Unhoused individuals often rely on companion animals for their wellbeing. Exact figures are difficult to establish, but estimates show that 6 to 24% of people experiencing homelessness have companion animals. 

Prior research has shown that experiencing homelessness has negative effects on health outcomes. This study sought to find out if animal companionship could leverage the use of health services within the unhoused community. Between October 2018 and June 2019, researchers from the University of Washington interviewed 44 unhoused individuals with animal companions in Seattle, Washington. Participants ranged in age from 15 to 66. The researchers discovered several trends surrounding unhoused individuals and their relationships with their companion animals. 

The first major trend they found was that people experiencing homelessness tended to put the needs of their companion animals above their own, such as making sure their animals ate before they did. Those interviewed also reported that their companion animals were generally in much better health than they were. The researchers also noted several different roles that companion animals provide their guardians. The two main roles were emotional support and companionship, but there were several individuals whose companions acted like service animals without specialized training and certifications. 

Over half of the people interviewed mentioned that their companion animals created barriers to access, including finding housing, receiving healthcare and other community services, or entering buildings. One person stated that they ignored medical advice to go to a hospital that didn’t allow animals while they were having a seizure because they could not ensure their companion’s safety if hospitalized there. The interviews also revealed a trend of harassment for unhoused individuals with companion animals. 

67% of participants had experienced previous harassment from housed individuals or businesses. Some examples involved different standards for those experiencing homelessness on public transportation with their companion animals or others not believing their companion was a service animal. They reported emotional stress as a result of this harassment, including being hospitalized due to panic attacks.

The researchers found that 86% of the companion animals had seen a medical provider in the last 6 months, while only 64% of humans had seen a medical provider in that same time period. The participants generally rated their own health as fair to healthy, while they overwhelmingly rated their animal companions as very healthy. 

The researchers asked participants whether a one-stop medical clinic for humans and animals would work well for them. This type of clinic would allow unhoused individuals to get treated for their own medical issues while their companions receive treatment at the same time. The majority of individuals in the study said they would like a clinic designed for both humans and animals. The few who said that they wouldn’t use a one-stop animal and human clinic had cats who they felt would not respond well to that level of stimuli. One person answered maybe, stating that they would need to see what services the clinic offered. Overall, a one-stop medical clinic would remove a major barrier for care for most of the unhoused community interviewed in the study.

The researchers acknowledge that one limitation of this study was the sample size and want to repeat this study with a larger group of unhoused individuals. While the people they interviewed did encompass the demographic breakdown of Seattle’s unhoused population, there were not many individuals in each demographic bracket. They also suggested repeating the interviews in other locations to see if their results are universal across other areas with large unhoused communities or local to the Seattle area, where animal-friendliness is higher compared to many other major cities.

For advocates, the study offers a look into how to better serve humans and their companion animals living in homelessness. The individuals in this study overwhelmingly prioritized their companion animal’s health over their own — leveraging this commitment into promoting a one-stop human and animal health clinic could enhance the wellbeing of both companion animals and their guardians.