Homeless with pets

When I was downtown today, I saw something pretty unusual - a homeless
panhandler with pets.

I actually have a great deal of respect for panhandlers, because they
make their living standing at street corners every day, a more
troublesome, thankless task than anything I've ever done for a living.
So in my mind, their social status is higher than mine.

But anyhoo, I've never seen a panhandler with pets. She had a cat and
a dog, all wrapped up in blankets with just their heads showing, on
top of her shopping cart. The dog looked like some sort of beagle
mix, and the kitty looked like a white and black half persian. It was
27 F out (about -2 or -3 C?), at a busy, bustling intersection
(Harvard Square). It didn't seem like the best environment for
raising furkids.

I talked briefly with the homeless lady, and asked her about her pets.
She said that they were pretty warm, since they were all tucked in,
and were wearing pet sweaters. I didn't notice the sweaters because
they were under the blankets. I peeked underneath, and they were both
wearing nice sweaters, actually. I gave both the dog and the cat
scritches. They were good docile pets. Or maybe just cold and tired
- it was hard to tell.

So I suppose it's good to know that if worst comes to worst, and you
happen to become homeless, you can take your pets with you, although I
don't think I'd recommend it.

"Takayuki" wrote in message
...
So I suppose it's good to know that if worst comes to worst, and you
happen to become homeless, you can take your pets with you

I've lived in a van with 8 cats and a dog (and one other person)before but
it was in the desert. So glad I didn't try to do it in a city.

Takayuki wrote:


But anyhoo, I've never seen a panhandler with pets.

Really? Where do you live? I've seen a great many of L.A.'s
homeless with dogs, although I admit cats are more unusual.
(Mainly because of the nature of the beast - cats tend to
prefer a fixed place of residence, whereas dogs are more
adventurous.)

So I suppose it's good to know that if worst comes to worst, and you
happen to become homeless, you can take your pets with you, although I
don't think I'd recommend it.


Heh. I have a soft spot for panhandlers too. I talked to one last winter who
had a dog with him. (the dog's name was Suitcase Sam, by the way). The dog
seemed pretty okay with all of it, looked healthy. And of course, true to my
nature, I was more worried about the dog than the guy.

Sherry

"Pat" wrote:

"Takayuki" wrote in message
.. .
So I suppose it's good to know that if worst comes to worst, and you
happen to become homeless, you can take your pets with you

I've lived in a van with 8 cats and a dog (and one other person)before but
it was in the desert. So glad I didn't try to do it in a city.

That sounds hard, being homeless in the desert, what with the hot sun,
and all. Eight cats in a van is a lot!

Lucky that wasn't in Australia, because if you're homeless in the
Australian desert, there's the problem of dealing with those nomadic
bands that fight over petrol.

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote:

Takayuki wrote:

But anyhoo, I've never seen a panhandler with pets.

Really? Where do you live? I've seen a great many of L.A.'s
homeless with dogs, although I admit cats are more unusual.
(Mainly because of the nature of the beast - cats tend to
prefer a fixed place of residence, whereas dogs are more
adventurous.)

I'm in Massachusetts, Boston area, although I don't see panhandlers
every day, since I actually live a fair way outside the city these
days.

"Takayuki" wrote in message
...
When I was downtown today, I saw something pretty unusual - a homeless
panhandler with pets.

I actually have a great deal of respect for panhandlers, because they
make their living standing at street corners every day, a more
troublesome, thankless task than anything I've ever done for a living.
So in my mind, their social status is higher than mine.

But anyhoo, I've never seen a panhandler with pets. She had a cat and
a dog, all wrapped up in blankets with just their heads showing, on
top of her shopping cart. The dog looked like some sort of beagle
mix, and the kitty looked like a white and black half persian. It was
27 F out (about -2 or -3 C?), at a busy, bustling intersection
(Harvard Square). It didn't seem like the best environment for
raising furkids.

I talked briefly with the homeless lady, and asked her about her pets.
She said that they were pretty warm, since they were all tucked in,
and were wearing pet sweaters. I didn't notice the sweaters because
they were under the blankets. I peeked underneath, and they were both
wearing nice sweaters, actually. I gave both the dog and the cat
scritches. They were good docile pets. Or maybe just cold and tired
- it was hard to tell.

So I suppose it's good to know that if worst comes to worst, and you
happen to become homeless, you can take your pets with you, although I
don't think I'd recommend it.

My chuch is one of several in my community that serves dinner to homeless
people. I can't always help, but when I do, there are often one or two who
have dogs. The church stocks dog food along with the food for the dinners.
I've never seen a homeless person with a cat, though.

Joy

Takayuki wrote:

When I was downtown today, I saw something pretty unusual - a homeless
panhandler with pets.

It's not so unusual in my neck of the woods, because the climate is
more temperate here year-round. I've seen a lot of panhandlers with
animals, actually. It gets pretty lonely living on the street, so having
a pet is probably good for morale. Also, I think it helps with getting
donations - people are more likely to give money to someone who has an
animal. One time I saw someone who had a cat and a rat. The two animals
were great friends.

I actually have a great deal of respect for panhandlers, because they
make their living standing at street corners every day, a more
troublesome, thankless task than anything I've ever done for a living.

Not to mention humiliating, much of the time!

Joyce

Lots of purrs and best wishes for the lady and her pets to find a home
really soon,
--
Polonca & Soncek

"Takayuki" wrote in message
...
When I was downtown today, I saw something pretty unusual - a homeless
panhandler with pets.

I actually have a great deal of respect for panhandlers, because they
make their living standing at street corners every day, a more
troublesome, thankless task than anything I've ever done for a living.
So in my mind, their social status is higher than mine.

But anyhoo, I've never seen a panhandler with pets. She had a cat and
a dog, all wrapped up in blankets with just their heads showing, on
top of her shopping cart. snip

On 2004-12-16, Takayuki penned:
When I was downtown today, I saw something pretty unusual - a homeless
panhandler with pets.


I see a *lot* of panhandlers with dogs in the Boulder area; most often golden
retrievers. It kind of makes sense to me, from a number of angles.

In no particular order:

* People are less likely to assault a person with a dog
* People may take pity on the dog and give the human some help
* When you're in that position, you take a lot of rejection and nasty looks.
A pet, on the other hand, will keep looking at you with love.

Don't think I've ever noticed cats, though!

--
monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH
with an attitude!