The health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in incredible stress on both human and animal safety net programs, subsequently prompting innovation, collaboration, and sometimes transformation in these services. Individuals and families that are facing housing instability or homelessness may be forced to consider giving up their companion animals in order to access housing because of common “no pets allowed” policies. Since the onset of the pandemic, with so many more people placed in this vulnerable state, progress toward an interdisciplinary social service-animal welfare safety net system which treats people and their companion animals as an inseparable family unit has gained new urgency, momentum and visibility.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness has worked with My Dog Is My Home, a non-profit committed to increasing the capacity of homeless shelters to accommodate clients’ companion animals, to highlight the scope and importance of this issue. Published by the Alliance before the widespread onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the Keeping People and Pets Together resource contains information gathered from direct service providers across the country, providing insight and guidance for developing co-sheltering programs.

The pandemic presents many challenges to service providers – especially those who are working to create and maintain low-barrier shelters in which people can stay with their pets – and guidance in this area is evolving. With this in mind, future guidance on keeping people and pets together may need to be considered or expanded upon in the following ways:

  • New public health safety measures (social distancing, quarantine, etc.) for staff and clients may affect overall capacity and planning for animal programs.
  • Modifications to staff training and scheduling to provide adequate coverage of staff properly trained in animal programs.
  • Changes to animal care recommendations may affect housing and logistics for animal care programs, as well as capacity of community animal welfare partners.
  • Further emphasis on the importance of establishing strong community partnerships to ensure access to required veterinary care that companion animals need in order to access co-sheltering programs (vaccinations, licensing, etc.) and plan for both emergency scenarios, and routine veterinary care needs.

Read the full article about companion animals by Dana Teel at National Alliance to End Homelessness.