Theres a bloke in town who has on old staffy cross that he dotes on.A while back it had an ear infection, and he was showing me the drops it had from the vets.So i always give him a quid or 2 now when i see him, he has it covered up with a blanket and really loves it.
so i dont think its a black and white issue really!!

Yes the bloke in our town has a beautiful dog. Its in lovely condition and is well fed, much better than his owner. Sometimes thats all they have in life to share things with.

Where i live theres a homeless shelter and animal charities meet those with dogs there. They get a check over, new collars and flea/worm treatment and sometimes vouchers for dog food. When i was at school we did collections for the centre and they also asked for doggie things as well as normal donations. One gentleman i met while doing volunteer work had been homeless for a long time and was offered a flat but wouldnt take it as it meant he would have to leave his dogs. All of those i met at the shelter cared dearly for their dogs, most of which were strays, and most were in a better condition and better trained than some i've seen. When you talk to some of these people it is clear that the dogs are their best friends and keep them going as it were, there are some amazing bonds between them as there are with our pets. Obviously these are the people that seek help when needed and do care, however i am sure that some may use their dogs 'to pull the heart strings' and when they do not have money to feed the dog they are tossed to the side.

Im not saying it is right for the homeless to have dogs, only as with everything each one is an individual and needs to be seen that way. To tar all with the same brush is unfair.

wow, I think it is wonderful that your government does something to aid the homeless. Here I think the homeless should not be allowed to have dogs, as in this country being homeless usually means living in a squatter camp, and there the dogs run around mating eachother and living off the rubbish and creating more of a problem.

Every few years the SPCA raise money and take volunteers into the townships. They invite all the kids (and adults I guess) to bring their danimals in. And then some volunteer vets spay and neauter the dogs while the other volunteers teach the children about grooming, feeding, exercise and health. Then they are asked to bring the dogs in to have the stitches out. That is the best that can be doen, as then they cant breed.
Actually, basically, I dont thing there is such a thing as homeless people with dogs in this country, I think it is more a case of homeless people and then strays mingling

When I was at uni the first time, I used to do a lot of volunteer work at a local RSCPA shelter and hospital. The local homeless chaps and chapesses used to bring all their dogs in when they were even slightly off-colour; they were the ones who'd pace frantically round the waiting rooms, asking any available member of staff if they knew how their dog was. I don't think, in all the time I 'worked' there, we ever had one case of a homeless person wanting their dog rehomed. The dogs were almost always in excellent condition, and they put their dogs first every time. I think a lot of it is cos, unlike most of us, these guys have very few friends if any - their dogs are all they've got. The dogs were always very friendly, very well-behaved and very trusting.

Thats so nice to know.

I think being homeless has little bearing on the suitability for dog ownership, if fact it could be said many of the dogs belonging to the homeless have a good life. In many cases they are never alone, well exercise fed and love. There are quite a number of homeless dog people around where I live (they were always sure of a meal at the nearby convent until it closed) their dogs look in excellent condition, one wears a coat when it is cold. I have had reason to speak to some of these people and heard about their lives, for many their dog is their only source of love and comfort and without them they would have nothing. As has been previously mentioned a number of charities help these people and their dog including the RSPCA and provide veterinary care and even new collars and leads.

thats great but what if the homeless can't afford to buy the dog any food?
there has to be some dogs out there who could be in a better condition that belong to the homeless.
i agree that they try and look after them because of the bond they have but its not always the best thing for the dog to be owned by them, i have seen homeless people that have a dog with pups before can you honestly say that living on the streets is the best thing/care for a litter of new born pups?

i have to agree with you leo about a litter of puppies being born on the street! I have no problem with homeless people, just I was never sure if was right or wrong to be homeless and own a dog!

Unfortunately we don’t live in an ideal world. If we did bad dog owners would never be aloud to keep dogs or other animals regardless of being homeless or not. All we can do is praise and welcome good/ responsible dog owners and try to show & educate bad owners.