I often come across homeless people standing on the street corners asking motorist for money. Some of them have dogs that make them more likely to get donations. Homeless people often find the dogs wondering the streets, either lost or allowed by owners to roam free. These dogs are often infested with fleas, suffer from skin diseases, malnutrition, heat strokes and exhaustion to say nothing of the homeless life they share with their masters. This particular homeless man and his dog were at this street corner for hours, with the doggie perched on a bike seat not much bigger than the size of an envelope. The doggie had a nice harness that led me to believe that he once belonged to a loving home. I talked to the homeless man to convince him to contact me so that I could take the doggie to a vet. I gave him my phone number and promised him a cash reward. Needless to say he never called. I’ve had this experience numerous times in the past. Asking homeless people to bring in the pet for exams is a waste of time. Calling the animal shelter to impound the dog doesn’t seem a good alternative either. Tens of thousands of dogs get euthanized in shelters if not adopted quickly. So what’s the solution? If you have any ideas, please write and let me know.
Thanks,
Liz Fox