Raising awareness and driving improvements around pet-inclusive homelessness accommodation

Project Background

For people experiencing homelessness, their pet is often their only companion, support and family in a world of instability.

In the UK, very few temporary homelessness accommodation providers accept pets, forcing people to decide between seeking housing or staying with their pet. This project is aiming to raise awareness and drive improvements in pet-inclusive homelessness accommodation. Our goal is to shift the narrative away from a compliance-based lens of mere ‘acceptance’ which often frames pets as a problem, to a strength-based perspective that highlights what is strong rather than what is wrong. The facilitator will support this change by developing an aspirational yet practical policy template, designed to guide conversations and align commissioners and providers toward a shared vision. This project is based in North West England, and its supported by a number of host organisations including Street Paws, StreetVet, Dogs Trust (Together Through Homelessness), Vets in the Community, and Newcastle University

IMPACT Factfile

Project Activity

The project continues to explore how pet inclusion can be embedded within homelessness accommodation through a strengths-based approach. Building on earlier engagement with people with lived experience, providers, commissioners and animal welfare organisations, and a co-design workshop, we have developed a draft strengths-based model that recognises the role companion animals can play in supporting connection, responsibility, persistence and stability during tough times. The model highlights how pets can help sustain everyday practices that are widely recognised as protective factors for wellbeing.

Alongside the model, work is underway to translate these insights into a template policy.  A second co-design workshop will build on this work by testing the scope of a potential policy and refining the principles that should guide it, ensuring that any future guidance is both aspirational and workable for providers and commissioners.

Meet Our Facilitator: Rosie Ayub

Rosie Ayub

I’m Rosie, and I have a background which spans health, social care and the voluntary sector, supporting participatory approaches in service and system change. In this Facilitator project, I will be working alongside Street Paws, StreetVet, Dogs Trust, Vets in the Community and Newcastle University, exploring ways to improve and raise awareness of pet -inclusion in homeless accommodation.