Six out of ten U.S. households include at least one pet, and one in six Americans lives in poverty. If you do the math, that means there are numerous pets living in poverty as well – pets that, just like their owners, don’t have ready access to important services and supplies. To meet the challenges that poverty creates for pets, we have to adjust our approach to animal welfare to reflect the world as it is. To help animals living in poverty, we have to bring services and information to their front doors and connect with people in a positive way.

In the communities where we work, Coalition to Unchain Dogs provides not only fences but other important services such as spay/neuter, vaccinations, leashes/collars, crates, and flea/tick medication. But to make a difference, you don’t have to provide all of the things that we do – because anything you can provide will be more than currently exists, and a little kindness, care and understanding will make a huge and lasting difference. So, in addition to supporting the Coalition, consider starting a group that provides one or more of services that the Coalition provides to pets in poverty, or volunteer for and support community outreach efforts and community-based groups in your area.