Josh held each of the four kittens with tears in his eyes as he surrendered them on to a better life. “This isn’t a place for kittens to live,” he murmured into one’s fur. The place he refers to is commonly known as Dirt World, or Juniper Ridge, a location bordered to the west by Highway 97 between Bend and Redmond that is temporarily sanctioned for community members without homes to live and have access to services.
Nationwide, the reported numbers vary with respect to people living houseless who also have companion animals. According to a study titled, Pet Ownership among Homeless Youth: Associations with Mental Health, Service Utilization and Housing Status, by Rhoades, Winetrob, and Rice, likely one in four individuals or family units living houseless have at least one dog or cat. Locally, and especially out in more remote camps, the percentage is much higher. Each person is keenly aware that having a pet adds another layer of challenge to obtaining stable housing or shelter, yet, according to the study cited above, 84% of the youth reported that their pet keeps them company, 79% say their pet makes them feel loved, 73% say their pet helps them feel safe, and 60% say their pet eats before they do. Unless service providers who work to help with basic needs, connections, and housing navigation understand the depth of this relationship, they and the people they serve will remain at an impasse.
Enter Johannah Johnson and Companion Animal Medical Project, or CAMP. In 2020, after working in the animal welfare industry and while working as a Community Outreach Advocate for THRIVE Central Oregon, Johnson noticed a gap in available services. No one was addressing the companion animal needs of individuals and families living houseless or precariously housed. She knew through her work at THRIVE that it takes time and trust to build a relationship that could result in successful housing or shelter placement. She knew through her work in animal welfare just how strong the bond could be between human and companion animal. She built a scrappy organization from nothing that is now a critical resource. CAMP provides veterinary care to support pet-retention and increase stability for pets and their owners experiencing, or at-risk of, homelessness.
The CAMP mobile clinic vans are set up to provide on-site services with the support of local veterinarians, CAMP staff, and volunteers. They’ve seen as many as 86 animals during a pre-advertised clinic offering vaccinations, de-worming, flea and tick treatments, spay/neuter sign ups, and check-ins with the humans. Over these six years, CAMP has provided 1,000 spay/neuter procedures with exponential benefit to the community.
“When I started CAMP, I never thought we would be such a foundational part of the continuum of care,” Johnson, a certified Community Health Worker, says. “Because of our work and partnership, they’ve included questions about companion animals on vulnerability assessments,” an important step in planning for shelter and housing placement.
When Josh agreed to surrender the kittens and have their momma spayed, it was the result of many visits to his camp with pet food and supplies. At each visit CAMP staff shared a bit more information and gained a bit more trust. At the office, when Johnson brought in the kittens, Kale Richardson, CAMP Outreach and Ready Together Navigator cheered, “Yes!” and knew exactly whose they were and celebrated the fact that their weeks of effort had paid off. They also got to work making a spay appointment for momma cat. Johnson, as Founder and Executive Director, got to work cleaning the urine-soaked kitten carrier ‘cause that’s how she rolls.
Back at Dirt World, Mike and Becca are juggling several cats and kittens and six dogs. They’ve become known in the area as people who will take in animals others can’t keep for one reason or another. Their camp consists of a couple of trailers in disrepair and a car that serves as shade and sleeping quarters. They don’t have any special ability or means to actually handle this extra load, yet this is a responsibility they take seriously.
Johnson observes, “People who grew up in a system where love wasn’t available sometimes have a number of animals — the family they never had. They want to feel needed. They want to feel loved. They get a sense of purpose from the animals.” The approach Johnson has fostered at CAMP is not to shame or judge, it’s to inform and support — and be ready to act when people choose to take the next positive step.
In addition to regular outreach and clinics, CAMP has begun to offer specialized housing navigation. Ready Together is their pet readiness program supporting transition into shelter or housing by assisting with vaccinations and documentation, spay/neuter status documentation, counseling regarding numbers of animals viable for different housing options, education regarding pet behavior generally and specifically for each shelter or housing option.
Josh is on his way. Mike and Becca aren’t ready. How could they be? There are living beings who need them. Yet one day something will click and CAMP will be there to assist.
Want to help?
Support CAMP’s work financially:
- $200 covers a spay/neuter procedure
- $300 supports a housing placement
- $800 sponsors a mobile clinic event serving 30-40 pets
- ANY donation helps
Support with supply donations:
- Especially large dog harnesses, leashes, tethers
- Dog/cat food
- Kitty litter
Volunteer!
CAMPClinics.org