Veteran Making A Difference With The Homeless

“Is there anything your pet can use? Can I help you?” -Dr. Kwane Stewart (The Street Vet).

How many times a day do we walk past a homeless person and act as though they don’t exist? Dr. Kwane Stewart has decided to make a difference and not treat those in need of companionship as invisible beings.

Stewart has been volunteering on his own dime for nearly a decade in California to help the homeless and their pets. “I love the work,” he told TODAY. “I do it because it’s hugely rewarding to me, spiritually. I’m just very fortunate to be living out my dream to be a vet in the first place.”

A part of solving homelessness is seeing the victims as people rather than shadows we can easily ignore. Many of the homeless are regular people; fathers, mothers, veterans, former stock market brokers, etc. They are part of a group of people who lost their core foundation -a place to live.

So how does someone end up on the streets? Each circumstance is unique and needs to be taken individually and cookie-cutter solutions will not solve the issue at hand. As individuals, we can team up to help those who merely need a little assistance to get back on their feet again.

Animal Aid Network and Dude’s Ranch Rescue seeks to get rid of the stigma and assists those during difficult times. Like Dr. Kwame Stewart, we want to provide the homeless with avenues to help take care of their pets as well as themselves. One of the biggest hardships for those who are homeless is they do not have a place to go as pet owners. There are solutions out there. Let us help develop an individual and comprehensive plan for someone you may know or you who may be in a rough situation at the moment.

This is not something we can continue to ignore. All of us can make a difference by volunteering, donating, and assist by spreading the word. There is no obstacle that we cannot overcome by working together. Join us in the effort to provide more love, hope, and security for those in need.