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L.A. Unleashed

A place for the homeless and their pets

By Jessica GarrisonStaff Writer 
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Many homeless people -- perhaps as many as 10% -- have pets. (The pets above are waiting with their owners, who are homeless, for veterinary care in Ventura County.) Loathe to abandon their companions, many often refuse housing services rather than go into them without their pets.

To address that problem, the nonprofit group PATH next month will open the PetCo Place in Hollywood, a shelter that will house both homeless people and their pets. People will sleep upstairs and their pets downstairs.

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Both people and animals can stay as long as they need while they try to get back on their feet and find permanent housing. Advocates say it is the second such shelter in the U.S. The first is in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

-- Jessica Garrison

L.A. Unleashed
Jessica Garrison

Jessica Garrison writes about Northern California for the Los Angeles Times. She has previously covered Los Angeles City Hall, courts, education and the environment. As a reporter, her work has won a National Magazine Award for Public Service, among other honors. Work she has edited has won a George Polk Award and was a finalist for a Goldsmith Prize. Her book, “The Devil’s Harvest,” told the story of a contract killer who stalked Central Valley farm towns for years while authorities failed to bring him to justice. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley.

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