Ecopol Project - Portland State University

Don’t Say the Homeless Shouldn’t Have Pets

The homeless across the country cannot afford housing even when working a full-time job. Minimum wage is not always enough for proper housing. A number of homeless people also suffer from mental illness and cannot work. It was estimated in 2016 that of the 550,000 people on the streets every night, 25% of them suffered from a mental illness. Mental illness or not, pets have given people support. Some people tell stories about how they did not have pets until they lived on the streets. It is because it has been psychologically proven that having a furry companion can decrease stress, increase activity and therefor lessening depression, and increases people’s opportunities to socialize. Strangers may be less inclined to approach someone else but are much more likely to approach you if you have an animal. Animals break social barriers and allow the people in need to connect more with their community. The homeless may not be able to afford to take care of a house, but they will have the opportunity to care for something else. There are many organizations that help pets living on the street. Programs like Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VetSOS) have pop-up clinics that move throughout the Northwest. Other organizations, like the Portland Animal Welfare Team (PAW) are more permanent. They provide free veterinary care, not only to the homeless, but to everyone who qualifies for their complimentary services. It is important to spread awareness of these services because increasing the health of pets will increase the health of the impoverished and our community as a whole. Diseases such as Leptospirosis as zoonotic, meaning they can spread between animals and people alike. There are so many reasons why people in need rely on animals. They are companions that end up saving and caring for the people that once save them.

Links to free or low-cost animal healthcare:

PAW- https://www.pawteam.org

VetSOS- https://www.sfccc.org/veterinary-street-outreach

Find shelters that allow pets- https://www.shelterlist.com/page/shelters_for_pets