In 2024, homelessness in the United States reached a historic high. On a single night, 771,480 individuals were unhoused – an 18% increase from 2023 (HUD 2024 Annual Homeless Assessment Report). While the causes of homelessness are varied and complex, the impact is devastating – and not just for people. It’s estimated that one in three individuals experiencing homelessness has a pet, translating to more than 254,000 pets affected (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2023).

These are not just numbers. They are families – human and animal – facing the harshest realities together.

The Numbers Behind the Crisis

• Sheltered vs. Unsheltered: 64% of unhoused individuals stayed in shelters, while 36% remained unsheltered in places not meant for human habitation.
• Individual Homelessness: The number of individuals experiencing homelessness rose by nearly 45,000 from the previous year.
• Veterans: While veteran homelessness declined by 8%, current totals for 2024 have yet to be fully reported.

These figures underscore a critical and ongoing emergency affecting communities across the country.

The Rise in Older Adult Homelessness

More people aged 50–64 are becoming homeless – a population that often falls between the cracks. They are not yet eligible for Medicare or retirement benefits, and a single health crisis or financial emergency can be enough to displace them.

For those with pets, the emotional and physical support these animals provide is often their only source of comfort.

Health and Homelessness: A Two-Way Street

Health issues can both cause and worsen homelessness. Unhoused individuals face greater risks of illness, injury, and chronic conditions. Without access to care, even minor health problems can spiral into crises. (National Health Care for the Homeless Council).

This affects pets, too. When someone can’t access medical care for themselves, veterinary care becomes even more out of reach—something Feeding Pets of the Homeless aims to address directly.

Families with Children: A Hidden Homeless Population

Nearly 60,000 families experience homelessness on any given night in the U.S according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The disruption is severe: lost stability, family separation, health impacts, and barriers to education for children.

For these families, pets often represent a source of stability—yet shelters and services are rarely equipped to accommodate them.

LGBTQ+ Individuals Face Heightened Risk

LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately affected by homelessness, often due to family rejection or discrimination. Many face unsafe shelter environments or are turned away entirely.

Transgender individuals, in particular, often encounter barriers to accessing shelter or healthcare – challenges that are magnified when they also have pets to care for. (National Coalition for the Homeless, True Colors United)

Homelessness and Criminalization

Homelessness is increasingly being criminalized. According to National Homelessness Law Center, laws in 187 cities penalize actions like sleeping in public or panhandling – basic survival behaviors. This criminalization pushes unhoused individuals into hiding and isolation, increasing their vulnerability to violence.

Pets can’t protect their people from these systemic injustices. But their presence underscores the urgency of treating people experiencing homelessness with compassion and dignity – not punishment.

The Criminalization of Homelessness—and Its Human Cost

Since the 1980s, people experiencing homelessness—and those living in poverty more broadly—have been increasingly marginalized and dehumanized through policy and public perception. According to the National Homelessness Law Center, at least 187 U.S. cities have enacted laws that criminalize basic, life-sustaining acts like camping, sleeping in public, or panhandling.

These policies don’t solve homelessness—they push it out of sight. Criminalization isolates unhoused individuals, making it harder to access services and increasing their vulnerability to violence. Many are forced to live on the margins of society, where attacks often go unreported and justice is out of reach.

This is not just a legal issue—it’s a human rights issue. Anti-homeless violence and systemic barriers reflect broader structural and economic injustices. They show how society fails to protect its most vulnerable, including those who are simply trying to survive with the only source of comfort they have left: their pets.

Why It Matters to Us

Feeding Pets of the Homeless was founded on a simple, profound truth: pets are family. And when someone experiencing homelessness has a pet, they’re often willing to go without food or shelter to keep their companion safe.

This article isn’t just about statistics—it’s a reminder of the lives behind the numbers. The humans and animals facing hardship, and the communities that can step up to help.

Want to Help?

Support our work by:

• Donating pet food or supplies
• Becoming a Donation Site partner
• Supporting our Emergency Veterinary Care program

Together, we can ensure that no pet—and no person who loves them—goes without help.