From a volunteer of Pets of the Homeless, she was making a delivery of pet food to a homeless center in Reno, NV.

I was on Record Street yesterday.  As I drove through the parking lot in my nice warm SUV, I was touched by the site of so many people trying to stay warm.  One woman was sitting quietly on a box with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders; her hair was that soft gray that comes to some people with age.  And her overall look seemed to be of someone who should be in the kitchen baking cookies for the grandchildren.  Her inner beauty was obvious to me, but her situation was in direct contrast to that beautiful hair.

Another man spoke to me for several minutes asking about the Pets of the Homeless program and how he could get food for his dogs.  He came down from Washington with his wife and two children and dogs, hoping to get jobs in the casinos.  He was a strong proud man and so confused that he was no longer able to provide for his family.  He just wanted a job and a way to feed his family.

I am finding the more times I go to tent city, the more real people I find there.  Yes, of course, some people land there because of drugs or alcohol, but many have just run out of chances.  Jobs have dried up and money and security are no longer an option.  They just need a place to sleep and a meal.  To think that so many of them will share their food with the pet, will keep the pet warm and safe only shows to me the genuine love they have for their animals.  Too bad that the inconvenience of having a pet is putting these people in more danger.

I know how these people feel about their pets.  Putting my pets in a shelter or giving them away is not an option.  I would sooner take my chances on the streets.  Or at least, I hope I would be that noble.