Give a Dog a Bone Week Helps Dogs of the Homeless

Author Christian Morgenstern once wrote that “Home is not where you live but where they understand you.” For many without the security of a permanent place to call their own, a home is found in the understanding heart of a loyal canine companion. A person living on the streets often encounters the judgmental gaze of passersby, but in the eyes of their dog they see only devotion; and while they may hear demeaning remarks that bruise their spirit, they know that their dog will be there to listen to their troubles.

Dogs can be a lifeline for a person who has little to cling to, and each year the barking buddies and purring pals of those in dire circumstances are honored with a week-long pet food drive that provides both nutritious meals for the four-legged friends of the homeless as well as sustenance for the public's collective soul.

Celebrating its seventh year in 2016, August 7 – 14 is Give a Dog a Bone week. Founded by Pets of the Homeless, the national non-profit organization asks that those with a passion for compassion make a contribution to a donation site in their community. There are over 400 pet food destinations in the United States which collect donations of pet food and supplies to give to food banks, soup kitchens and homeless shelters.

Since 2008, Pets of the Homeless has distributed over 432 tons of pet food and supplies to facilities that help those in need. Genevieve Frederick, the organization's founder, states that “Some of our volunteers take it to the streets and/or camps where the homeless congregate. It is a combined effort to continue year-round collections of pet food.”

Along with contributions of food and much-needed items, Pets of the Homeless also utilize monetary donations for veterinary care at free wellness clinics to pets of people living rough on the streets, as well as emergency veterinary care from coast to coast. Since its start, Pets for the Homeless has helped to treat over 13,800 companion animals of the homeless.

The following video offers a look at the work of Pets of the Homeless:

Photo Credit: Pixabay