I've often heard complaints about homeless people wasting money by keeping dogs as pets. The complainers think that homeless people shouldn't be wasting their money on dog food and other pet expenses.

A lot of homeless people have dogs, and the much-maligned pit bull terrier is the dog of choice for homeless people. Pit bulls can be trained to be vicious, but they are very loyal and lovable dogs that can be terrific companions. We have kennels in the outdoor courtyard at the homeless shelter where residents can keep their pets and hang out with them.

When we were doing our initial study of the county jail, we interviewed a hundred homeless people and asked them about the times they had been in jail. One young man I interviewed had a pit bull, and he said he hadn't been in jail for over a year, since he got "his baby." He made sure to stay on good behavior and not get arrested, because he didn't want to be separated from his dog. This man's relationship with his pet seemed to be the only really good thing in his life. That conversation sure woke me up to the importance of pets in the lives of homeless people.

Made me appreciate my own dog more, too.

-Joe-