It’s one of the most common questions we receive: “Where do people experiencing homelessness get pets?”
The answer reveals a deeper truth, pets are family, and that bond doesn’t disappear when someone loses their housing. In fact, many individuals already have their pets long before they ever face homelessness and they make an active choice to stay together, even when circumstances get tough.
Pets Before Homelessness
In many cases, people bring their pets into homelessness with them.
• A survivor fleeing domestic violence may leave with their pet because they fear the abuser could harm or kill the animal left behind.
• A young adult aging out of foster care or escaping an abusive household may bring along the one source of comfort and stability they’ve known, their dog or cat.
• A senior on a fixed income who loses their home due to rising rent may find themselves on the streets with their longtime companion.
These are not casual relationships. They’re deep, emotional bonds grounded in loyalty and love.
Pets During Homelessness
Even while living without shelter, people continue to form new connections with animals, especially in homeless encampments or on the streets, where the presence of a pet can provide not just comfort, but also protection and purpose.
• Puppies and kittens born to unaltered dogs or cats in encampments are often adopted by nearby residents. When you’re facing constant hardship, the presence of new life brings hope and warmth.
• Stray animals sometimes approach people experiencing homelessness for food, warmth, or companionship and once that connection is made, it’s hard to let go.
A Relationship Rooted in Survival
Regardless of how the relationship starts, once a person and an animal bond, that relationship becomes essential. Pets offer a sense of normalcy, emotional support, security and unconditional love. In return, their owners go to great lengths to provide what little they have often putting their pets’ needs ahead of their own.
At Feeding Pets of the Homeless, we witness the strength of this bond every day. It’s why we exist, to help people keep their pets healthy and by their side, through access to pet food, emergency veterinary care and wellness clinics.
The Bottom Line
Pets don’t discriminate based on income, housing status, or appearance. They don’t ask for proof of stability, they show up, love unconditionally, and stay. And people experiencing homelessness, who often endure profound isolation and trauma, return that love with fierce loyalty.
So when someone asks, “Where do they get their pets?” We answer: from the same places anyone does. From love. From need. From companionship. From a desire to care and be cared for.
And in many ways, that bond is even stronger because it endures so much.
