Animal Law Review
First Page
141
Abstract
This Article looks at the trials and tribulations homeless people face when they own pets. It establishes the three main types of pets the homeless population owns: companion animals, service animals, and emotional support animals. The Article then goes on to analyze the problems the homeless face associated with each type of animal ownership. The Article primarily draws from Leslie Irvine’s novel, My Dog Always Eats First: Homeless People and Their Animals. Irvine’s novel relays first-hand experiences of the homeless individuals’ interactions with animals and the difficulties they face by having them. The Article addresses homeless dog owners’ hardships in four sections: (1) a background explaining the different homeless population subgroups, the different types of pets, and the main problems the homeless face; (2) why the homeless deserve pets; (3) why homeless pet owners should be allowed in homeless shelters; and (4) potential solutions to this growing problem.
Recommended Citation
Zanna Shafer,
Home is Where the Dog Is: A Discussion of Homeless People and Their Pets,
23
Animal L. Rev.
141
(2016).
Available at:
https://lawcommons.lclark.edu/alr/vol23/iss1/5