Turns out that in New York City at least, there is no need to educate the people who operate homeless shelters about the health benefits of accommodating pets along with their families.
It’s been an open secret for 10 years. That’s how long domestic violence shelters in the city have been accepting pets.
Just how important is it to have a cherished pet as a support for such a traumatic experience? One out of every two domestic violence sufferers who is offered shelter accommodation turns down the offer if they cannot bring a pet with them. That’s why 11 shelters across the city can together provide an escape for some 600 individuals/families and some 800 pets.
But it’s no longer just domestic violence shelters. New York has just announced that a shelter for unhoused families will accept pets. It’s a recognition that pets can provide mental health support for a great many people surviving serious economic stress.
Read more at CITY & STATE NEW YORK: First pet-friendly shelter for unhoused families opens in the Bronx
