you can bring your dog in and you can get help for yourself and for the dog in one place.”
He also wanted to let people know that is never to late to make a change.
“I didn’t get sober till I was 51 years old, and I struggled with addiction for decades and decades, and here I am, I’m 13 years sober, I’m 64 years old, and I feel like my life has just begun.”
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