LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Many experiencing homelessness in the Las Vegas valley say having their pets around is what keeps them going. A local organization is working to help ensure that those owners and their pets stay together.
Street Dogz had been operating in the valley for almost 10 years, providing leashes, food, water, and even shoes and blankets for when extreme weather hits.
“I know that for the animals and the humans, that bond is extremely important and so we do whatever we can to keep them together,” Street Dogz medical director, Maris Brown said.
Brown and the team at Street Dogz work to help people like Red, who lives with her dog Kitty at a local park.
“Everyone needs responsibility to keep going and she’s all that and more to me. She makes sure I eat and I make sure she eats,” Red said. “Someone abandoned her, kinda like I got abandoned here and she ran up to me and we’ve been together ever since.”
The number of people experiencing homelessness across the valley has grown rampant and oftentimes, their pets are along for the ride. This leaves the question, how are these animals getting taken care of when it’s already a struggle for their owners to take care of themselves?
That is where Street Dogz steps in.
“Most of us have supplies in our vehicles that we drive around so if we are out and about and we see someone in need, we’ll approach them and help them,” Brown said.
Along with medical help, the organization can help with getting a dog or cat spayed or neutered.
“Street Dogz is an awesome asset for people with pets. There was a week where neither one of us would have made it if it wasn’t for them,” Red said.
Street Dogz has several distribution spots across the valley. Click here for more information on how you can help or gain resources.
