Jordan Sucato

Jordan Sucato, 15, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, an area the National Weather Service says is on track to have its hottest-ever summer. As the temperature in the air rises, so too does the temperature of the pavement, endangering the delicate paw pads of dogs walking on it. Though all dogs are at risk, Jordan’s mission is to protect the most vulnerable—­homeless dogs, or the pets of people who are unhoused. These pets often tread multiple miles a day outside. “Their paws can burn and blister in under five minutes,” Jordan says. “If it’s 120 degrees temperature-wise, it’s 140 degrees on the concrete.”

Through Laws for Paws LLC, the nonprofit Jordan founded in January, the teen has raised more than $7,000 for her mission, enough to provide protective boots for 515 dogs. Jordan’s funds support a partner organization, Dogs Day Out AZ, which distributes proper protective shoes, among other needed resources.

Jordan has helped hand out the boots, and has learned how to measure a dog’s foot for the right size. She “cares so much about the homeless dogs in the community,” says Dogs Day Out AZ founder Monique Hebert. “She is an absolutely phenomenal young girl, and we could not be more proud to have her on our team.”

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Jordan’s goal of raising $20,000 for protective boots comes at a critical time. Arizona’s Maricopa County has seen “an explosion of homelessness over the last several years,” says Phillip Scharf, CEO and COO of Central Arizona Shelter Services. Not all shelters are able to welcome all kinds of pets; some can accept only documented emotional support or service animals. “People are making really profound decisions around care,” he says, “and they’re choosing to remain unsheltered because they want to make sure they can support their animal.”

Even now, in what Scharf calls “the crunch of the summertime heat,” pet owners who are unhoused may prioritize their pet’s needs above their own. A dog may be “their best friend, their partner, their roommate, their navigational guide,” says Scharf. “For some of our clients, their entire world is that animal.”

Jordan’s journey as an animal advocate started early. She says she “grew up volunteering” alongside her mom. When she was 8, the two helped out with the Luv of Dogz Fund, an Arizona-based nonprofit that advocates and provides resources for homeless, abused, and rescued dogs. Jordan says she developed her “absolute appreciation for animals” through her work with the organization.

That appreciation extends to her own beloved pets—currently, two dogs, Sam and Tucker, and a cat, Bagheera. “I’ve had all types of pets,” she adds. “Growing up, I had lizards and birds and hamsters and just about everything you can think of.”

Jordan also speaks up for legislative change. Last year, she advocated for a statewide bill that would ban the sale of cosmetics tested on animals. That bill is expected to be reintroduced at the next legislative session by state senator John Kavanagh, who has met with Jordan to discuss the issue.

Many kids care about animals and their welfare. What sets Jordan apart? “Her passion and her spirit,” says Hebert. “Her knowledge. Her ambition. I wish all 15-year-olds in the world right now could be like Jordan.”