McMaster University student Shania Bhopa and her younger sister Anya Bhopa share one goal for 2021: keeping more homeless youth across Ontario connected with their pets.
Last year, the sisters founded the Canadian Courage Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing relief to Toronto’s homeless youth and their pets.
Since its creation, the organization has managed to support over 1,000 homeless youth and their pets through fundraisers and care packages that are distributed to pet owners at homeless shelters across Ontario.
It was through volunteering with the Ontario SPCA that Anya, a Grade 11 student, and her older sister Shania first learned of the difficult choices individuals experiencing homelessness must make regarding their pets because they are often unable to support the animal’s needs.
“We spoke to many of them, and the reason they were on the streets on these cold winters was that shelters wouldn’t accept their animal companions,” Anya said, “and we thought that was incredibly heartbreaking. Their animals are their only support, so they couldn’t imagine going anywhere without them.”
The sisters have since organized several fundraisers and continue to distribute packages that include hygiene kits for both the owners and their animals, as well as winter clothing and face masks. All the products included in these kits are purchased from local businesses in Ontario, Shania said.
“Not only do we want to be supporting individuals, but we want to create unity within the community and outside of the community, and within youth across the world,” Shania said.
Partnering with other organizations
To expand their reach, the sisters partnered with organizations including YouthLink, a charity and transition program for homeless youth based in Scarborough. The charity’s transition program and shelters include 52 beds that residents can use for two years, as well as counselling and education.
The sisters first began donating items for pet owners living in YouthLink’s shelters and continued on to provide menstrual products and food.
Evan Back, YouthLink’s head of fundraising and marketing, said he is delighted with the partnership. Through YouthLink, Back has actively provided for homeless pet owners and after witnessing the large numbers of homeless youths with pets, he partnered the shelter with a professional dog kennel.
“You see a lot of kids out there on the street with dogs,” Back said, “and they fall through the cracks because they won’t go in without their pet. Their pet is the only soul that’s never let them down.”
The kennel includes a roster of veterinarians who visit once a day to treat the pets, who is eventually allowed to live in their owner’s room when a resident registers for YouthLink’s program.
“I’m happy that at this one facility—which is the first of its kind in Canada to have a professional kennel mixed with a shelter—we have animals walking around, which is great,” Back said.
The role of pets for homeless individuals, according to experts
Although it is an emerging field of research, the deeply bonded relationship between individuals experiencing homelessness and their pets has been documented by experts in Canada.
Dr. Michelle Lem is the founder and director of Community Veterinary Outreach, a charity that aims to improve the health of homeless individuals and their pets.
“Our pets are often motivators for different health choices, healthier choices and responsible choices,” Lem said.
Many homeless individuals she spoke to expressed profound concern about the well-being of their pets if they were separated, either by their entering a shelter, hospitalization, or incarceration. She attributed this level of care to the deep loyalty they feel because of their pet’s unconditional support, which she also notes may be missing in other facets of their lives.
“It’s often the first time that they’re experiencing unconditional love and non-judgmental support,” Lem said. “These animals love them no matter what they’ve been through.”
The degree of care these pets are given is contrary to the stigma surrounding homeless pet owners, who have sometimes had their pets taken from them over concerns about the pet’s well-being.
However, such stigma does not reflect the reality of homeless pet ownership. Beth Daly, a professor of anthrozoology at the University of Windsor, has found that dogs can be quite happy and calm on the streets with their owner.
“They wander around, they have new experiences because of their street life. They’re perpetually socialized,” Daly said. “Most dogs are happiest when they are outside or going for walks or they’re engaged in something.”
As for the health of these pets, research has also shown that homeless pet malnutrition is not a prevalent problem. In a 2016 study, researchers discovered that while homeless dog owners struggled to afford vaccinations or microchips, their dogs displayed no significant differences in their overall health than settled dogs.
Plans for the future
For the Canadian Courage Project, their work is just beginning.
In 2021, the Bhopa sisters hope to provide mental health resources for homeless youth and partner with a local veterinarian to create a vaccination fund. They also hope to create a seminar and educational program to present in elementary and high schools across Canada to inform students about the inequalities that exist between and within some communities and its impact on homelessness.
The Bhopa sisters recognize their organization is still in its infancy. However, they are determined to continue their efforts and give back to their community and its beloved pets.
“I think it’s definitely a lot of work,” Anya said, “but it’s really beneficial to me knowing that our hard work is making a difference in all these youths’ lives.”
Graphic by Etta Gerrits
