Feeding Pets Of The Homeless

Emergency Veterinary Care

Emergency Veterinary Care Program: Faced with little or no income, coupled with the uncertainty of where they will sleep each night, the homeless have no funds when their pet requires emergency treatment for an acute illness or injury. Our program provides free care that the guardian could not otherwise provide, paying the veterinary hospital directly for pre-approved treatment. If anesthesia is required, spay or neuter may be included with permission from the guardian. Common issues include injuries, ear infections, dental extractions, foxtail removal, laceration repairs, mass removals, parvovirus, skin infections and wound care. The national Emergency Veterinary Care program is our most cost-intensive program with a 2024 projected budget of $1,650,000. In 2023, we helped over 2,000 pets receive treatment at our 1,700+ network veterinary hospitals.

Veteran Pet Support

Feeding Pets of the Homeless provides relief to veterans and their pets by providing adequate food and veterinary care resources for their friend and emotional support. The program serves veterans who are homeless as well as those participating in the HUD-VASH program, who are working with Case Managers to maintain their housing and health care appointments. This program serves the chronically homeless veterans who are most vulnerable and often have severe mental or physical health problems and limited access to other social supports. Members of the program get the veterinary care and vaccinations necessary for their pets so they can get into housing, together. And sometimes, we simply offer an ear to listen to people’s experiences and their daily struggles to survive.