As many as 25% of homeless people in the US are pet owners. For many homeless people, their pet is their only source of love and affection and not being able to give them the necessary medical care is very worrisome. Below are some helpful ways you can support an unhoused person to keep their treasured pet as they face adversity and hardship.
Ways to help a homeless person stay with their pet
1.) Donate to a pet food donation site
In a recent survey of homeless youth, 60% said their pet ate before they did so donating pet food to a local pet food donation site is an effective way to help a homeless person keep themselves and their pets nourished and healthy.
Donations can include pet food and treats but also lightly used pet supplies. These supplies can include items such as leashes, collars, toys, bowls, jackets and brushes. For help finding a pet donation site in your local area, you can search here.
2.) Donate to a charity
Charities such as Feeding Pets of the Homeless provide preventative wellness clinics, emergency veterinary care, and resources to the animals of unhoused people. There are lots of ways to donate from EFTs to cryptocurrency so you’ll be sure to find a method that works best for you.
In addition to this, your donation could help buy pet crates for shelters. About 50% of homeless youth said that having a pet made it harder for them to stay in a shelter. Unfortunately, this is because most shelters don’t allow pets inside (accept service animals). By donating to a charity, your money can be spent on sending pet crates to shelters to help facilitate keeping animals and their owners together.
3.) Host a pet food drive
Pet food drives are a wonderful way to spend time with your local community whilst supporting a great cause. Hosting a pet food drive can be a lot of fun and is a very effective way to gather lots of pet food and supplies in one go.
After the pet food drive is complete, you can simply drop off all the supplies at a pet food provider site. These sites will look after distributing the resources you collected to the pet parents.
4.) Spread the word
If donating money or food is simply not within your budget you can still make a big difference with just your voice! Making other people aware of charities that support homeless people and their pets is a great way to help the cause.
You can write about the great work of these charities or film a video about a local pet food drive for your social media. This opens up the opportunity for people to ask questions and understand the difficulties an unhoused person faces to keep their pet by their side.
5.) Volunteer
Finally, volunteering your time is another great way to help support a homeless pet owner. You could volunteer at a pet food donation site or contact local pet businesses such as veterinarians and pet shops to see if they would like to become a pet food donation site.
If you are a veterinarian or veterinarian technician, you could donate your time and expertise to a wellness clinic that offers medical aid to a pet of a homeless person. This experience would be incredibly fulfilling, and you would get to be a part of success stories like Maverick’s.
Why is it important to keep pets and their owners together?
It is incredibly important to keep pets and their owners together. Most pet parents would be devastated if they were to be separated from their pet and that doesn’t change if you are unhoused.
Pets provide their homeless owner companionship, loyalty, and unconditional love which can help reduce stress, depression, and loneliness. They also provide a sense of purpose, responsibility, and stability in an otherwise difficult situation.
Conclusion
There are many great ways you can help a homeless person stay with their pet. From donating pet food to volunteering your time, you will be sure to find a good fit for you. By bringing awareness to this cause and supporting unhoused pet owners, we can help homeless people and their furry friends stay together.
Author Bio: Hannah Fitchett
Hannah is the proud dog mom of Makai, a Wolfdog with a penchant for naps and snacks. Hannah has a strong love for all animals but a special fondness for dogs. With a Master’s degree in Chemistry and a love for writing, Hannah aims to share the latest scientific studies and expert knowledge with dog lovers worldwide through her blog Howling Wolf Pack.
