Pet keeping crosses boundaries of socioeconomics, race, ethnicity, and geography; but access to pet services and information does not. Institutional discrimination and systemic inequity impact people and their pets. We will discuss the connection between animal welfare and social, racial and economic justice and have a conversation on how to increase equity in access to pet resources. This talk was part of the 2021 My Dog is My Home conference. 

Presenter(s): 

Amanda Arrington, Senior Director of Pets for Life, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)

Aleah Simpson, Pets for Life Marketing and Communications Program Manager, HSUS

Philip Tedeschi, Clinical Professor, Executive Director of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection, University of Denver

keywords: My Dog is My Home conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, human animal bond, keeping pets and people together, helping pets and their caregivers,

This talk from the 2023 My Dog is My Home conference uses the Animal Welfare League of Arlington as a case example of how to build collaborative relationships across animal welfare, social services, and other government departments.

Presenters: Jennifer Toussaint, Chief of Animal Control, Animal Welfare League of Arlington

keywords: My Dog is My Home Co-Sheltering Conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, homelessness; human services; Humane Society; Animal Welfare League; collaborative relationships; social services

Staff from homeless services and animal welfare organizations alike may have difficulty assessing and addressing animal care situations initially perceived as cruelty or neglect. In this workshop from the 2023 My Dog is My Home Co-Sheltering Conference, the presenter explores:

- What other explanations there might be for what is being perceived as cruelty/neglect

- What other services can be offered to support the person and their animal

- When to actually elevate the situation

- Different ways to engage people to better assess situations and offer support

- What is the process for elevating situations, if necessary

- How the assessment changes, based on the engagement and response of the animal's caregiver

Presenters: Vincent Medley, Maddie’s® Director, Human Animal Support Services

keywords: My Dog is My Home Co-Sheltering Conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, keeping pets with people, keeping people with their pets homelessness; human services; animal welfare; animal cruelty; animal neglect, assessing animal care, assessing standards of animal care

This presentation was recorded at the 2021 My Dog is My Home C0-Sheltering Conference.                                             
Co-Sheltering Findings from the Field
This session will highlight findings from an exploratory study, made possible by a grant from Maddie’s Fund, that assessed animal-friendly homeless shelters’ current approaches to co-sheltering, documenting challenges, key issues, and lessons learned. Using a comparative case study approach, the study included individual interviews with staff and focus groups with clients with and without animals at four homeless shelters in the U.S. and Canada. We will discuss how findings can inform development of animal-friendly policies and practices in homeless shelters.

Animal Care Guidelines for Emergency Co-Sheltering
The Animal Care Guidelines for Emergency Co-Sheltering is a set of evidence-based recommendations and resources to support the care of animals within emergency shelters. In this presentation, I will share some of the information and resources in this first version of the document, but also seek feedback from the audience on how to make this resource more applicable and user-friendly for shelter workers.

Welcoming Animals into Interim Housing for Healing and Hope
Interim housing settings are spaces where rubber hits the road (or maybe we should say, paws hit the pavement!) both in terms of healing from the trauma of homelessness and building trust and hope for the future. For those with beloved accompanying animals, the acknowledgement and support of that primary relationship and the approaches taken to welcome and care for those beloved is both a mirror of our own humanity and a key for healing and hope. From providing basic space and support to offering training in a variety of areas, PATH takes a "whatever it takes" approach as we walk alongside our guests (including all from the animal kingdom) and help them make it home.

Presenter(s): Lisa Lunghofer, Executive Director of Making Good Work, Dr. Michelle Lem, Founder and Director of Community Veterinary Outreach, Steve Fiechter, Senior Director of Metro LA Programs at PATH LA

keywords: My Dog is My Home conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, human animal bond, keeping pets and people together, helping pets and their caregivers, emotional support animal; best practice; emerging practice; policy; standard operating procedure; homeless shelter; homelessness

Life on the street poses unique challenges for pet owners and the organizations that serve them. Drawing on research conducted among homeless pet owners in five U.S. cities, this talk discusses three lessons learned about the depth and complexity of the commitment homeless people make to their animals. Storytelling sessions feature the voices and expertise of people with lived experience of homelessness with a companion animal.

This presentation was recorded at the 2021 My Dog is My Home C0-Sheltering Conference.   

Presenter: Dr. Leslie Irvine, University of Colorado Boulder, author of My Dog Always Eats First

keywords: My Dog is My Home conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, research. homelessness. human-animal bond

These presentations were recorded at the 2021 My Dog is My Home Co-sheltering Conference

Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T): A Life-Saving Initiative 
With an increase in awareness in the need to house domestic violence survivors with their pets to remove a barrier to safety, Allie Phillips founded Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T)® and wrote the guidelines that has helped domestic violence shelters on how to create onsite pet housing since 2008. Research studies show that up to 65% of women will delay going to a shelter because of concerns about their pets and shelter women are nearly 11 times more likely to report their partner hurt/killed their pet. The SAF-T Program was created as a solution for when animal abuse links with domestic violence and child abuse, and to help families stay together while maintaining the human-animal bond. This webinar features shelters that have created one of the 4 SAF-T Housing Models, and discusses how to overcome common concerns such as allergies and fear of pets. 

