Prevalence of pet provision and reasons for including or excluding animals by homelessness accommodation services

ABSTRACT

Pets provide companionship and social facilitation among excluded populations, including homeless people. However, having a pet may restrict access to services, including accommodation. The aims of this study were to assess pet provision among homelessness accommodation providers, and to assess reasons for pet provision or exclusion. An online survey consisting of multiple choice questions and free text boxes was distributed to a UK-wide sampling frame of homelessness service providers in July 2016. Of 523 contacts, 117 replied (response rate 22.4%). Of the respondents, 36.8% (43/117) provided services to pets. In contrast, 76.9% (90/117) reported having requests to accommodate pets. Common reasons for choosing to accept pets included perceived benefit to the owner (36/43, 83.7%) or animal (25/43, 58.1%). Most organizations which allowed pets (35/43, 81.4%) had a policy to ensure the animals’ welfare and restrict damage or nuisance. Of the 74 organizations which did not allow pets, health and safety of staff and other residents were the most common concerns. This study shows that demand for pet-friendly accommodation for homeless people far outstrips supply. In view of the important role that pets play for these vulnerable people, homelessness service providers should be encouraged and assisted to accommodate pets where feasible.

KEYWORDS:

• Homelessness
• pets
• human-animal bond
• human-animal interaction
• dogs

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to acknowledge the practical assistance offered by Dogs Trust, in addition to grant support, in enabling this project

Disclosure statement

The authors confirm no conflict of interest arising from this work.

Ethics

This project was reviewed and approved by a panel at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.

Data availability statement and deposition

Data are available at Mendeley Data, doi:10.17632/hh85zcykcn.1.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Nottingham School and Dogs Trust [grant number RB38B4].

Notes on contributors

Louise Scanlon

Louise Scanlon graduated with a degree in Human Science from University College London. She is due to graduate from her veterinary degree in 2020. She completed this research as part of a summer studentship, undergraduate project and Masters in Research included and intercalated into her degree. She is interested in the human-animal bond and how this impacts the welfare of both pets and owners.

Anne McBride

Anne McBride is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Tutor within Psychology at the University of Southampton. Dr Anne McBride holds a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Psychology awarded by University College London in 1978. She was awarded her Doctorate in animal behaviour (Aspects of Social and Parental Behaviour in the European Rabbit) from the same institution in 1986. In 1992 she obtained a Certificate in Conservation and Ecology from Birkbeck College, London. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Dr McBride has been a practising animal behaviour therapist since 1987 and was the senior behaviour counsellor at the Animal Behaviour Clinic at the University of Southampton which ran from 1998-2009. She is an Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist. Her area of interest is human-animal interactions and animal behaviour. Current research topics include human attitudes, perceptions and interactions with animals, the development of problem behaviour, issues relating to housing and pet ownership. She is Chair of the Programme Recognition Committee of the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC), a member of the European Working Group on Standards for Assistance Dog Training and Welfare; Patron of the Rabbit Welfare Association.

Jenny Stavisky

Jenny Stavisky is Clinical Assistant Professor in Shelter Medicine at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. She was awarded a PGCHE from the University of Nottingham in 2017, a PhD in epidemiology and virology from the University of Liverpool in 2010, and her veterinary degree from the University of Edinburgh in 2002. She is a founding member of the Association of Charity Vets and co-editor of the BSAVA Manual of Shelter Medicine. She founded Vets in the Community which has been providing free veterinary care to homeless and vulnerably housed pet owners in the Nottingham area since 2012. Her research interests include welfare and infectious disease, particularly in shelter and charity contexts, free roaming dog control, rabies prevention and homelessness and pet ownership.