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| Pets are loyal companions to the homeless and often a forgotten segment of society. This new program offers veterinarians, retailers and the general public the opportunity to help cats, dogs and other pets of homeless people. |
Launched in December 2006, by Genevieve Frederick, president of Paw Publishing in Carson City, Nev., the company signed up nine veterinary clinics within the first six months to its Feeding Pets of the Homeless program. A pet groomer recently joined also.
As part of the program, store owners or veterinarians are provided with materials to publicize the food drive, such as sample fliers, press releases and media contacts in their neighborhoods. Pet owners drop off donations at the participating company, and then the local shelter or other service picks up the food to deliver to homeless or otherwise disadvantaged people with pets, such as seniors or low-income residents.
Frederick’s literature cites National Coalition for the Homeless statistics that estimate between 5 to 10 percent of homeless people have dogs and/or cats.
“Once they get on the street and have a pet, it’s very hard for them to let go of their pet,” she said. “Pets are loyal. In many instances, these pets have a chance to run away from the situation, but they don’t.”
Sometimes people might even decline a roof over their head, because they can’t find a low-income option or a shelter that will allow them to bring their pet along, too, Frederick said.
Having a pet can also provide a homeless person with a sense of normalcy and create a positive feeling just by being needed by another living creature, she added. “Not only are we helping the pets, but we’re also helping the people that are their guardians.”
Her local veterinarian in Carson City recently donated three 55-gallon tubs of pet food to the area food bank as part of the program.
Previously open only to veterinarians, Frederick says she decided to expand the program after receiving numerous calls from the general public as well as pet businesses interested in becoming involved in it.
“The goal is to have this be a nationwide program so that pets that are on the street with the homeless are at least being fed nutritious food,” she said.
It’s a step-by-step program, all administrable through the website, www.petsofhomeless.com, Frederick said.