| May 2010 Be sure to visit our new website Pets of the Homeless |
|
Dear ,
We are delighted to announce Pets of the Homeless received a grant for $2,584 from the WHC Foundation, a Reno, NV private foundation that makes small grants exclusively to animal organizations that are 501(c ) (3) entities. Their hope is to inspire other private foundations to follow suit.
WHC Foundation requested the money be used locally to provide food for dogs and cats belonging to the homeless in Reno. A WHC director said, "Pets of the homeless are so overlooked by society. The homeless have countless challenges in their daily lives and their pets are one of their only comforts. Their pets need and deserve daily nourishment."
Genevieve Frederick, Pets of the Homeless Director/Founder, contacted Paul Jolly, Vice President/Director of the PETCO Foundation. Mr. Jolly agreed to match the WHC grant with pet food from the Carson City PETCO store. This week volunteers picked up a partial shipment of over 1,700 pounds of dog and cat food at PETCO and delivered a number of bags to the Community Assistance Center on Record Street in Reno which has a Family Shelter, Men's Shelter, Women's Shelter, a Triage Center and tent city. Due to the small storage area where the pet food will be stored and distributed, volunteers from Pets of the Homeless will make weekly deliveries until such time as the estimated 7,000 pounds of pet food is exhausted.
Homeless coordinator, Krista Lee, explained that 7-10 pets living in the tent city and over 75 pets that live in nearby hotels will receive the donated pet food. Because of the grant and matching funds from PETCO, pet food will be provided daily instead of weekly for these pets of the homeless. Most possessions of the homeless are carried in a backpack so the center has volunteers who repackage the pet food into smaller bags.
The SPCA of Reno offers vaccine clinics and encourages spaying and neutering. It was interesting to learn how many homeless think breeding their dogs provides a way to make money by selling the puppies. Education is vital to stop this practice. |
|
|
What would I do if . . . ?
A recent article explained how, because of the effect pets have on their owners, many are willing to pay for expensive veterinary care. As I thought about that for a moment, it rang true as I remember our willingness to pay for necessary veterinary care for our faithful pets over the years.
Pets, the article said, help owners deal with tough financial circumstances. Our pets have always increased the quality of our lives. Their happy greeting whenever we walk through the door is enough to make a difficult day seem 'not so bad.' They listen when no one else will. Their attention to our every movement becomes obvious as they quickly move to give us a path, even if right where they were lying down. They ask so little and give so much.
Catalyst Direct did an independent research of 400 American pet owners. Their survey found many are stressed because of the economy. 73% are more worried about finances now than before the downturn; 64% are more anxious; 59% feel less confident; 32% reported the economy has affected how they feel about their own identity.
In spite of these statistics, respondents said their pets help them cope with uncertainty. 89% said their pets helped them deal with life stresses; 86% value the appreciation shown them by their pets in the midst of their financial worries; and 83% value their pets presence in their lives.
Imagine having a devoted pet. You've lost your job, were evicted and have no where to go. Your possessions fit into the back of your car. There's no income and what little money you have goes for food and gas for the car. Your dog doesn't seem to mind, in fact, he loves having more time with you.
Everywhere you turn, the answer has been, "We're not hiring because of the economy, you know."
Winter has been cruel, cold and unrelenting. You and your dog keep one another warm in the car most nights but sometimes that isn't enough and you both shiver as you wait for the sun to come up. You get a hot meal at the local food bank and even kibble for the dog. You won't stay at the shelter at night because your dog is not allowed.
This goes on day in day out as you turn ideas over and over in your mind trying to figure out what to do, how to get out of this hole you're in.
In the morning, you find your dog listless and obviously ill. Each day he seemed less perky and now, well, now it seems an emergency. What can you do? There just isn't enough money to take him to the animal hospital Then you remember the poster at the shelter about the free veterinary clinic for pets of the homeless, but it's not until the weekend and that's 4 days away.
You go to the shelter and one of the volunteers offers to call a few veterinarians. Finally she finds one willing to see your dog. It happens to be one of the veterinarians who will be participating in the free weekend clinic for pets of the homeless.
Pets of the Homeless had just provided a grant to the veterinary hospital and they will use that money to take care of your dog. Your heart feels overwhelmed with worry and gratitude.
As luck would have it, he had a case of gastritis, probably from eating something from the streets while you weren't looking. Still, it could have been something more serious.
This veterinarian and everyone at the clinic were amazingly kind, compassionate and concerned. How to express your gratitude takes on a life of its own. You offer to clean up the grounds, do anything to help.
This story is fiction but a composite of many stories heard around the country.
What would I do if . . . ?
