OkcPets Magazine January 2023

32 OKC Pets • January / February 2023 Homeless People and Their Pets According to the National Library of Medicine, as many as 25 percent of homeless persons have pets. Although the majority of them reported that pets kept them company and made them feel loved, nearly half of those interviewed reported that having pets also made it more difficult to stay in shelters. For people who are homeless, the benefits of hav- ing companion animals include reduced depression and loneliness compared with their peers, but they also report a lower chance of finding permanent housing and job-finding services and a decreased likelihood of staying in shelters. The Salvation Army Center of Hope isn’t the only organization addressing the pet situation. Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, has an ongoing partnership with the Oklahoma Humane Society through the Animal Advocacy Program. The program helps take care of the pets of people who are fleeing domestic violence. An an- imal advocate is on-site at Palomar to help take im- mediate care of pets while Palomar staff members help care for the family. Animal care can include pet pantry assistance, coordinating veterinary care, or placing an animal in a temporary foster home until the family can be reunited. The day shelter at the Homeless Alliance in Oklahoma City also offers a kennel, complete with pet food and access to veterinary services, so people with pets aren’t shut out of the system of care. The Salvation Army Center of Hope is at 1001 North Pennsylvania Avenue in Oklahoma City. For more information, call (405) 246-1100 or visit https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/central-okla- homa. Okoboji Veterinary Hospital 1020 NW 192nd St., Suite L | Edmond, OK 73012 405-513-5905 Mike Jestes, divisional resource development director, Arkansas-Oklahoma Division of the Salvation Army, visits with a dog at the Center of Hope’s new kennel. Photo courtesy of the Salvation Army.