As our story was about the effects that pets have on the mental health of their homeless owners I did some research into homeless pets, looking at charities and magazine articles.
The connection
(1) The connection is a homeless charity in central London (the busiest in central London, last year having over 40,000 visits), they help thousands of people every year to move away from and stay off London's streets. They provide a range of services that help people address their homelessness, and make necessary steps away from the streets so they can re-enter society.
(2)The connection website helped to address questions that we had about our topic including;
Why do homeless people have dogs?
Their answer="Dogs provide companionship...they also provide protection when people are sleeping out"
and
How does being on the street affect dogs?
Their answer="Dogs on the street are generally less healthy. It’s not the right environment for a dog. It’s busy, they don’t relax properly or get the same amount of exercise. We really encourage people to get their dogs checked out because they do have more health issues when they’re sleeping out"
The connection work's with Dog's Trust who already has a homeless dog's programme where they provide; micro chipping, vet appointments, injections and spaying all for free.
The Trusty Paws Clinic
(3) The Trusty Paws clinic both provides amazing learning opportunities and raises awareness of homeless dogs.
Trusty paws run once a month drop in centres with vet treatment is carried out by vet students (under supervision of a qualified vets), their clinics with local charities in Glasgow, London and Liverpool.
At the clinics they provide:
- Vaccinations
- Microchipping
- Flea/worming treatment
- Dog food, blankets, toys and more supplies
- Referral for advanced veterinary care
After calling her we found that Ruby was actually based in Scotland and she would have to get into contact with the London base to see if any of them could do an interview.
**We never got a call back from Trusty Paws**
DOTS (Dogs On The Street)
The founder of DOTS (Michelle)originally started providing essentials for homeless dogs by raising awareness and collecting donations via Twitter.
It's the first independently run project staffed by volunteers that PROTECTS, CARES & SUPPORTS street dogs in;
- the Borough of Westminster
- Camden
- Shoreditch
- East and parts of North London
For a lot of people on the street their dog is their only companion, a lot will choose to feed their pet before them self. The static street dog care stations provide; dry/wet dog food, treats, collars, leads, blankets, dog coats etc. Every dog met at the station gets registered with DOTS, they'll wear a dog tag with their details on and get a unique number so that "any other professionals can call for any care history we have provided."
**We were lucky enough to be able to film with DOTS in London while they had on of their static stations**
University of Kent
(5) Research from Helen Carr:
"Argues that there is more to be said about the power of animals in relation to homeless people. For instance, she suggests that the donations of food provided by domiciled people to homeless people can be understood as political because it demonstrates sympathy with another species and because it suggests that we all share responsibility for the situation that homeless people find themselves in"
(6) Professor Helen Carr (expert on housing and social welfare) did a talk back in 2016 coinciding with Cardboard Canterbury. Contact?
**LINK TO AN ARTICLE WITH DOTS ON THE METRO**
**LINK TO AN ARTICLE ON GOOD** (Discussing why homeless people need their pets)
**LINK TO AN ARTICLE ON GET LEASHED MAGAZINE** (discussing whether homeless people should or should not have pets)
**LINK TO A VIDEO ABOUT A VET WHO TREATS HOMELESS PETS FOR FREE BBC **
Mental Health Foundation
(8) Dogs are good at encouraging owners to get exercise which is highly beneficial for people suffering from depression, as well as this just by stroking a pet gives the owner a chance to relax and be calm. By caring for a pet you also have a purpose and are rewarded with their love/loyalty, making you feeling valuable and needed.
Walking pets can lead to conversations with other dog owners, people who are social with other people are mentally healthier.
8 physical and mental health benefits of having a pet
(9) Benefits to mental health;
- Sociable, walking your dog can encourage people to talk to each other and from there help you make connections with each other.
- Stop loneliness, not only are pets a companion themselves they also encourage you to make connections with other people. "A 2009 study found that pet-owners over the age of 60 who lived alone were four times less likely to develop clinical depression compared with people who didn’t have pets."
- Helps you manage long-term mental health issues, pets can be a really important source for support for those managing long-term mental health problems. They don't judge you and are a distraction from symptoms/experiences.
- Reducing stress, "Research from Buffalo University in New York found that pet owners reacted less to stress – and recovered from it much quicker – when their pets were present. And that’s not all – another study took 48 people with high blood pressure and high stress jobs. Researchers measured how they responded to stress before the test. Then, some of them bought a pet and six months later researchers again measured their response to stress. The results were interesting: after 6 months pet owners had less of a physical response to stress compared with those who didn’t have a four-legged friend."
**This research helped me to understand the importance that dogs hold within the lives of people living on the street both in a social and psychological sense. It allowed me to empathise with the owners of the dogs more as it really is the only constant in their lives.**
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(1) The Connection "Who are we?" https://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/who-we-are/
(2) The Connection "Homeless dogs" https://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/all-about-dogs/
(3) The Trusty Paws Clinic "About us" https://www.thetrustypawsclinic.co.uk/about-us
(4) DOTS "About us" http://dotslondon.co.uk/
(5) University of Kent "The role of animal companions in the lives of the homeless" https://www.kent.ac.uk/law/news/index.html?view=2220
(6) University of kent "Homeless people and their animals" https://www.kent.ac.uk/news/kentlife/8044/homeless-people-and-their-animals
(7) Good "Why the Homeless Need Their Pets" https://www.good.is/articles/homeless-people-pets-bias
(8) Mental Health Foundation "Pets and mental" https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/p/pets-and-mental-health
(9) Articles "8 physical and mental health benefits of having a pet"
https://www.axappphealthcare.co.uk/health-information/fitness-and-exercise/8-physical-and-mental-health-benefits-of-having-a-pet-article/
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