MY RESEARCH PROPOSAL:

For my research essay I will be comparing the amount of help that homeless receive, in regards to whether or not they have a dog with them. A study completed by NYU in 2019 found that only 5-10 percent of homeless on the streets of New York City own dogs. Dogs can serve many purposes to the homeless by providing a source of companionship, and something that can grab peoples attention as they are walking by. The people of society each have their own opinions on giving back to the homeless. There are many factors of why people do and do not give back to the homeless which can include comfor levels, and safety levels. For the homeless, dogs can help them with creating a more comfortable environment, making people more drawn to giving a donation. As a society, it is important to be sympathetic and understanding to those who are less fortunate, and by the homeless having dogs with them, it may be the answer for getting them more help.

Dogs are what get people through their toughest times, and will constantly provide unconditional love. Those are extremely important factors for why more homeless could use dogs, alongside the advantage of getting more help. The people of society are more likely to give a donation to a homeless person with a dog versus without one. They provide a sense of security and comfort to those around them, and can be the solution for having more people give back to the less fortunate. 

Sources:

1)Kahl, N. Smith, M. (2016, December 1). Confrontations and Donations: Encounters between Homeless Pet Owners and the Public. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1533-8525.2011.01224.x

Background: This article goes over how having a dog alongside a homeless person can increase the chances of getting a donation. It was explained how the dog is creating a more light hearted atmosphere, and makes people more drawn to giving back. Also, it was emphasized how the homeless can make it clear how their animal comes first, and how the funding they receive will go to their dog first.

Why I did not use it: I did not use this article because of the length of it and the lack of information. The information in this article was stuff that I had already found in other sources, but with a bunch more information compared to this article. While this article did have good points about how the homeless put their dog first in many aspects, I already had used other articles that touched on that topic that I liked better.  

2)Irvine, L. (n.d.). Animals as Lifechangers and lifesavers: Pets in the redemption narratives of homeless people – Leslie Irvine, 2013. Animals as Lifechangers and Lifesavers: Pets in the Redemption Narratives of Homeless People. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0891241612456550 

Background: This source is giving insight into many stories of homeless with dogs, and how that has affected them. This source goes over how the breed of dog can affect whether or not people feel comfortable enough to approach the homeless in order to give the donation. It also touches on how dogs get the homeless through their toughest days, and provide a sense of hope for them. 

Why I did not use it: This source had a mass amount of information, but it was all over the place. It touched on many topics, and personal stories, and not one thing about dogs and their owners so it was hard for me to focus in and find what I was looking for in this lengthy article. I wish I had used this article in the section named “Methods” because it discusses information on shelters and how most times the shelters don’t work with the homeless with dogs. This would have been a good point to add to my argument. 

3)Bristol, U. of. (2023, July 25). Dogs provide critical support for homeless people, study finds. Newswise. https://www.newswise.com/articles/dogs-provide-critical-support-for-homeless-people-study-finds 

Background: This article discusses how dogs can improve mental health amongst the homeless. It gave insight on how dogs can give the homeless something to live for, and can give them a sense of security. This article also discusses how the Bristol Veterinary School conducted a study to prove how dogs improve the homeless mental health, and how these dogs also create a sense of responsibility. This study showed how the dogs are the homeless first priority, and the dogs needs are met before their own. Some homeless will not even go into a shelter if they do not let the dog join, and that goes to show how they put their dogs before themselves. 

Why I did not use it: This article was not very informative, and touched on things that the average person would know already about dogs, and common sense about them being out on the street. This article touched on the dogs’ living situations and how they could struggle outside with a lack of resources. I had also already found another source discussing this and felt that it was better so I used a different source instead. 

4)Blouin, D. (n.d.). Are Dogs Children, companions, or just animals? understanding variations in people’s orientations toward animals. Are Dogs Children, Companions, or Just Animals? Understanding Variations in People’s Orientations toward Animals. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272271895_Are_Dogs_Children_Companions_or_Just_Animals_Understanding_Variations_in_People’s_Orientations_toward_Animals 

Background: This article touches on why humans can be drawn to dogs, and the different types of orientations people have towards dogs. The three orientations include dominionistic, humanistic, and protectionism. This article makes it clear that people who are more protectionist will be more drawn to dogs, leading to hopefully them providing a donation. 

