Homeless people sometimes take better care of their pets than themselves

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His name is Bud the Amazing Wonder Dog, but the huge German shepherd-rottweiler mix was not feeling amazing or wonderful during his clinic visit, as he whimpered and tried to steady himself on an examination table too small for a dog his size. His owner, a homeless man named Stan, wrapped his arms around Bud, whispering, “I’m sorry, baby.” Stan, who asked that his last name not be published, told the veterinarian that Bud has a cramp in his cheek and arthritic pain in his paws.

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Many homeless people take better care of their dogs than themselves, said Marti Casey, the newly appointed president of the Doney board of directors. If you’re homeless and need help for a pet Pets of the Homeless is a Nevada-based nonprofit that can connect you with help, either through their website, petsofthehomeless.org, or via phone: 775-841-7463 “A lot of people who come in here don’t take themselves to the doctor,” Casey said. And there’s evidence homeless pets could actually be better off; one study found that they were healthier than housed pets, less likely to be obese, and had fewer behavioral issues like aggression to strangers or separation anxiety.

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“They typically have a constant connection with their human,” said Dr. Victoria Lawson, a University of Washington professor who studies poverty and has written about Irvine and others’ work on animals and homelessness. “Which is a much more natural way for a pack animal to live, instead of waiting for those three hours a day that their human’s alive and awake.” Writers like Lawson and Irvine have also pointed out that dogs can protect their humans and alert others if their human is in trouble. Having an animal can help during the stressful time of living outside.

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“Bud pulls me out of isolation,” Stan wrote in an email, both physically — he has to get up to walk Bud — and emotionally. People open up more to Stan when they see Bud the Amazing Wonder Dog. “I believe people resonate with the vulnerability of the dog,” Stan wrote.

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