FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do the homeless have pets when they can barely take care of themselves?
2. I want to help but talking with a homeless person scares me, what can I do?
3. What are some common misconceptions about the homeless?
4. What types of support do the animals provide their homeless owners?
5. How do homeless people take care of their pets?
6. Are most veterinarians responsive when asked to enroll?
7. How does the pet food get from collection sites to the homeless?
8. In your opinion, what has been the greatest success (or successes) of this program?
9. How are you able to get the word out to the homeless in order for them to take advantage of this program?
10. How many homeless are there?
11. Why are people forced to choose between their pet and a roof over their head? 
12. How many homeless have pets?

Why do the homeless have pets when they can barely take care of themselves?

Pets provide a deep comfort.
Pets are non-judgmental. They are loyal.  

The homeless get a type of normalcy by providing food and water for their pets.  In some cases, they provide them with reality.  

Some homeless would sacrifice their own food for their pets.

Then there is the protection factor.  Living on the streets is dangerous.  For many on the streets these animals provide them with security from other homeless or from those that discriminate against the homeless with beatings or from others who may steal their modest possessions.

The tragic part is…the pets of the homeless do not choose their owners.

I want to help but talking with a homeless person scares me, what can I do?

Generally, people want to help but are uncomfortable and scared because they do not understand the plight of homelessness so they choose to ignore the issue.  We offer a way to help that does not put the donor in front of a homeless person or in a rough, sometimes dangerous area of their community.

What are some common misconceptions about the homeless?  

The leading misconception is that the homeless are lazy and do not want jobs or the responsibility that goes with a job. With the economy today, one missed pay check, a medical diagnosis, or an abusive spouse can put someone into homelessness overnight.

What types of support do the animals provide their homeless owners?

Their pets are nonjudgmental, offer comfort, and provide an emotional bond of loyalty.  In some cases they provide the homeless protection and keep them warm.

How do homeless people take care of their pets?

By “take care” do you mean medically, or by providing food?

Medically, the homeless are not that good at providing vaccinations or spay or neutering because of the cost and the separation that is required.  People have reported to me that they have tried to offer taking a pet to a veterinary clinic but the homeless have refused because they are afraid that the person will take the pet and never return it.  They are mistrusting and who can blame them.  They are invisible in our society and on the other hand they are shouted at and sometimes are targets of hate crimes.

Pet food is hard to come by and the homeless usually panhandle to get money to buy food for their self and pet.  It is a shame when we see someone share their hamburger with their pet.  But it happens.  And most times the money goes to buy human food which they share with the pet.  
 
I have been researching pets of the homeless and was surprised to find that most of the pets are quite well cared for.  Of course many have nutritional needs but they are well-loved and taken care of as well as possible.  Do you find that to be the case?  

Yes, it goes back to your second question.  In some cases the pet is a link to reality and the person will do anything to protect his pet.
 
It is important to get the homeless with pets to have their pets spayed/neutered and vaccinated, why isn’t this being done?

You might have guessed that finances and transportation are at the top of the list as to why they do not seek vet care.  

How do you get on public transportation with a pet?  The homeless with pets walk everywhere, if they do not have a car or truck.  

Veterinary costs are high but the biggest problem is that the homeless do not trust people.  They’re afraid that they will not get their pet back because it has happened to other homeless.  

Some homeless have such separation anxiety that they will not go to a hospital when they are in need of medical treatment because they have no one to care for their pet or fear the authorities will take their pet away from them.   

Pets of the Homeless offers grants to veterinarians go will go to where the homeless congregate or camp to offer these treatments.  Ask your veterinarian to apply.

Are most veterinarians responsive when asked to enroll?

This is an interesting question.  Older veterinarians are not interested at all.  Since more women are becoming veterinarians, their interest is the most encouraging because they are more nurturing and see the benefit to their business and the people they will be helping.  I find that the doctors themselves rely on their office managers to handle this sort of thing because they do not have the time.  Ironically, the program is very easy and comes with step by step instructions, something any staff member can administer.  

How does the pet food get from collection sites to the homeless?

The program instructs the volunteer business site on how to contact a food bank, a homeless shelter, the Meals on Wheels program or a local church soup kitchen.  The organization becomes a partner with the vet or business, who picks up the donated food and distributes it to the less fortunate in the community.  Sometimes volunteers will deliver it to the distributing organization and sometimes the volunteers take it to the streets where they have seen homeless with pets.

In your opinion, what has been the greatest success (or successes) of this program?

Vets and businesses across the country have seen the need and want to help.  The other success is that it has opened a lot of dialog to understanding the plight of homelessness in America. 

How are you able to get the word out to the homeless in order for them to take advantage of this program?

Word of mouth travels quickly in homeless communities.  Once a food bank or soup kitchen starts distributing pet food they come.  Some find out about the program through the website at public libraries.

How many homeless are there?

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported to congress that on a single night in January 2008, there were over six hundred, sixty four thousand (664,000) sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons nationwide.

Nearly 6 in 10 people who were homeless that night were in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs, while 42 percent were unsheltered on the “street” or in other places not meant for human habitation.  

About three-fifths of the homeless were individuals, while two-fifths were homeless as part of a family.

Family members were much less likely than individuals to be unsheltered.

Too many American families are a pay check away from being homeless and foreclosures are on the rise.  

Homelessness is growing due to the poor economy, lack of jobs, high rent, foreclosures, high school drop outs, addicts of alcohol and drugs, returning veterans with financial and medical problems, run away teens, spouse abuse and the number of mentally ill who were turned out of state run mental hospitals. And there are a large number of people becoming homeless due to bankruptcy caused by large medical bills. Many of these people have no family to turn to.  

Homeless are a group of individuals that the majority of society would just as soon forget or treat as invisible.

Most people who do experience homelessness are homeless for a short period of time, and usually just need help finding housing and/or a rent subsidy.  Some find housing right away or move in with friends or family. Statistics show that over 63% of households have at least one pet.  Unfortunately, for those who have to move with pets, it becomes more difficult to find housing. 

Why are people forced to choose between their pet and a roof over their head?  

The major problem for a homeless person is housing.  Shelters, motels and other assisted housing programs do not want to have pets on their property, due to health department restrictions, and safety of the others they serve.  So they live in their cars, in RVs, and in tent camps.

In some cities, where homelessness is growing, the authorities do “sweeps” of an area to remove homeless camps.  They bring in animal control officers because the dogs will protect their owners.  If their pets do not have licenses, they seize the pets and turn them over to local animal shelters and are euthanized.   

Another challenge is finding food and water for themselves and their pets.  Vet care is a challenge because of the costs and transportation issues.  

Being forced to abandon a pet can be a major barrier to engaging the homeless into services.  

Achieving access to the homeless often is dependent on providing compassion to them and their pets.  

A few communities are addressing this problem by providing shelter to accommodate both the homeless people and their pets.  Pets of the Homeless offer these communities’ grants to help.

How many homeless have pets?

The hard statistics of the number of pets of the homeless are not part of the annual count that HUD requires of organizations requesting grant money to help the homeless.  

However, I was able to correspond with the Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, and he estimated that between 5%-10% of homeless people have dogs and/or cats.  FISH of Carson City, Nevada, said it is more like 25% in rural areas.  I think these numbers are different across the country due to a number of very different factors; weather, the local economy, unemployment, and the cost of living.