Shelter Helps Homeless Marine Veteran Keep His 3 Dogs

A Marine Corps Veteran living in Arizona was prepared to give up his three elderly dogs that had been with his family for over 10 years after he was left homeless and unable to transition them to a new place.

An employee at Maricopa County Animal Care and Control helped Rick Dennis find housing where all four of them could remain together. Through the Department of Veterans Affairs, Dennis found alternative means of living. The problem was that the housing was unable to accommodate the animals. With this in mind, the Marine veteran opted to live out of his car rather than give the dogs up.

“The VA was going to put me in a transitional living house, but I couldn’t take my dogs,” Dennis told FOX 10.

Eventually, Dennis almost decided to surrender the dogs in order to ensure they could have a good life.

A Surrender Becomes a Search for Housing

When Dennis arrived at the shelter, he met Nora Holguin, the shelter diversion coordinator who focuses on alternative means of living for animals when other solutions could perhaps be available.

Rather than immediately accepting the dogs into the shelter, Holguin had some ideas. She began to reach out to contacts in her network and try to see if there were alternative options available. She didn’t want to split up Dennis and his dogs.

“To see this gentleman, a veteran, that was sleeping in his car with the three dogs willing to give them up so they would be happy, and he didn’t have to do any of that,” Holguin told FOX 10.

Within just a few hours of her search, Holguin located an apartment that enabled the Marine veteran and his dogs to stay living together. That same day, the family moved together after providing the necessary documentation. This lucky intervention kept Dennis with his furry comrades, instead of sending them to a shelter so they and Dennis would both have a better life.

Pets Make the Search More Difficult

Dennis’ experience is not an uncommon one. Many homeless veterans are confronted with this choice, often having to decide between homelessness and their pets. Many shelters or temporary housing cannot accommodate animals.

The VA operates and funds several programs that fully direct their attention to helping veterans obtain temporary or permanent housing. Many times, facilities may have different rules for pets, and availability can then become a sticky issue. This can leave a veteran choosing between their lifelong companion or somewhere to lay their head at night.

In acknowledgment of the issue, the VA’s homeless programs have collaborated with animal -welfare groups in the past to connect veterans with the necessary care for their pets and other assistance that could be relevant.

There are other options as well that the VA utilizes to solve issues in this instance. They have resources that could also be used for expenses relating to pets as well.

Many times, these resources help veterans find places with pets; sometimes they do not. It all depends on the place or facility rules. Dennis’ case is a great example of why coordinating among veteran programs and animal organizations can’t be cookie-cutter. Every situation is unique, and the collaboration here was paramount for keeping the family together.

Keeping Pets Out of Crowded Shelters

During the summer, fewer adoptions are made, and more animals are housed in animal control facilities. This goes for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control as well, according to Fox 10. Avoiding unnecessary surrender can help pet owners and animal shelters, as living space can be limited.

Diversion programs are used to find alternative means to surrender. They identify the problems, and depending on the circumstances, this could involve housing referrals, pet food assistance, animal care, and solutions. In Dennis’ case, the problem was not that he wanted to give up his family. He wanted a better life for them, and finding a suitable housing situation would require surrender.

By addressing the root problem, Holguin was able to help this veteran preserve his family while finding adequate housing that could accept animals.

One Phone Call Kept a Marine Veteran and His 3 Dogs Together

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is encouraging residents to contact the agency before surrendering an animal so staff members can determine whether assistance is available. The ability to find help will depend on a variety of factors.

Veterans who need housing can contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838. The hotline operates 24/7 and is fully devoted to connecting callers with the proper resources.

The three dogs that were part of Dennis’ family were able to stay with him through thick and thin. The shelter played a huge part in this awesome outcome. The pets had known Dennis for more than a decade. With the shelter coordinators’ help, he was able to keep his family together in the best possible way.