Helping the Pets of the Homeless

Hello everyone, CEO Olivia here. I think one of the worst plights for any living creature is to be homeless. In my huMom’s home town of Toronto, Canada, homelessness is a growing problem. Far too many are living on the streets. It’s doubly heartbreaking to see a homeless person with a dog or cat cuddled up on a cold sidewalk.

Thankfully there are good humans out there who want to help. Today I’m barking out two examples.

The Street Dog Coalition is a non-profit organization that exists to provide free medical care & services to companion animals of people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. The organization was founded by Colorado veterinarian Dr. Jon Geller.

In the spring of 2015, the first Street Dog Clinic was held in Fort Collins, Colorado. Twenty-five dogs & five cats received free veterinary care from a team of volunteer veterinarians, veterinary technicians & students. Since that first clinic, the Street Dog Coalition has expanded to over 30 clinics across the U.S.A., & continues to grow.

Another group, Pets of the Homeless is an American non-profit organization headquartered in Carson City, Nevada that is focused exclusively on feeding & providing veterinary care to companion animals that belong to homeless people. The non-profit was founded in 2008 by Genevieve Frederick after she & her husband visited New York City & encountered a homeless person who was panhandling with a dog at his side.

Pets of the Homeless has four programs:

•Pet food donation sites — The organization has hundreds of volunteer pet food donation site members. They work with local food banks, pantries, soup kitchens & homeless shelters who have agreed to distribute pet food to the homeless.

•Wellness clinics — This is a nationwide program that’s free for homeless & low-income pet owners. Pets of the Homeless sponsors & partners with veterinarians across the U.S. to provide these clinics.

•Emergency care program — Pet owners referred to the program are interviewed by a case manager who determines eligibility. All treatments the pet receives are pre-authorized, payable directly to the licensed veterinarians who provide the care.

•Pet crates — For the homeless, the first step in breaking the cycle is moving into a shelter. However, most shelters allow only service animals. Pets of the Homeless provides crates to shelters that will allow pets to stay with their owners. The crates are ordered on-line & shipped directly to the shelters at no cost to the shelter or the pet owner. The crates then become the property of the shelters for future use.

I’m glad there are such good people out there. We all need help now & then. Is there a program like these in your community? Maybe you could get involved.

CEO Olivia ❤