UK study suggests joint healthcare for homeless people and their dogs

Around one in ten people seeking shelter from homelessness in the United Kingdom has a companion animal, most commonly a dog. Owning a dog in that situation can be a barrier to accessing healthcare and accommodation, and may force the person to sleep on the streets. A study published on 3 September 2026 in PLoS One, by UK researchers, describes these people as a stigmatised minority within a minority, often invisible to support services and hard to reach.

The bond between person and dog in these situations is usually strong; the dog is often the most significant other in that person's life. Failing to accommodate that relationship, the authors argue, has implications for both human and animal healthcare in the homeless community, and bringing the two care disciplines together is a specific application of One Health. The study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the health needs and challenges of people experiencing homelessness with companion dogs and to investigate the feasibility of joint healthcare provision. Participants included people experiencing homelessness and providers working in veterinary, human health and housing services.

Service users and providers alike considered human and animal health entangled, requiring an approach that accounts for the needs of both together. The idea of delivering human and animal healthcare at the same venue was of interest to both groups but also raised concerns. Since examples in the literature are sparse, the authors suggest that a more workable concept may be coordinated multi-species healthcare that is responsive and empathic to the needs of both people and dogs.

The public perception that people experiencing homelessness cannot care for an animal has been tested in two studies. In the United States, a descriptive study published in 2024 in Animal Welfare assessed 100 human–dog dyads in the western part of the country, with a survey and a visual assessment of the dog's condition through a One Welfare lens, which observes animal and human well-being, the environment and the notion of a life worth living. The dogs were well cared for and physically healthy, consistent with other studies, and had few behavioural problems, but showed evidence of separation distress when the owner was away. The authors point to implications for policies and practices that prohibit dogs in homeless shelters, which typically report lacking the resources to accommodate a person with a dog.

In the UK, a study published in 2022 in Veterinary Record assessed 21 dogs owned by 19 homeless people using the PDSA Petwise MOT tool. The dogs compared favourably with conventionally owned pets in most areas, including exercise and companionship. Problems included being overweight or obese, at a lower prevalence than the general population, and some owners' difficulty in accessing veterinary care. Behavioural concerns were reported for 61.9% of the dogs, most commonly separation-related distress. Being unable to leave the animal safely, the authors note, may impair owners' access to services; accessible veterinary care, behavioural support and pet-friendly services could improve the health of both.

The three papers point in the same direction: the dogs of people experiencing homelessness tend to be doing well; what is missing is access to services that do not force a choice between shelter and animal. For the veterinary professional, the 2026 study suggests a concrete place in the care network, alongside health and housing services.