Don't Forget the Pets 
Greater Good Charities and RedRover believe that pets are family – and that no one should have to choose between their safety and their pet. Because of this shared mission, we joined forces to help human service organizations and animal shelters create community-based collaborative programs to help both people and pets in crisis. Together, we share our knowledge on fundraising, insights on human services and animal welfare, and construction expertise to help organizations welcome pets of domestic violence survivors and the unhoused populations. 

Beyond Survival: How PALS and Co-living Help Recovering Families Thrive 
Urban Resource Institute's People and Animals Living Safely (PALS) program has been sheltering domestic violence survivors in NYC together with their pets since 2013. This presentation explores the intersection of domestic violence, pets, family homelessness, mental illness, economic inequality and racism by sharing stories that illustrate the complex and varied needs of DV survivors in our program. We share our surprising realization that the pets involved often are not the most "challenging" aspect of a family's situation, and how PALS works together within URI and with the help community partners to connect residents to services and resources. Survivor voices are featured in this presentation. 

Presenter(s): Allie Phillips, Founder & CEO of Sheltering Animals & Families Together; Bryna Donnelly, Vice President of Pet Programs at Greater Good; Katie Campbell, Director of Collaboration and Outreach at RedRover; Danielle Emery, PALS Director; Lina Cohen, PALS Supervisor & Colleen Parker, PALS Training and TA Coordinator, Urban Resource Institute 

keywords: My Dog is My Home conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, homelessness; domestic violence, co-sheltering pets and people, SAF-T, pets of domestic violence survivors, sheltering domestic violence survivors and their pets    

Homelessness is a traumatic and ostracizing experience for many. Pets can provide much needed companionship, protection, and other support to people experiencing these hardships so much so that many will often refuse assistance if it means separating from their animal. Ending homelessness requires flexibility to be able to accommodate diverse groups of people in need, like our homeless neighbors with pets, and strategic collaborations to ensure adequate support. Learn about building bridges between homeless service organizations/systems and animal welfare organizations and strengthening the community of support around people experiencing homelessness with pets.

Presenter: Tashmia Bryant, Senior Technical Assistance Specialist at the National Alliance to End Homelessness

Keywords: My Dog is My Home conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, homelessness; low-barrier; partnership; collaboration 

On February 9, 2021, Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) introduced new legislation establishing a permanent grant program for homeless shelters to provide shelter and food to our unhoused neighbors and their animal companions – an effort lauded as “supporting both ends of the leash.” SB 344 builds on the success of the Pet Assistance and Support (PAS) Program of 2019, and requires homeless shelters to establish rules of conduct and responsibility regarding pets and their owners, provide crating or kenneling near bunks or in a separate area, and supply food for both people and their pets. Participating shelters are also required to provide access to veterinary services, including spay and neuter.

Presenter: Senator Robert Hertzberg, California State Senate Majority Leader

keywords: My Dog is My Home Co-Sheltering conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, homelessness; animal policy; homeless funding; homeless shelter, Pet Assistance Support (PAS) Program, Senator Robert Hertzberg, SB 344, SB344

Exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, relational poverty, isolation and loneliness have been identified as significant risk factors for human health. Research shows that humans’ connections with animals shape lives across the life span, offering social support that promotes our social, emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual and psychological wellbeing. This workshop will explore the usefulness of Emotional Support Animals and pet prescriptions as a way to deepen our relationship with non-human animals and support vulnerable communities.

Presenters: Philip Tedeschi, Clinical Professor, Executive Director of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection, University of Denver; Dianne Prado, Founder and Executive Director of Housing Equality and Advocacy Resource Team LA; Steve Wayland, Program Director of PAWS/LA

keywords: My Dog is My Home conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, emotional support animal; homelessness; reasonable accommodation; policy; fair housing act; legal; homeless shelter; low-barrier; advocacy 

Julián Castro has distinguished himself as a strong leader and successful public servant for nearly two decades. He served as the 16th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017, and as mayor of San Antonio from 2009 to 2014. At HUD, Castro managed 8,000 employees and a budget of more than $46 billion, and he led progress at the Department that earned it recognition as one of the most improved federal agencies. Castro also cochaired the United States delegation to the United Nations Habitat III conference, spearheaded efforts to reduce homelessness, and created Connect Home, a public-private partnership to deliver broadband to public housing residents. In this talk he emphasizes collaboration between advocates for housing and advocates for animal well-being to help improve the quality of life of humans and animals. 

This talk was recorded at the 2022 My Dog is My Home Co-Sheltering Conference.

Presenter(s): Julián Castro, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, former Mayor of San Antonio, TX

keywords: My Dog is My Home conference, animal well-being, unhoused people with pets, homelessness policy; housing, broadband for public housing