An Oklahoma non-profit is offering pet supplies to homeless pet parents and their pooches.
Valentine’s Saints provides pet parents pet supplies like food, bowls, and leashes for their canines. She offers flea and tick prevention too. Founder Rachel Brewer has worked with homeless people and their pets in the local area for three years. However, she recently started up Valentine’s Saints in a bid to provide even more assistance.
Brewer hopes to get involve more veterinarians with the project, vaccinating as many dogs as possible. “Distemper and lepto are really bad in this state – so is parvo,” she said. She went on to explain that a lot of homeless pet parents can’t visit even low-cost clinics because of their financial situation.
A Tribute to Friends
She took the name of the non-profit from that of a dog she helped in the city of Skiatook. The dog, Valentine, and their dog dad, Josh, died on New Year’s Eve last year after being hit by a car, prompting tributes from many in the community who got to know the pair.
“He was a very passionate person,” said Brewer, “A lot of people referred to him as an angel. He was very kind. His dog was as sweet as can be”.
Valentine’s Saints can be found on Facebook, and are currently raising money so that they can help as many pets as possible.
Unhoused People and Their Pets
Brewer isn’t the only person providing such a valuable lifeline for homeless people and their pets.
One dog dad has been spending his time walking across Canada with his dog to raise awareness about the lack of pet-friendly homeless shelters. Then there’s the veterinarian in California who’s spent the last decade providing vital medical care for homeless pets in the state.
Pets can have real benefits for unhoused people, providing company and companionship, and a sense of normalcy. They can even invite people to come over and chat, and provide motivation.
