Pilot scheme to help dogs of homeless stay with owners

There are a number of homeless dog owners in Ireland are choosing to sleep on the streets rather than take up an offer of sheltered accommodation as their dog is often their main friend and companion.

Demise Hyland and his dog Millie lived on the streets of Dublin for a number of months as potential sheltered accommodation could not allow Demise to keep his dog overnight. The duo are currently taking part in a new pilot scheme launched by the Dublin Simon Community and Dogs Trust last December which hopes to change the way dogs belonging to homeless people are viewed.

The scheme is the first of its kind in Ireland and sees Dogs Trust providing free preventative treatments for Millie such as vaccinations, kennel cough immunisation, flea and worming treatments and microchipping so that the Dublin Simon Community can allow the dog to stay overnight alongside her owner.

Dogs Trust feel allowances need to be made for people who have dogs and find themselves homeless. Sadly most accommodation providers in Ireland operate a ‘no dogs’ policy meaning that many homeless people are denied access to shelter and support, simply because they have a dog.

Commenting on the pilot scheme, Dublin Simon Community said: “The Dublin Simon Community and Dogs Trust have been planning the launch for over a year. We were so thrilled to see all our hard work paying off last December when we saw our first service user, Demise, settling in to his room safely with his gorgeous dog Millie, just in time for Christmas. Millie has been a great talking point amongst the residents and staff creating a really homely atmosphere in the centre over the Christmas period, everybody is making her feel very welcome indeed. We hope that a successful pilot case will encourage other accommodation providers to accept homeless people with dogs”

Kathrina Bentley, Head of Communications and Campaigns in Dogs Trust said: “The bond between dog and owner and the lengths a person will go to in order not to be parted from their canine companion is truly unique. We are honoured to be part of such a special scheme and recognise that most homeless people struggle to afford even basic veterinary care for their dog, and hope in time, to help more homeless dog owners’ access veterinary treatment, without the worry of being faced with a bill they can’t afford'.