Hmmm, makes one wonder, doesn't it?
|
|
Your Donations At Work
How Did She Survive?
"Angel," a brown and white pit bull, belongs to Dean, her homeless owner. They lived in his non-drivable truck. Someone apparently towed the truck onto railroad tracks with Angel still inside. A train plowed into it and demolished the truck into a mass of twisted metal.
Angel was thrown from the wreckage and found lying on the tracks, injured, in shock but still alive. It's difficult to imagine how she wasn't killed.
The VCA Veterinary Clinic in Oakland found, after X-rays, miraculously, she had no broken bones but was sore and bruised.
Dean lost his "home" and everything he owned . . . except Angel. A volunteer with Pets of the Homeless was aware of Angel and her owner before the awful accident and said, "Dean took incredible care of Angel."
Donna Gates, a Pets of the Homeless volunteer, has become Angel's angel. Immediately after the accident, Donna contacted VCA Veterinary Clinic. She coordinated care and treatment for Angel at the Boulevard Animal Hospital in Castro Valley, CA. with a grant from Pets of the Homeless. Angel's care will include vaccines and spaying, if needed. Donna also took in Angel while Dean looked for some sort of shelter for the two of them. We are happy to report they are reunited and "things are looking up".
Kathi Giurlani, a Board Member of Pets of the Homeless, is a registered nurse and pet advocate. She is the Editor of this newsletter. |
Too Many Young People Wander Streets
in Search of Food and Shelter . . .
Homeless youth tend to gravitate to dogs they find on the streets and interestingly dogs seem to be drawn to them as well. The special bond they form alleviates loneliness, provides comfort, loyalty, warmth and protection. Pets of the Homeless is working with a group in Southern California that helps homeless youth who have pets.
Approximately 12,000 homeless youth were counted during January 2007 and an estimated 50,000 youth used the homeless assistance system that same year.
Factors contributing to youth homelessness are the same as for adults: poverty, lack of education, unemployment, drug/alcohol abuse, mental health issues, unavailable affordable housing, family breakdown. Youth often find themselves homeless after running away from physical and emotional abuse. Between 17 and 35% are victims of sexual abuse. Because of their youth and where they are developmentally, they are largely legally, dependent upon adults for the necessities of life (financially for food, shelter, etc.) despite family conflict and dysfunction.
Youth dependent upon foster care are at high risk of becoming homeless as they transition out into the world. Each year approximately 29,000 youth ages 18 and older, age out of the foster care system. All too many have little or no family support or resources as they exit foster care or juvenile correction facilities. With little socialization skills, homeless youth are often arrested for "status" offenses such as running away or curfew violation. Lack of education and maturity also puts them at a higher risk for physical and sexual assault, illness, mental issues and suicide.
The homeless face serious consequences, especially for young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who have no family support. Unaccompanied homeless youth face physical and sexual assault, abuse and physical illness, including HIV/AIDS while also contending with anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of the exposure to increased violence while living on the streets. Many become involved in prostitution and engage in other dangerous, illegal behaviors.
Overall, homeless youth are also likely to become involved in prostitution, to use and abuse drugs, and to engage in other dangerous and illegal behaviors. Additionally, in the case of homeless youth, various studies have found high rates of parental alcohol or drug abuse (24 to 44%). Surprisingly, however, substance abuse is not characteristic of the runaway youth population. Despite all of these setbacks, most homeless youth are still in school.
Youth have the same problems of finding food and shelter as adults. Many local community programs, funded by the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, served over 700,000 in 2008 which is 200,000 more homeless and runaway youth than in 2005. Still, HHS reported that over 7663 homeless and runaway youth were turned away from shelter and housing in 2008 due to lack of bed space. That is an increase from the 2500 youth turned way in 2005
Funding for shelter and housing for youth should be increased to ensure no young people in the U.S.A. sleep on the streets or in an unsafe environment. The Chaffee Foster Care Independence Program (CHCIP) also provides states with funding to support youth who are expected to emancipate from foster care and former foster care youth ages 18 to 21, which helps prevent homelessness for an at-risk group of youth. |
|
|
|
|
|
Feeding Pets of the Homeless is doing business as Pets of the Homeles. The new name better captures the essence and spirit of the nonprofit. |
May 6, Thursday
Arkvet for the Homeless Clinic
Metropolitan Ministries
1112 McCallie Ave
Chattanooga, TN
May 15, Saturday
3rd Street BayView Fire Station, Galloway Township, NJ
Noon to 3:00
Dogs only - Distemper Shots including Parvo
June 12 - Saturday Pets of the Homeless will be at the Phoenix Pet Expo at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
|
|
