This past fall I visited San Francisco and had a blast meeting other dogs, seeing the ocean, and even going up on the Golden Gate Bridge. But while I was playing with my new pal Wescott I encountered a homeless man and his pet dog. The dog was skinny but he seemed happy to be with his dad. This got me thinking, what happens to the pets that are homeless? What help do they get? What if they get sick or their owners? Who will take them to the vet to get better?
I recently ran across a great organization that helps out. It is called Pets of the Homeless. It provides pet food and veterinary care for the homeless and less fortunate in our local communities throughout the US and Canada. Their website states that each year over 3 million Americans are without a home and 10% of them have pets. However, most homeless shelters won’t let us pets stay so our owners must pick between giving us up or living in their car or on the streets. Pets of the Homeless provides homeless shelters with crates, bowls, and cleaning supplies so they can accept the animals. This is amazing!! This program gives us and our owners a safe place to sleep and lets us stay together.
Other programs they sponsor includes providing pet food for the homeless. The organization sets up food barrels throughout the community and then takes the donations to local food banks and soup kitchens. They also award grants to vets who provide wellness checks and spay/neuter surgeries for homeless pets. Since 2008 they have awarded over $28,000 in grants.
What a wonderful program for us animals. They help keep us pets with our pet parents even though they are having a hard time. To learn more about this great organization visit www.petsofthehomeless.org
