What about homeless people with pets?

writer lady — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:53:00 GMT

They call us the Sunshine State, but when the sun came up this morning it was only 32 degrees out in Tallahassee. With an expected high of only 47, our cat got to spend the day indoors. I decided that today was the day I’d bring my space heater to work. I left home wearing layered sweaters and a down jacket. I sent a blessing to the Swede who first put heated seats in a Volvo.

Less than a mile from my home is an open field bordered by pines. As I drove past I spotted a green mound that looked like a blanket-covered body. Even in Florida--a common destination for homeless people looking to escape the north’s deadly winters--people freeze to death on the ground. I parked and approached cautiously with a $5 bill in my hand. I was afraid I’d find that the body hadn’t survived the night, but if he had (why was I so sure it was a man?) with five bucks he’d be able to cross the road for a cup of coffee and hot breakfast from McDonald’s.

“Did you make it through the night?” was met with a rustling beneath the blanket followed by the face of a startled man, then a woman, then a snarling dog. A quick reassurance from the woman and the dog quickly seemed embarrassed by its aggression. The pup was thin but wearing a collar and leash. Near the man’s bundle of clothing I spotted a near-empty bag of dog food and a near-full bottle of flea shampoo.

I asked if the woman if they thought they’d go to the shelter tonight, but the woman said they couldn’t go to the shelter because of their dog, and they could never get rid of their dog.

Because so many people in the path of a hurricane refuse to evacuate and abandon their pets, many emergency shelters now make provisions for both. But, in all of the United States, there are only two homeless shelters that accommodate people with their pets which are homeless year round.

I understand the need for a pet. Caring for another loving being gives purpose to people whose life may seem to mean little to other people. Especially for women, the protection of a dog may be all that keeps them alive and safe from sexual assault or theft. Their dog’s body warmth may be all that kept the couple under the green blanket alive last night.

The debate rages in my office: Should homeless people have dogs? Should homeless shelters provide shelter for pets? Would more homeless people go to shelters if they could take their pets? Should our tax dollars be used to feed and shelter the pets of people who can’t afford to feed themselves?

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What about homeless people with pets?