<div><p>Two years ago Darren Hicks seemed to have the perfect life. The 44-year-old roofer from Gloucestershire, England was living with his girlfriend and their 3 Patterdale terriers in a nice house. </p><p>Then they broke up, and Hicks found himself struggling to make ends meet. While he had a steady job in construction the rental prices in his area had gone way up, but the biggest problem was his dogs.</p><p>The local council was willing to offer Hicks a cheap rental property, but only if he gave up his 3 dogs, who would be put down. The only apartments that allowed pets were too expensive, so Hicks found himself in an impossible position.</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Darren-1.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Darren-1_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Wilts and Glos Standard</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p></p><p>Others might have given up and said goodbye to their pets, but this was "not an option" for Hicks. </p><p>Instead, for the past 18 months he's been living in a van with his dogs, Bramble, Bella and Chase.</p><p>It's not an easy life. He sleeps on a foam mattress, cooks on a portable stove, and has to go to the bathroom at a nearby grocery store. </p><p>But he told the Mirror it was the only choice he could make, because his dogs "mean everything to me. They're all I've got left."</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Darren1-2.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Darren1-2_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Wilts and Glos Standard</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Hicks is still waiting for good news, but he's determined not to give up if it means abandoning his pets.</p><p>"I would give up everything else," he says. "They love me and they only do what I say. If I give them up, I know no one will look after them."</p><p><strong>Share this story if you would do anything for your dogs!</strong></p><p></p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p></div>