Supporting The Best Of Friends
This organization reaches out to those most in need–homeless pets
There are few stronger human-animal bonds than those between homeless people and their pets. Constantly together, they rely on one another for companionship, security, non-judgmental loyalty and, during wintertime, even literal warmth.
5-10% of the roughly 550,000 homeless people in the U.S. have pets, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless, and around 10% of America’s homeless live in Los Angeles County. Only one in four are sheltered, according to the 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Destitute pet owners face special challenges in feeding their animals, maintaining their health, and avoiding separation from them. Because the majority of homeless shelters don’t allow pets, they are often forced to make an agonizing choice between a roof for the night or their best friend. And the very economic circumstances that force a person into homelessness also mean that many struggle to find food and medical care for their animal.
These are the issues that inspired Genevieve Frederick to found Pets of the Homeless 10 years ago. The goal of her non-profit organization is to provide food and basic emergency veterinary care for the animal companions of homeless people, plus access to pet-friendly shelters. These actions both keep the pets in good health and prevent separating them from their owners.
“Compassion is needed in these turbulent times as more and more people and families are becoming homeless,” said Frederick, who hatched the Pets of the Homeless idea after seeing a man panhandling with his dog in New York City. “For those with mental issues, a pet can be a life saver.”
Based in Carson City, Nevada, Pets of the Homeless operates nationwide and is also making inroads into Canada.
It distributes pet food gifted by the public at over 400 donation sites through food banks, homeless shelters and churches – places where homeless people congregate for their own meals. More than 1,100 pets are fed daily in this way, with around $2.5 million in food donated to date.
Homeless people can also call the Pets of the Homeless headquarters to be directed to the nearest veterinary hospital for free treatment, graciously paid for by donations. Their existing network includes over 700 hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. They have handled over 2,400 such calls this year alone.
“Should a caller not be near one of our hospitals, we will cold call … until we locate one that will allow homeless and give us at least a 20% discount,” Frederick explained.
Pets of the Homeless has provided emergency medical care to over 3,400 cases (1,400 of which were in the L.A. area), and provided vaccinations for another 15,600 pets.
Additionally, Pets of the Homeless sponsors wellness clinics, where pets are examined and vaccinated, and provides metal crates to homeless shelters to enable these to accept pets. While at such a shelter, a homeless person who might otherwise have been denied access can receive assistance from social workers.
But more help is needed. By October, Pets of the Homeless had already exceeded its 2018 budget for veterinary care by more than $70,000. With its medical cases having doubled since last year, the organization also needs more case managers.
The public can support Pets of the Homeless by spreading the word through social media, making a donation at petsofthehomeless.org, or by gifting pet food at a local donation site. Volunteers can also start peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, create pet food drives, or include Pets of the Homeless in their estate planning.
“In the long term, I think we will advocate more for homeless people and their pets,” Frederick said. “We are in a reactive mode, due to limited resources, but we need to become more proactive to this issue.”.