Recent research by the University of Southern California shows that homeless people with pets get placed into permanent residences more than those without companion animals. The study didn’t focus on why that is, but it’s a finding that sounds promising for those animal lovers looking for shelter.

'They love you back'

Inside the Bridges on Broadway facility in downtown Eugene, Mary Wragge and her dog, Sadie, got ready for a walk on a warm and sunny morning.

“She sounds a lot more scary than she is,” said Wragge, originally from Sarasota, Florida. She’s had Sadie for 15 months, and has lived at Bridges on Broadway since October. Wragge said she hadn’t really told anyone until she was ready to move in that she had a pet in tow.

Camryn Leland, the permanent supportive housing manager for Homes for Good, met with some of the 60 residents at Bridges on Broadway. It’s her agency’s newest permanent supportive housing development located in the former Red Lion Inn & Suites in downtown Eugene. Many residents have companion animals that were screened for compatibility, health and vaccines to maintain a safe and friendly environment.

When asked about a University of Southern California study that showed unhoused pet owners got placed into permanent housing at roughly twice the rate of those without pets, Leland offered her own explanation.

“There’s a lot of day shelters and programs that may make it harder for individuals with companion animals to stay long term,” Leland told KLCC. “So our community supports and shelters work on prioritizing those folks into triage systems that support them getting into permanent housing a little bit sooner.”

Leland added that she could see why people would think that folks with pets are getting into housing sooner. “I think they’re just bypassing some of the temporary shelters and day shelters that are providing barriers around allowing pets, so that’s probably what we’re seeing.”

For Wragge, who was homeless for 17 years, it’s just great having a friend.

“Y’know, having a pet is good for you, it’s good for your heart. And they love you back as much as you love them.”

Leland agreed that there are generally perks to unhoused members of the community having pets.

“As an administrator working in these rehousing programs, seeing the power and the benefit of having companion animals and the healing effects of these animals, it’s important for us to consider how we make it possible for people to have pets.”