Like their owners, some are scruffy, some clean. Some wary, some friendly. Some large, some small. Some hungry, some not.
And like their owners, they are at home on the street. They are dogs of the homeless — and they are a growing population.
According to the national nonprofit Pets of the Homeless, an estimated 5 to 10 percent of the 3.5 million homeless in the U.S. own dogs or cats (mostly dogs).
Anne Stattelman, director of Posada, which provides support to Pueblo’s homeless (and their furry beloveds), estimates the numbers to be even higher here, in the 15-20-percent range. And she says it’s no mystery why so many of the city’s “chronically homeless” have chosen the responsibility of pet ownership.
“It’s for protection. It’s for companionship. It’s for mental health. The same reasons everybody else has a dog,” says Stattelman.
But imagine taking care of a dog when you have no shelter, no yard, no vehicle and little money. Where do you find food and water? What happens when the animal gets sick? How do you keep it clean and pest-free? These are challenges that require devotion, commitment and ingenuity — characteristics not often associated with the stereotypical homeless.
“It’s hard enough to take care of yourself,” says Renee Lowry, executive director of Nevada-based Pets of the Homeless, which provides a wide spectrum of support. “But so many of the homeless make their pets a priority: For some, they are their reason for living, their reason to get up in the morning. . . . These pets save their lives.”
The homeless shelters in Pueblo — Posada and the Wayside Cross Gospel Mission — don’t allow pets for numerous reasons (allergies, noise, health and behavior issues, etc.), which means displaced families sometimes have to make the hardest of choices: live in the shelter or give up their pets.
“It’s heartbreaking,” says Stattelman.
“However, there are good animal samaritans in town who will sometimes foster animals for homeless families. That’s the thing about Pueblo: There are a lot of people doing great things for others.”
Greg Coolidge, director of Wayside Cross, says that he sees more homeless families with pets than he used to.
“They’re what I call the new breed of homeless,” he says. “They’re not like the old-time campers down by the river. These are people who still have hopes to rebound and the last thing they want to do is give up their pets. We had one couple where the wife stayed in the shelter and the man slept in the car with the dog — they didn’t want to leave the dog alone.”
Coolidge says the mission occasionally receives donated dog food to hand out and will try to find temporary foster homes for dogs of the homeless. He also hopes to add kennels to Wayside when it expands its shelter facilities (the proposed project is in the fundraising stage).
Support for all
There’s no denying that Posada is a pet-friendly operation.
“When you support people, you support their close friends and loved ones — and for many of the homeless we see, animals are a big part of their lives,” Stattelman says.
The nonprofit receives large donations of dog food and cat food from the local Mars Petcare manufacturing plant and bags it and distributes it to the homeless for their pets — “They’ll bring us two pallets of food and it’s gone like that,” she says.
Stattelman also has been known to occasionally use the nonprofit’s modest funds to bail out homeless people’s dogs that have landed in one of the local animal shelters, and will sometimes pay for a night’s lodging in a pet-friendly motel for the homeless and their dogs, depending on the circumstances (such as life-threatening cold weather or other emergencies).
Pueblo resident Michele Teel recently found herself suddenly without a home, the result of a convergence of medical problems, foreclosure and misfortune, and she arrived at Posada with her dog, Augie. She was prepared to live in her car with the 12-year-old dog, a mellow border collie, but Stattelman found them a short-term place to stay.
Teel didn’t need any of Posada’s food for Augie — longtime neighbors gave her a large bag when they heard about her situation — but she was happy to know where to turn when it runs out. And she left no doubt as to how she feels about Augie.
“I wish I could wiggle my nose and turn him into a man, because he’s so grand,” Teel says. “He’s no trouble. He’s so easy and loyal. He’s my best friend.”
Although most of the pets on the streets are dogs, some homeless people own cats, too — either feral felines or existing pets that may live in a vehicle with their owners. Stattelman says she’s also seen the homeless with pet birds, snakes and everything else — “We’ve seen it all” — and in Nevada, Lowry says she’s seen pet rabbits and pot-bellied pigs.
Posada also plays a role in helping the homeless provide health care for their pets. The group’s annual Take Care Fair includes a pet component: veterinarian Patti Canchola provides free vaccinations and check-ups. At last summer’s event, she estimates that she gave 20-25 rabies shots to dogs of the homeless.
Canchola, who also provides low-cost food for families in need through the Amazin’ Amos Pet Pantry and low-cost care at St. Martin’s Well Pet Clinic, says health risks are a major challenge for the homeless population’s dogs — and for the community.
“Absolutely, it’s a serious issue,” says Canchola, who also works at Pueblo Animal Services. “There’s a lot that you watch out for on the streets: if the animal is being fed, being protected against rabies and fleas and ticks — and the fleas pose tapeworm and plague issues — and then there are internal parasites and dog bites, too.”
But challenges aside, Canchola says she totally understands the bond between the homeless and their pets.
“Their dog is their family,” she says. “And how do you give up your family?”
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