What always amazes me is how loyal and well-trained these dogs are (well the ones I see in Norwich anyway) as they never have them on a lead and they trot along behind their owners and wait outside shops for them etc.

Not that I would want to walk my dogs off-lead in the city centre but I know what would happen if I did!!

I saw a program about this ages ago. Turned out alot of homeless people had turned down accomodation/shelters because they couldn't take their dogs with them. As people have mentioned, these dogs are staying with their owners by choice!

Of course there will always be bad owners, homeless or otherwise!

These poor people (and there but for the grace of God etc.) do not have anything but a loving dog. How could anybody begrudge them this. All the dogs I have seen have also been well behaved and appeared well cared for.