Pets in Shelters: Supporting Clients with Animals

For many people experiencing homelessness, a pet is family, protection, and a reason to keep going. It is also one of the most common reasons people turn down shelter. Programs that plan for pets reach people they would otherwise lose.

Why pets matter

• Companionship and emotional support
• A sense of safety, especially at night
• Routine and responsibility
• A relationship that has lasted when others have not

Asking someone to give up a pet to come inside is often asking too much.

Pets, service animals, and emotional support animals

These are different categories with different legal protections in shelter and housing settings. Make sure your agency's policy reflects current fair housing and disability law, and that staff know what they can and cannot ask.

Planning for pets on site

• A written pet policy shared at intake
• Expectations for leashes, crates, and supervision
• Designated relief areas and cleanup supplies
• Vaccination and licensing expectations, with help meeting them
• A plan if the owner is hospitalized or absent
• A way to handle conflicts or bites

Staff skills

• Ask before approaching or touching an animal.
• Speak to the owner with respect. Criticism of how someone cares for a pet will end the conversation.
• Include the pet in the service plan.
• Secure pets when emergency responders arrive.

Use the pet to engage

Asking about a person's animal is one of the easiest ways to start a real conversation and build rapport. Help for the pet is often the first help a person will accept.

Connect clients with resources

Veterinary care, shots, food, and supplies are real costs for people with very little.

Our Pet Assistance Referral Program refers you to selected pet assistance providers who can support your clients' pets with what they need, including shots, food, and supplies, so clients can focus on what really matters.