Supporting the Harm Reduction Pets of the South Bronx
Dogs for example are essential companions for many houseless people and for people facing economic peril in the South Bronx. These owners go out of their way to care for their companions, but service providers often deny services to people who are accompanied by dogs. This project hopes to change that equation by championing these pets, recognizing the heroic duties that they perform, and providing them with essential services.
We want to recognize the life-saving roles that these companions play in the lives of our participants by providing direct goods and services in order to right a historic wrong.
Our Immediate Plan is: to provide “survival kits” for people who own pets in need. These kits can be picked up at our agency (and at partnering agencies) in the South Bronx, as well as from our staff who conduct daily outreach to people across the South Bronx.
Our long-term Plan is: to hire a “Canine Coordinator” at St. Ann’s who will provide a much wider range of services to the pets owned by our participants and other South Bronx residents in need.
Among the duties that our Canine Coordinator will perform are as follows:
-Linking participants to free veterinary services.
-Delivering Survival Kits to disabled individuals.
-Producing videos and other forms of evidence that show outcomes to our efforts to support pets and their owners.
Pet Survival Kits for Houseless people served by St. Ann’s
Dogs provide the emotional support and social relationships often lacking in houselessness, and they help combat the intense feelings of isolation that houselessness can give. Dogs are proven to lower blood pressure, help with anxiety, and give an overall sense of purpose and structure to an individual who is socially isolated.
Help support these dogs and acknowledge the vital presence they have in our lives. Among the items we need include:
-Flea collars and treatments
-Worming medication
-Food
-Toys
Canine Survival kits for people suffering with AIDS, Hepatitis C, and many other chronic and life-threatening diseases that afflict the people in the South Bronx
Dogs provide stability in their lives and help them cope with the myriad problems they face. Several of these dogs have saved their owners lives by alerting family and friends to medical emergencies or waking people to fires and other dangerous conditions in their homes.
Survival kits for indoor dogs are different from those for outdoor dogs, but no less essential. In the context of the South Bronx where many dog owners struggle to feed themselves, finding and being able to afford dog-safe food is a problem, for example.
Please consider making a cash donation to our cause.
You can also send us any unused items that you think might be useful for our heroes to:
Pets for Harm Reduction
886 Westchester Avenue
Bronx, NY 10459
Go Fund Me Link:
https://gofund.me/bba2fa6a