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The ever dedicated Michelle Southern OBE is taking part in the CEO Sleepout at Alnwick Gardens on the 16th May 2024 to raise funds for Street Paws.
Click here to donate
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Street Paws is a non-profit organisation, founded in 2016 to bridge the gap between animal and human welfare services, ensuring that pets are not left behind in the fight against homelessness.
Our Vision
A society where pet owners who are experiencing homelessness never have to
choose between their much -loved pet and a safe place to sleep.
Our Mission
To remove the barriers that prevent pet owners experiencing homelessness from accessing support,
accommodation and resources with their pet.
To champion the physical and psychological benefits of pet ownership and to advocate
for the importance of maintaining these valuable relationships.
Hostels play a crucial role in supporting people experiencing homelessness, but less than 10% currently accept pets, forcing many pet owners to make the heart breaking decision of surrendering their companions or continuing to live on the streets.
We partner with temporary housing providers to become pet friendly. Our Dog Champion Scheme provides training, support, and veterinary care to ensure that unhoused individuals can be welcomed with their dogs, preserving the precious bond they share and improving the community and wellbeing of all residents through the power of pet therapy.
Upon securing safe housing for the individual and their pet, we build on the rapport built to assist them in learning dog behavioural training, pet first aid, and drafting pet CVs to enhance their chances of finding stable housing.
We believe that no one should have to choose between their pet and a place to call home. Street Paws is committed to keeping pets and their owners together and equipping them with the resources they need to thrive.
We know the huge benefits that come with having a pet;
- Reduced stress and anxiety; pets can provide a sense of calm and companionship, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety in people experiencing homelessness.
- Improved mental and physical health; studies have shown that owning a pet can improve mental and physical health. Pet owners are more likely to have lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and stress levels.
- Increased social interaction; having to walk the dog gets you out meeting people and widens your world.
- Responsibility; Pet ownership gives individuals a drive to nurture their pet and maintain their home.
Our friend Vicky Pattison explains why she is supporting Street Paws in 2024.
"Most of us have probably never experienced homelessness first hand but at some point or another we have all felt lost. In these instances we seek things to keep us going and to find our way.
In Manchester City centre Bumper is what keeps J navigating his life" Mark Trapani
It can be really scary to find yourself in a situation where you may be without a safe place to stay.
We’ve put together this quick guide to help you start to get the help you need.
In England, contacting your local council is the best place to start. They have an obligation to help if you’re legally homeless or you’re going to become homeless within the next 8 weeks.
The term legally homeless can include the following situations:
If you’re not sure how to contact your local council, don't worry, you can search for them here.
Depending on your circumstances there are different types of support your council could offer you. That can start with some advice and lead on to help with emergency housing, support to find longer-term housing or possibly even help so you can stay in your home.
The type of help you can get will depend on your individual circumstances so the council will assess your eligibility for assistance. They will look at things like what led you to become homeless so they are able to decide if you are in priority need That tends to cover situations such as:
If you are a permanent UK resident, you should be eligible for some assistance.
If you’re not a UK resident, we’d recommend contacting Shelter who can give help and advice on the best options for you. You can contact them here: Immigration and residence restrictions.
If you have the added pressure of needing to find somewhere safe for you and your dog then we understand this can make things seem even harder so although we’re not able to provide accommodation ourselves we’re here to guide you in the right direction to get help.
The first step would still be to contact your local council so you can register as being homeless so you can get all the support you need.
With our Dog Champions Scheme, we’re working hard to help make sure as many hostels and temporary accommodation providers are dog friendly as possible.
To find services in your area who are willing to accept dogs you can use the Homeless Link website. You can find their helpful search tool here: Homeless England | Homeless Link
It’s worth bearing in mind that many temporary accommodation providers need you to be referred to them which is why going through your local council is the best way to get started.
Joined by our Charity Patron Dr Scott Miller on Outreach in Manchester meet some of our dogs and hear about the work we do.