Vets To Go helps homeless Calgarians and their pets

The choice between having a home or having his dog was an easy one for Brad Pourier.

He picked his dog.

Travelling west looking for work, Pourier and his pooch Honey — a Staffordshire-lab cross — found themselves on the wrong side of the law while in Winnipeg, where bully breeds are banned.

So Pourier continued west, arriving in Calgary in mid-May where the pair spent several days "sleeping rough" while looking for work and a place to call home. They found a rooming house that accepts animals. 

"It was tough, we had the blessing of good weather for the most part, but it was tough not having access to daily showers, just the simple things in life people take for granted," he said.

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"Not having a sitter for Honey really limited my potential for accessing services."

One service Pourier was able to access in Calgary was a free clinic put on by Vets To Go, offering what founder Dr. Wendy McClelland called "nose to tail" checkups at the Mustard Seed for down-on-their-luck pet owners.

"We provided vaccines, de-worming and a whole health check, and they were so grateful to know their pets were healthy," she said. 

This was the first time the free clinic was held for disadvantaged pet owners — drawing 13 dogs and six cats — and it won't be the last, said McClelland. 

"We hope to do them frequently and on a consistent basis so everyone knows we have them and they can get consistent care for their pets," she said. 

"I would say every four to six months would be a reasonable time then we would get to be on top of any health concerns we saw and we can monitor the pets a little more closely and make sure they know they've got the care they wouldn't otherwise have available to them."

The bond between people and pets is a strong one, said McClelland, which can be especially apparent among the homeless population.

According to numbers compiled by the non-profit group Pets of the Homeless, between five and 10 per cent of homeless people have pets, a number that can reach as high as 24 per cent in some areas.

"A lot of people underestimate the human-animal bond," said McClelland. 

"Some of the stories (pet owners) shared is they weren't able to get housing that would let them have their animals with them, so instead of adopting out the animal or surrendering them, they chose to be on the streets. 

"So that bond, they're not just pets, they're members of the family and often their only family, they connect with them and they are best friends and they won't leave them."

Pourier knows what that bond feels like first-hand.

"Nothing compares, she's an anchor in the ocean of life for me," he said. 

"She keeps me grounded, she keeps me accountable. 

"It's moral support, just the kisses in the morning, she's my companion. 

"I don't deem myself to be an owner, I deem myself as a guardian of my special little somebody."