How I used it: This source is incredibly informative and I used that to my advantage by providing the reader a term such as protectionistic, and explaining the relationship between the homeless and their dog, but with a more elevated wording. I was explaining how a protectionistic relationship means that the homeless in this case and their dog are extremely close and have loads of respect for each other. It was important to explain this term so that the reader can really see the closeness of the relationship between the dog and its owner. 

5)Walsh, A. (2015, April 28). Homeless Women’s Voices on Incorporating Companion Animals into Shelter Services. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2752/175303711X12923300467447

Background: This article focuses on women that are homeless, but in shelters. It touches on how the more vulnerable the woman is, the more likely that they are going to have a dog. This article expresses how there needs to be a change in the system in shelters regarding the acceptance of dogs or not, and making sure that the people and dogs are healthy. 

Why I did not use it: I did not use this source because I did not want to gender stereotype a homeless person. This article focuses on women and not men. I didn’t just want to discuss women’s struggles, because men can have the same struggles being homeless. 

6)ASPCA. (n.d.). People with pets experiencing homelessness. https://www.aspca.org/improving-laws-animals/public-policy/housing/people-pets-experiencing-homelessness#:~:text=Studies%20have%20shown%20that%20people,social%20support%2C%20companionship%20and%20security. 

Background: This article focuses on statistics on homelessness, and how it is a rising complex problem that society is facing. It also talks about possible reasons why people become homeless, and how there is a lack of resources and shelters for the homeless. Especially a lack of shelters that are going to accept the homeless and their dogs. Then this article gets into how dogs positively affect homeless people, and how the dogs give the homeless a sense of responsibility and are a stable source of support amongst all of their challenges. 

How I used it: I used this source for explaining how dogs positively affect the homeless and how the dogs can keep the homeless alive. I explained how the dogs give the homeless something to live for, and can show the outside world how they are responsible enough to take care of themselves, and then two take care of a dog with their challenging circumstances. 

7)Padmabandu, M. (2023, June 5). The science behind why we love our dogs. Embarkvet. https://embarkvet.com/resources/science-behind-why-we-love-our-dogs/#:~:text=Dogs%20give%20us%20so%20much,pets%20tend%20to%20live%20longer. 

Background: This article starts out explaining the bonds behind humans and their dogs. This article talks about imprinting and how important it is in the early stage of an animal’s life. Then it discusses the “love hormone” that dogs can bring humans, and how dogs can provide many mental benefits to their owners or people in general. Overall, this article focuses on why we can be attracted to dogs and the love that we bring them and for the love that they bring humans. 

How I used it: I used this article for discussing the health benefits that dogs can bring humans, especially to the homeless. I focused more so on the mental benefits that they bring. The homeless already must be extremely stressed since they are fighting for their lives out on the streets, so I talked about how important it is for a homeless person to have a dog and how the dogs can help them mentally which can then make them happier and have better physical health as well. 

8)Freking, K. (2023, December 15). US homelessness up 12% to highest reported level as rents soar and coronavirus pandemic aid lapses. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/homelessness-increase-rent-hud-covid-60bd88687e1aef1b02d25425798bd3b1 

Background: This article discusses the increase of homeless people over the years, and how the increase of prices has pushed many people out on the streets. Then it talks about the main states with the highest rates of homelessness which include Washington, California, Florida, and New York. Many of the main places where the homeless reside are in cities. 

How I used it: I used this article to discuss how inflation has pushed people out of their homes due to them not being able to afford it due to inflation, and how their last resort was to then become homeless. The main purpose that this article gave me was to explain one of the main reasons why people have become homeless, and that is the increase of prices that the world is facing. 

9)Trott, S. (2024, March 19). How to help your dog adjust to a new environment. Now Fresh. https://nowfresh.com/en-us/help-your-dog-adjust-to-a-new-environment# 

Background: This article was discussing how dogs can adapt to their new environment, and how they react to change. It was saying how dogs can be overwhelmed just like people with change, and how they need time to adjust and adapt to their new surroundings. It touches on introducing dogs into cities and how people should start with taking their dogs in gradually, and then building up time to make sure that their dog is getting used to their new surroundings, and building up the tolerance of being around so many people. It says how taking the dog through its new area and introducing it to new things gradually will help the adjustment process. 

