Today’s post is part of Blog the Change for Animals, an event in which bloggers blog (that noun-verb combo gave me pause for a moment – it’s awkward but accurate) about animal causes. At the end of this post, find out how you can participate in Blog the Change (sponsored by our friends at Be the Change for Animals).
You will also find links to all of the other blogs participating in
Blog the Change. I encourage you to check out these blogs – many great
causes out there. Finally, if you’re interested in reading my entries from past Blog the Change events, check them out here: Protecting People & Their Pets and Share the Love & Rescue a Pup.
I spent a great deal of time agonizing over what to write about for today’s Blog the Change event. Should I revisit an earlier topic, like the Pets and Women’s Shelters (PAWS) Program, pet adoption, or the importance of buckling up your pup? Or should I focus on something new? Lucky for you, dear reader, I recently read a post by CindyLu’s Muse that made my decision for me. As soon as I read that post, I knew that I had to write about this cause for Blog the Change. It’s a natural sequel to my post on the PAWS program.
That cause? Pets of the Homeless, a nonprofit organization that provides pet food and veterinary care to the homeless and less fortunate in local communities across the United States and Canada. I imagine that you, like me, may have felt your heart break a little when you pass a homeless person with a pet. Sometimes the love between the two can take your breath away. Given that winter is a particularly dangerous time to have no shelter, I thought that Pets of the Homeless was the perfect cause to feature during the frigid month of January.
Learn more about this organization and how you can help, after the jump.
Before I go on, I want to quickly address an argument I encountered while doing research for this post. Some argue that homeless people should not have pets – and that the best solution is to take these pets away. I’m not going to engage in that debate here. However, I do want to share the following quote I found on the Pets of the Homeless blog:
pets. But they will have pets. There are those who will say that people
should not be homeless. But there will be homeless people. This is the
real world. And as someone who works in that real world, I have
seen abuse and neglect of the pets of wealthy and impoverished alike,
just as I’ve seen wonderfully loving and supportive relationships
between animals and people on every rung of the economic ladder. One
issue, of course, is that economics can and often do contribute to an
inability to provide what can be costly services.”
– Ken White (President, Peninsula Humane Society)
Pets of the Homeless cites a sobering statistic from the National Coalition for the Homeless. NCH estimates that 3.5 million people are homeless. Between 5-10% of these homeless people have pets. (In some areas of the country, this number may be as high as 24%.) For a variety of reasons, many are forced to choose between keeping their pets or having a roof over their heads. (Many shelters are not equipped to house pets. For a list of those that do and groups that will provide temporary foster care for pets of the homeless, please click here.) As a result, the majority choose to stay on the streets with their pets rather than abandoning them.
Pets of the Homeless aims to help this population in a variety of ways. It has established collection sites to accept donated pet food and distributes this food through partnerships with homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and other entities. The organization also makes two types of grants: one to veterinarians that go to where the homeless congregate and provide veterinary care such as vaccines, spay/neuter and other needed treatments; the other to homeless shelters looking for ways to allow pets sanctuary with their owners.
If you have tissues handy, I urge you to read some of the success stories and view the touching photos on the Pets of the Homeless website.
Want to know how you can help? If there is a collection site near you, donate pet food and supplies. (If there’s no collection site near you, find out how to become one.) Pets of the Homeless also provides a list of other ways that you can donate your time or money to this worthy cause.
I hope you’ll take the time to check out this organization and learn more.
Awesome post, as usual. I wonder– do those who complain that the homeless should not have pets realize that there are many pets who are homeless… without a human companion?
Just hopping on by via SPBH. You have a great blog, some funny photos too. If you have some spare time please come and say hello to me too.
Helen x
http://acraftykindoftruffle.blogspot.com
Thanks for the Info, We live on the Gulf Coast and are all to aware of how the Oil Spill has caused some people to take their pets to shelters as they can no longer afford them. It is nice to know there are programs that help people with economic problems keep their pets.
I always wonder about the compassion deficit in people who don't think that the homeless should have pets. In the best of all possible worlds no one — human or canine — would be homeless. Why would anyone deprive two creatures who can provide solace to one another of a bit of comfort?
Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Pets of the homeless is wonderful cause. I can also imagine their pets must be very important for the homeless. Many times their only companions. Helping pets AND the homeless, great cause.
What a wonderful post. That is definitely a wonderful cause. A very long time ago, I did lose the place I was renting but luckily I was able to find another place very quick that accepted my pets. If not..I have no idea what I would have done. I cannot imagine a life without pets. Lots of love, Debbie and Holly
I also wrote about Pets of the Homeless! A very great organization…
What a great cause. I've never heard of it before!
What a great cause!! With the awful way we, as a society, treat homeless people, they really need the love/comfort that a dog or cat can provide. There was a great story in the NY Times a few years back about the devotion of a homeless man to his pitbull… it was extremely touching (I wish i could find the link to share)… thanks for sharing this!
wuvwes – Thank you. I agree – I think people that say that don't understand the importance of the human-animal bond.
AFSocksScylla – Great point about the Gulf Coast. I imagine that this issue has become even more pressing in light of recent events.
Edie and Kenzo – I totally agree. I've never understood that viewpoint either. There's something to be said for the value of companionship.
Debbie & Holly – Thank goodness you did not have to face that choice.
Neely – That's great! I'll definitely swing by and check out your post.
Marianne – Neither had I, until I read about it thanks to CindyLu's Muse.
successjustclicks – Thank you for the kind words. I agree that people need to readjust their views regarding homeless people – there's nowhere near as much compassion out there as there should be.
What a great post, thank you for highlighting this group I had not heard about them before and it is so great they are all over the country. have a great and fun blog hop!
