Association between pet ownership and utilization of public services among people experiencing homelessness in Columbus, Ohio: a cross-sectional survey

ABSTRACT

Nearly 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness every year; between 5% and 25% own companion animals. Animal ownership can serve as a social determinant of health when it prevents accessing important public services like transportation, housing, medical and social services. In this study, we examine the relationship between homelessness, pet ownership, and public service utilization. A cross-sectional survey was administered at six homelessness services locations in Columbus, Ohio, 2018. We compared service utilization between homeless pet owners (n = 24) and non-pet owners (n = 33) using regression analyses. Pets provided emotional support to owners (n = 28;90%), yet prevented obtaining housing assistance (n = 10;32%). Housing concerns were the main reason for pet relinquishment (14/20;70%); 65% (20/31) who owned a pet prior to becoming homeless gave it up. Pet owners stayed six fewer nights per month in homeless shelters (β = −6.15; 95% CI: −12.0, −0.27); and were 84% less likely to be living alone (OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.51) than non-pet owners. Our research highlights challenges that homeless pet owners face when accessing public services. Given the reported benefits of animal companionship, policies should be examined to consider social determinants and facilitate access and utilization of programs aimed to serve homeless populations.

KEYWORDS:

• Animal companion
• emotional support animal
• homelessness
• housing
• pet ownership

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. María Gallo from The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, for her collaboration and support with data analysis and manuscript review. We also acknowledge the support from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (OSUCVM) and College of Public Health, specifically Dr. Armando Hoet and Dr. Chi Song; PetSmart Charities Foundation for funding this project through the OSUCVM Summer Research Program; and the community centers and outreach workers for allowing recruitment of participants and interviews at their sites, Ben Sears and Dr. Kim West from Mount Carmel Outreach and Faithful Forgotten Best Friends, Jenna LaBorde with Reeb Avenue Center, The Open Shelter, The Dream Center Columbus, Holy Family Church and Soup Kitchen, and the guidance and help of all the service professionals and volunteers whose work impacts hundreds of lives every day. Most of all, we are grateful to the participants who offered to share their stories. The views expressed in this article are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations mentioned above.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics approval

IRB exemption was received from The Ohio State University Institutional Review Board (ID# 2018E0376).

Notes

1 According to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (Cheung & Hwang, 2004; Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2008; Gaetz & O’Grady, 2002; National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2012), “homeless” is defined as a person living in a homeless shelter, abandoned house or apartment, or a place not meant for human habitation such as living “on the land” (car, tent, park, etc.). Retrieved from: https://www.huduser.gov/publications/pdf/3rdHomelessAssessmentReport.pdf. Accessed February 24, 2019.

2 Copyright © Qualtrics Software, Version 2018. Licensed under The Ohio State University.

3 Microsoft Excel 2019, Version 16.25 (19051201).

4 STATA SE 2019, Version 15.1.

5 Chronically homeless individuals were homeless continually for >1 year or four or more separate times in the past three years. Individuals are recently homeless if they experience homelessness for less than a year (Cheung & Hwang, 2004; Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2008; Gaetz & O’Grady, 2002; National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2012).

6 Binary data for homeless episodes was divided as: 1–3 episodes vs. 4 or more episodes.

7 See footnote 4.

8 According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 2017) National Network, a service animal is any dog trained to perform a specific task for a medically diagnosed disability (for example, visual or hearing impairments, mental disorders, seizures, motility impairments, diabetes, etc.). Retrieved from https://adata.org/factsheet/service-animals.

9 In January 2019, the CHOICES program opened the first domestic violence shelter that allows pets in Columbus, Ohio. There is enough space for twelve pets, however, Columbus Humane Animal Shelter (2019) also provides temporary boarding for domestic violence victims, so that individuals can access services they need. Retrieved from: https://www.columbushumane.org/choices-for-domestic-violence

10 COTA services (Friedmann et al., 2011) allow well-behaved service animals on leash and other pets are allowed only if they are in carriers or cages that fit on the lap. Retrieved from: Central Ohio Transit Authority. COTA: Passenger Code of Conduct. https://www.cota.com/policies/code-of-conduct/. Published 2017. Accessed April 19, 2019.

Additional information

Funding

PetSmart Charities Summer Research Fellow in The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Scholar Summer Research Program. . The funders for this study did not play a role in study design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation, report writing or decision to submit for publication.

Notes on contributors

Paola Rullán-Oliver

Paola Rullan-Oliver, MPH-VPH, is a PHI/CDC Global Health Surveillance Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She earned a Master’s in Public Health, focused on epidemiology and veterinary public health from The Ohio State University. Her research interests include One Health, health equity, social determinants, and access to healthcare to vulnerable populations.

Laurie Millward

Laurie Millward, DVM, MS, is a veterinarian and clinical pathologist. She is the Senior Director of Veterinary Services at The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and was previously a clinical professor at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Amanda M. Berrian

Amanda Berrian, DVM, MPH, PhD, DACVPM is a veterinary epidemiologist and One Health practitioner. She is the Associate Director of the Veterinary Public Health Program at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research interests include the interaction between domestic animals, wildlife, and humans, specifically as it relates to health, conservation, safety, and food protection.

Jeanette O’Quin

Jeanette O’Quin, DVM, MPH, DABVP, DACVPM is a veterinarian and associate professor at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, focusing on animal shelter medicine, veterinary public health, and disaster response. She has a strong interest in disease prevention and control, and the prevention of animal homelessness.