How I used it: I used this article by talking about how the homeless dogs will end up adjusting to its new environment and being out on the streets. I talked about how quickly the dog will realize that this is its new place, and how the dog has to get comfortable. I discussed how people walking by should not be nervous about the dog being on-edge because most likely the dog will be adjusted to being around a lot of people, and being in the havoc of cities. 

10)A&A Lawn Care & Landscaping. (2021, March 31). Tips to keep your pets and family from getting fleas and ticks in your yard…: A&A Lawn Care & Landscaping. A & A Lawn Care & Landscaping. https://aalawns.com/tips-to-keep-your-pets-and-family-from-getting-fleas-and-ticks-in-your-yard/ 

Background: This article discussed all about fleas and ticks and other diseases that dogs can pick up. It explained where dogs are more likely to get these diseases and how to try and prevent it. It explains how you need to keep your grass cut and if needed to hire a company to help out. This article does not talk about the homeless and dogs, it is just explaining fleas and ticks and how dogs can get them. 

How I used it: I used this article to explain how dogs are more likely to get fleas and ticks in grassy areas and in trees. I explained how people should not be afraid to approach dogs that are next to a homeless person, especially in the city because it is not likely to get fleas and ticks because they would be on the streets and not near the bushes. I wanted to make it clear that the dogs could still get it but it would be less likely to get it compared to other dogs that are in a household that would be more near the bushes. 

11)Admin. (2018, July 5). Pitbull abuse and neglect. Animal Justice League of America. https://www.animaljla.org/pitbull-abuse-and-neglect/ 

Background: This article was all about the stereotypes that come along with Pitbulls, and how they are perceived in society. It also touches on how they actually are, and how they often get abused and mistreated. It is saying how they can be aggressive but most times it is because of how the environment they were raised in. It is explaining how abuse needs to be reported and how the Animal Justice League of America is trying to take charge over abusers and stop them. 

How I used it: I used this article to debunk the stereotypes with Pitbulls, and how people need to realize that not only Pitbulls are aggressive dogs. I explained how it is not fair to only put the label on Pitbulls for being aggressive and dangerous, and how any dog breed if not raised right could be that way. I explained how while people could have their drawbacks to approaching a homeless person that may have a Pitbull, it should not be the end all be all. I explained how the homeless want people to approach them and would need a friendly dog so that the donors do not get attacked. 

12)Sabo, P. (2020, June 12). Pets & homelessness in la . The Vanderpump Dog Foundation. https://www.vanderpumpdogs.org/our-blog/pets-amp-homelessness-in-lanbsp 

Background: The Pets and Homelessness in LA article was extremely helpful and informative on explaining the dynamics of the homeless and dogs. This source was sharing statistics on how only 5 and 10 percent of homeless have dogs out of the entire homeless population in Los Angeles which is a major city. This article was explaining how not everything is always picture perfect with having dogs out on the street. It is saying how it is a ton of work and responsibility, and let alone money that its owner most likely does not have. Then it gets into the stray animals in LA and how they are not taken care of properly even after being emitted into a shelter. It goes over lifespans of pets that are out on the streets and how they are not likely to last as long as the average dog, because of the environments that they are in. 

How I used it: I did not take a lot from this source, but what I did take from it was the lifespan of dogs that are out on the streets. I thought that it was important to mention the short lifespans of the dogs out on the streets so that the reader could really see how much the dog does and sacrifices for their owner. The dogs are living shorter lives because they are not in the best conditions, perhaps are not nourished as good, and are sacrificing themselves for their owners. The lifespan of a dog outside is more than half times shorter than the average which is telling. 

13)Companion animal overpopulation and homelessness. PETA. (2024, April 2). https://www.peta.org/issues/animal-companion-issues/overpopulation/ 

Background: This article was discussing how there are millions of homeless animals that are out there struggling every single day to live. Animal shelters are at max capacity and have to turn animals away which is making them struggle even more. It is saying how animals are struggling and cannot just be left to fend for themselves. 

How I used it: I used this article to explain how dogs need love, care, food, water, and their basic necessities just like humans. It would not be fair for a homeless person that has a dog to only care for itself and not give their dog food and water. I explained how important it is that the homeless take good care of their dog, because their dog is taking care of them. If the dog is low on fuel it is not going to be able to perform as well as it can, which can make them bring in less donations.