Thousands helped by Front Street Animal Shelter’s homeless outreach team

In September 2022, a specialized team from the Front Street Animal Shelter began supporting people experiencing homelessness and their pets, recognizing the vital role pets play in their lives. The development of the Homeless Outreach and Assistance Program (HOAP) provides dedicated attention for addressing the needs of both people and their animals.

Their mission is to provide preventative care for common illnesses, assist with emergency veterinary expenses, provide spay/neuter, and coordinate resources for animals as their owners navigate the challenges of homelessness and work towards securing housing.

In its first two years, the HOAP team served 1,510 pet owners, helped 2,713 animals, administered over 7,908 treatments and coordinated $380,000 in emergency veterinary services, mostly through donations.

"For many of those experiencing homelessness, their pets are what motivate them to get up every day, a way to connect with community around them, safety and protection, and so much more," said HOAP Coordinator Jenna Topper. "Our goal is to support owners in being the best pet parents they can be, while also keeping owned pets out of our already overwhelmed shelter."

With a recent gradual increase in filling vacant positions, the shelter says they have ambitions to expand and improve the program in the coming year.

"We are excited to envision what our program can look like with greater medical capacity," said Topper. "The team is deeply committed to continuing to build, learn, and grow the program with guidance from owners, animal-welfare partners, and the many people-serving homeless outreach organizations we are grateful to work alongside."

Front Street Animal Shelter is always in need of volunteers. For more information, visit the Front Street Volunteer Program. After completing the volunteer program, those interested in helping with HOAP can explore opportunities through the volunteer portal.

Learn more as the HOAP team documents their journey via Instagram, @hoap4petsandpeople.