Pets can be integral to surviving homelessness. Providing hope, connection and companionship in difficult circumstances.
With a smile on her face, Julie holds her small dog close. They live together in a Portland shelter.
“She is my life,” Julie said. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Dogs bring emotional support and protection to people living outside in Portland. With few places to stay, pets can be integral to surviving homelessness. They provide hope, connection and companionship in difficult circumstances.
Steve has a strong grip on the chain leash attached to his healthy 86-pound Rottweiler, Mamas. She responds to his command, “Sit Mamas,” and sits quietly at his feet. This gentle 3-year-old dog lived in a tent downtown with Steve for six months.
“When I’m getting ready to feed and water her, I hold my finger up,” Steve said. “At first, I said, 'Wait, don’t move, wait.’ I give her treats to train her.”
Steve is one of the first in line at the PAW Team Drop-in Clinic, a free veterinary clinic, on a sunny Saturday morning, waiting for Mamas to get her microchip and vaccines from a volunteer veterinarian.
“She means a lot to me, she really does,” Steve said. “I try to do the best I can to take care of her and feed her. I’m going through a lot of depression right now, and she’s basically my emotional support. I’m trying to get her to be a service dog. She keeps me from going into depression.”
Taking care of Mamas motivates Steve. He wants to find housing for himself and Mamas. He recently had a job interview and is hopeful.
“I’m trying to get into housing because with her, I want to get indoors,” Steve said.“I want to get back on my feet. Not many shelters accept dogs. If they do, they have to be in a kennel. I'm not cool with that. They do not let them roam around.”
The veterinarian and two helpers hold Mamas and put a muzzle on her to insert the microchip in her back. They carefully examine the rash on her legs.
After the vet treats Mamas, Steve listens attentively while the assistant follows up with him. He holds a bag containing medicine for her rash, planning to return for her teeth cleaning and neutering.
Mary Crabtree, a Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon, or MHAAO, peer wellness specialist, engages with homeless Portlanders at Blanchet House and other organizations.
“It is very impressive how well homeless people care for their pets,” Crabtree said.
Crabtree echoes what homeless pet owners say about the importance of their animals for emotional support and connection.
“It’s what keeps them going on a daily basis and their mental health,” Crabtree said. “A lot of people need that for their mental stability. They need someone out here to protect them in their sleep, and a lot of these animals do that for them. For a lot of people dealing with mental health issues, that calms them.”
Kelly Bremken, Oregon Humane Society veterinary social worker, sees both ends of the leash.
“There are lots of complications at the intersection of pets and people,” Bremken said. “My job is to support both. There is real research and science in the last 10 years that looks at the importance of relationships with pets, whether housed or not. Life can revolve around the schedule of a pet. Our relationship with pets is less complicated than human relationships.
“People experiencing homelessness can feel unseen and unheard, but a pet sees you.”
Last year Bremken, on behalf of Oregon Humane Society, spoke out in favor of Oregon Senate Bill 496, aimed at assisting companion animals in the homeless community.
“People experiencing homelessness often feel isolated and alone, and pets offer companionship and distraction from the struggle of surviving,” Bremken said in her Jan. 25, 2023 testimony to the Senate Committee on Housing and Development.
Shannon Troy is the senior director of operations at Do Good Multnomah. She also advocated for SB 496.
“Living on the streets is often dangerous and unpredictable, creating a very intense bond between owner and pet,” Troy wrote in her testimony to the Senate Committee on Housing and Development. “Dogs in particular, protect those living in tents from theft, physical violence, and sexual assault. The bond between owner and pet is so intertwined that houseless individuals would rather risk frostbite and potential death than abandon their animal if a shelter will not accept their pet.”
The Oregon Legislature ultimately approved $1 million in funding through the Emergency Housing Account Fund for homeless and domestic violence shelters to accommodate pets. The funding helps address barriers to safe shelter and provides life-saving resources for individuals in crisis with pets, according to Kelly Peterson, OHS Oregon Senior State Director.
The Oregon State Legislature referred the bill to the Ways and Means Committee, which voted it down while finalizing the budget.
Jill Ripes likes to call herself the “Good Witch of the Northwest” because she helps people whenever she can and especially watches out for dogs. Jill and her husband, a veteran, lived in a truck for five years with their Chihuahua and Pomeranian mix, Ella, before they found an apartment in Portland.
Ripes sees people living outside without enough resources for themselves, making it hard to care for their animals. She is concerned about people not getting their dogs vaccinated, not having collars and using ropes instead of leashes.
“I worry,” Ripes said. “I meet so many people that have dogs. I try to help the dogs as well as the people.”
Darlene, Kyle, Hero and Athena
Darlene and Kyle live in a tent in Northeast Portland with their two dogs, Hero and Athena. Hero is 6 years old, and Athena is nine months old. Kyle rescued Hero as a puppy from a man who was abusing him. Someone recently gave them Athena.
The dogs are well-fed and go to the PAW Team for health care. Kyle takes them out for exercise on leashes while riding his bike.
“They have so much fun,” Kyle said. “(Hero) has the biggest smile on his face when we go for a bike ride. I take them both together.”
Kyle and Darlene feel lucky to have both dogs. Hero is a pit bull, all muscle but a gentle giant, Darlene said. He is also a protector.
“So many times, people come up to see what they can steal and see if I’m alone,” Darlene said. “It’s dangerous for girls out here. He barks and scares people off.”
Bill Peters acquired Duke, a Rottweiler and pit bull mix, from his grandson’s friend eight years ago.
Peters became homeless when he lost his house in Vernonia to foreclosure and mortgage fraud. He has been learning about the law for seven years and working to get his house back. Peters said Duke’s impact on his mental health keeps him alive.
Peters lives on the streets without a tent. He moves around the city. Sometimes people give him a blanket and are helpful in other ways. It takes skills to survive outside and they have taught him a lot, Peters said.
“During COVID, I hadn’t had a hug from anybody in a long time, so it’s the only affection I got,” Peters said. “He’s attached to me, and I’m attached to him. He won’t leave my side.” Peters relies on the dog’s situational awareness while living outside. Duke alerts Peters when he senses unsafe situations.
Julie goes to PAW Team to get Josie’s teeth and nails looked at and get her shots. At one point, she accessed care at a mobile vet van downtown. Affordable pet care is essential to her and Josie.
“I’m in a motel shelter and have my own room, so it’s pretty awesome,” Julie said. “I got Josie in Arizona. She is the love of my life and provides more emotional support than you will ever know.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that while Senate Bill 496 didn’t make it out of committee, the Oregon Legislature alternatively approved $1 million for the same purpose through separate legislation.
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly investigative publication covering economic, environmental and social inequity. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
© 2024 Street Roots. All rights reserved. | To request permission to reuse content, email editor@streetroots.org or call 503-228-5657, ext. 40