This is a topic I often think about as we have many homeless people with pets here in Boulder, CO. The shelter doesn't allow dogs inside so far as I know, so what happens to the pets of homeless people who enter the shelter? How many homeless people go without shelter to stay with their pets? It's a terrible situation.
We have some folks in this area who go to the sup kitchen and vaccinate and license the dogs of homeless people so they don't run into issues having them as companions on the street. Someone also started a pet food pantry in the area to help the most needy to feed their pets so they can keep them rather than surrender them to the shelter.
Great post topic.
That was such a wonderful post and such a great organization. Thanks for being part of the change!
Kyla – I agree. I can only imagine how hard it would be to have to make such a terrible choice.
Vicky – That's wonderful that there are people in your area working to help like that!
This cause really touches my heart. I'm going to look into it and see if there are any organizations that are helping our homeless and their pets locally.
i'd never heard of this organization before, but I'm glad I have now. What a wonderful idea, and how sad that there are homeless people AND pets.
-Lauren
I have information about a Cutest Pet contest on my blog if you wanna check it out!!
Great post. Thank you for bringing this caring cause to the front burner. After all, if we don't look after our homeless – both human and canine – then who will?
I LOVE your choice for this "Blog the Change!" And thank you so much for addressing the argument about whether or not homeless people should have pets. I will definitely visit Pets of the Homeless to learn more!
-Chandra at Daley's Dog Years
Well, you know I love what this organization is doing! And I had absolutely loved that quote you included – from Ken White, Pres. It touched me deeply when I read that – and silently I said, "Right on!!" Glad you included that.
Edie makes an eloquent point.
Thanks for featuring this great cause!
What a terrific cause. I so loved the quote from Ken White! There are also those who would say that choosing to support an animal cause when so many humans are suffering is stupid, but I think those are the people who speak loudly and do nothing.
I admire you for sharing this cause and for bringing it to our attention. You can't imagine how many animals used to come into our shelter because their owners lost their homes. If I had to go out on the street, my dogs would be coming with me, not to a shelter. I would hope that an organization like Pets for the Homeless would help me too.
what a nice post! let hope we can help all the doggies around the world!
Chewy
You've grabbed my attention.
One winter, several friends and I raided our closets for gloves, hats, coats and scarves that we could spare, tossing them into a Hefty for the homeless. It wasn't anything official. We just walked down the main drag after dark and passed out things we thought might fit those who needed warmth.
I met some very interesting people and pets that day, gaining new friends and a greater appreciation for how a little act of kindness went such a long way. In case anybody wonders, the homeless are people too. I've seen them. It's true. And they want to be loved just like we do – by people and pets.
What a terrific cause. Thanks for Blogging the Change!
Kim
BtC4animals.com
Peggy – That's wonderful!
Shooting Stars Mag – Thanks for the info – I'll definitely stop by!
Five Sibes – I totally agree!
Chandra – Thanks. It definitely bothered me when I was reading the arguments against homeless people having pets. It just seemed to heartless and divorced from reality.
CindyLu's Muse – Thanks again for being my inspiration for this post!
Daisy's Mom – I feel the same way.
Kim – That's great that you and your friends did that – and a good reminder that just because these people are homeless, they are still people.
Fantastic cause. When I read about it during the last Blog for
Change event I was thrilled that such a thing even existed. Every city needs a program like this. Homelessness is a cause that affects us all, whether we like to admit it or not. That could be any of us out there one day. The more resources available, hopefully the less time people will need to spend on the streets.
Thanks for caring so much and supporting such an often ignored cause.
That sounds like a wonderful organization. I know from writing about the Pongo Fund Pet Food Bank in Oregon, that many homeless people will go hungry to give their last scrap of food to their beloved pet.
I love your blog — this is my first visit, but I will definitely return!
I know that this will sound a little corny, but one should not judge another until they have been in their situation. I have no problem with a homeless person having a dog as long as that pet is cared for and happy. This program is wonderful!
Kristine – I agree 100%.
Canidae – Nice to meet you!
Karen – I don't think that's corny at all. I think it's so true.
Thanks for the nice comment you left on my post.
I also read CindyLu's Muse's post about this organisation. Thanks for spreading the word about it. I'd heard about this situation before and my fiance once noticed that the pets homeless people cared for look better fed than their owners.
I do hope something like this homeless and pets help can be done here too, but I don't see it happening soon.
Wow, this is a great organization. I'm all for any kind of program that helps keep pets with their humans. It just tugs at my heart to think about humans losing their pets for any reason. I also read back to your Oct. 15 post on the PAWS program. Again, another example of keeping humans and pets together for a very different reason.
Great post! And thanks for coming by and commenting on mine as well!
Diane and Cosmo
What a great cause! Thanks for doing the research and blogging about it. We frequently look for organizations to donate to and we are putting them on our list.
Lavi & Helen – thank you so much for stopping by and commenting!
Diane and Cosmo – I appreciate your sweet words. I think that respecting that bond between pets and the humans who love them is really important!
Thanks for reading my Blog for Change entry and commenting. This cause of pets of the homeless is so needed. Our church collects coats for the winter to anyone who needs them. I will present Pets of the Homeless to them so we can also collect pet food for those who really need it – and hopefully, good food, too. Thank so much – your links are great :). I have joined and will see what my small sanctuary can do. I currently have 4 dogs from families who lost their homes. Am working with a group in TX to bring a 12 yr old blind dog to my sanctuary in MO after her dad lost both his job and home. Keep up the good work.
Roberta – What a great idea to bring the idea to your church! I have been trying to think of a good venue to have a pet food drive too. 🙂
Really nice to meet you!
Great cause, time to introspect ourselves about our social responsibilities.