MEET SASSY AND BROWNIE
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Today, I want to introduce you to two transient dogs, Sassy and Brownie, who were served by the Monroe County Humane Association (MCHA). The dogs initially came to MCHA for temporary housing. Their owner had been forced from her home and had never experienced homelessness before. She was truly distraught and as she found temporary housing for herself, MCHA took in Brownie and Sassy. As she remained vigilant about finding a more permanent place to live, she moved into a temporary encampment in Bloomington, Indiana, with her dogs. MCHA was able to provide her blankets, coats, and dog food.
One day, a local case worker reached out to MCHA as Sassy was having trouble breathing. Her owner was extremely worried. Sassy was quickly taken to MCHA’s nonprofit veterinary clinic, knowing full well that this pet-owner cared about her pets more than herself at times. MCHA’s vet examined Sassy and determined that the cause for her cough and difficulty breathing was heart disease. MCHA was able to supply Sassy with vital heart medications – something this pet-owner would not have been able to afford at this difficult period in time.
Cases like this are a reminder that we need a wide net for community care, especially when it comes to barriers facing transient pets when they are ill. We need to be able to utilize diagnostic tools and long term medications that transient pet-owners are not able to afford. Sassy’s owner kept up with her medications, and monitored her closely. While she thought she was going to have to make a heartbreaking decision when she brought Sassy to MCHA’s clinic, they were able to provide care when it was most needed.
We are happy to share that Sassy and her family are no longer transient and have since moved into a home where they can enjoy each other’s company in safety and warmth.
At the BUB Fund, we know the importance of keeping pets with the folks who love and care for them, especially in transient situations. We know the positive impact caring for a companion animal has on the trajectory of a person’s life. We know how important it was to keep Sassy with her loving owner.
Today’s donations will go to support pets just like Sassy, whose owners have fallen on difficult times and need help caring for their pets. We look forward to helping MCHA expand their temporary housing program and provide lifesaving care for special needs animals. Please consider making a donation by following the link below. Keep reading to learn more about MCHA’s transient outreach programming.
MCHA’s outreach team travels throughout the South Central Indiana community on the 1st Friday of every month. This program launched with little knowledge about how many animals would be in need of these services. Throughout 2022, MCHA’s team noticed a big influx in requests for services, food, and basic supplies. As we think bigger regarding this program, MCHA’s outreach team is driven to provide accessible services where they are needed most. This includes the various encampments in South Central Indiana where folks reside with their pets.
As we enter 2023, it is the intention of MCHA’s outreach team to refocus a great deal of attention and care for the transient pets residing in encampments. This will require MCHA to travel with even more supplies, as it is common to encounter pets with minor health concerns that must be treated before they’re healthy enough to vaccinate.The mission of MCHA’s Transient Outreach is to educate pet-owners and provide care as well as tools to help pet-owners in times of homelessness.
Thank you for supporting this work. Your generosity truly changes lives, both human and animal, for the better. If you’re interested in learning more about unhoused folks and the pets they love, we encourage you to check out one of our favorite organizations, My Dog is My Home. Below is a video of some of their work.
Warmly and in gratitude, we truly cannot do this work without you,
Stacy and the Lil BUB Family