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by Stephanie Feldstein
category: Shelters and Adoption
Published February 22, 2010 @ 10:00AM PT


Between animal control taking their pets, vets who refuse to return patients to the streets, and shelters that don't allow animals, it's not easy for homeless people to have pets. Yet, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless, up to 10 percent (in some areas, as many as 24 percent) of them do.

It's hard for animal lovers to see pets in the care of people who don't seem to have the resources to care for themselves. But being homeless means something different for animals than it does for people. Humans are considered homeless when they don't have a steady, fixed residence; for dogs and cats, homelessness is not having a steady caretaker.


It takes dedication to care for a pet on the streets. It's much easier simply not to have an animal but, as we all know, that's not a simple choice. Pets might be the only source of support and stability in a homeless person's life. They also provide an emotional connection, warmth, and a sense of security. But that human-animal bond comes at a high price.

It's so rare to find a shelter that accepts animals that many people choose to stay on the street rather than leave their pets behind. They're often harassed by animal control and fear that if they do need to seek vet care, the vet won't return their dog or cat if they can't provide a home address. Pet food costs money, and there are many days when they sacrifice their own needs to feed their animals.

It may not be the ideal situation but if the animals are taken away, they'll end up in shelters, where they'll either be euthanized or placed into another home, which then becomes one less available home for the other 6-8 million animals waiting to be adopted.

Of course, whether you're homeless or not, you need to meet minimum standards of care. But as long as the animals are healthy, fed, and loved, we should be working to keep them in their homes, however that home is defined. Homeless shelters need to follow the lead of women's shelters across the country and start opening their doors to pets. We also need more resources like Pets of the Homeless, an organization that provides food and vet care assistance, as well as tips on how to get a program started in your area.

In the U.S., 2.5-3.5 million people experience homelessness each year and, in most cases, it's a temporary condition. More than twice as many cats and dogs experience homelessness (i.e. enter shelters), and for 4 million of them, it ends in the very permanent condition of euthanasia. The last thing we should be doing is adding to that number by taking pets away from people who love them.

Homeless People's Pets Aren't Homeless | Animals | Change.org