Leaving Selling Sunset after being on the show since the beginning wasn’t easy for Mary Bonnet, who has found herself on a healing journey following her departure.
“Things happen for a reason,” Bonnet, 45, exclusively told Us Weekly while reflecting on her advocacy work amid an animal shelter crisis in Los Angeles. “It’s kept me distracted and it’s kept me focused on something positive.”
Bonnet said this next chapter has “healed” her, adding, “I thought I was saving [the animals] but I think they saved me, really. Because I was so frustrated and so over what was going on with the show and with some of the girls.”
Despite taking a break from reality TV, Bonnet isn’t ruling anything out.
“I know that they are switching up the cast so I hope that it becomes a more positive show. I really do,” she continued. “Maybe I would go back on it if it were really positive. But it’s still Selling Sunset so I kind of doubt [that]. They’ve said that it’s going to be more positive and about fun for the last three seasons.”
Bonnet has been a cast member on the show since it premiered in 2021. After nine seasons, Bonnet shocked viewers by announcing her decision to step away.
“I’ll watch [season 10] but for right now I don’t want to have any involvement in all of that,” she told Us. “It was an amazing run and I’m so grateful for it. But I’m needed in other places right now — and in other ways — between the market and the show and how everything changed. I have this time so I’m using it for something good.”
Since walking away from Selling Sunset, Bonnet has poured her time into fostering dogs and spreading awareness about adoption.
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“There’s many, many ways that people can help either by fostering, adopting or with donations to the rescues. Because shelters are not allocating the funds to the dogs. There’s a huge crisis,” Bonnet claimed. “But what people can do if you don’t have any of those available is go to volunteer at a shelter — even if it’s just to go and take photos or videos of the animals and post them.”
Bonnet’s concerns about kill shelters led to her ongoing rescue journey, saying, “There’s a big misconception that shelter dogs are damaged. They are the most appreciative and loving animals. Even if it is just to foster for two weeks. They are so appreciative and so loving and they just want kindness and love.”
She continued: “We need people’s help. Whatever people can do to need help — even if it’s just raising awareness themselves or reposting a dog if you see one that’s still available. You don’t know who will see it.”
