Friends in need

Local volunteers reach out to homeless folks’ cherished pets that provide a lifeline to love

BY STEVE POWELL | THE OLYMPIAN • Published July 06, 2008

Video
Comments (0)

Supporting the cause

Stories of survival, hope

BABY GIRL

Travis Vogtman lives in a motor home in downtown Olympia. He was given a pit bull he calls Baby Girl about a month ago. She was found at a park. "I said, 'I'll take it,' not knowing what I was getting myself into" since it was his first dog, Vogtman said. "It's a lot of responsibility." Volunteer veterinarian Kim Martin said she thinks Baby Girl was a puppy mill dog, bred many times until she wasn’t useful any more. "She was kind of at the end of her physical tolerance," Martin said. But she doesn't know for sure. "They don't come with a microchip" explaining their background, she said. Martin guesses Baby Girl is about 10. She has a broken hip that never healed properly. Still, the only time she gets aggressive is around male dogs, Vogtman said. The vet said she has seen tremendous improvement in Baby Girl since Vogtman started caring for her. She's not as malnourished or lethargic and half of her hair has grown back. "What she needed was someone to love her and pay attention to her," Martin said. Vogtman said Covenant Creatures has given him everything he needs to take care of Baby Girl, including a leash, collar, dog food and medical treatment. "She's a sweetheart," Martin said of Baby Girl.

ALIBI

When Jezzabell Farr is in trouble, she always has her Alibi. Alibi is her service dog. A pit bull, Alibi was trained by Farr to know when she is going to black out because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. When Farr has a blackout, Alibi is there. "He helps bring me back," she said. Farr, 22, has lived on and off the streets since she was 12. She has Alibi and a baby son now, so she has become more stable and has been able to get housing - and help out with Covenant Creatures. "A number of recipients feel compelled to give back," said the Rev. Leanne Johnson, who formed Covenant Creatures. Covenant Creatures helped with Alibi's own medical problems, such as when he injured a shoulder. Farr said she owes a lot to Alibi. "He helped stabilize my life," she said. He also has helped her to be more social because she has to talk to people about service dogs. "I have to defend my rights," she said. "Others don't know the law."

PRINCESS

Melissa Sanchez has a pit bull, Princess, that was bitten in the face by another dog. The wound became infected. Within an hour of meeting Sanchez, Johnson made sure Princess was seen by Martin. "If it wasn't for Leanne and Kim, my dog would have died," Sanchez said, tears in her eyes. Sanchez also was worried about a rash forming on Princess where a tight harness was rubbing. "They care more about their pets than they do themselves," Martin said. Sanchez, who was carrying a small backpack that contained pills for her dog, said Princess loves attention. "If they don’t talk to her, she will bark at them," Sanchez said of other people. "She's a lover."

Kim Martin is a veterinarian at the Hawks Prairie Veterinary Hospital who volunteers with Covenant Creatures. She said her facility started working with Covenant Creatures in February after more informally helping the pets of the homeless and poor for years.

"It was only natural to take it out into the streets," Martin said.

Martin said they have "the brains and the people" to start the free clinic but still need the cash to buy equipment. The plan is to remodel a garage at Johnson’s Tapestry Church at 414 Franklin St. S.E. in Olympia.

Martin and Johnson said working with the homeless is rewarding.

"To see the resiliency and strength of creatures and people in the worst of life situations" is inspiring, Johnson said.

The Rev. Phil Prietto of City Gates Ministries said Johnson has done a great job helping his weekly gatherings serving the homeless in a parking lot near the Intercity Transit bus terminal. City Gates provides food, clothes and tents - "whatever they can get the people in need," Johnson said. City Gates also has programs to help homeless people sober up and get off the streets.

"I love her heart," Prietto said of Johnson. "She provides a great service for people who can't take care of themselves let alone take care of their animals."

Building trust

Johnson said working with the homeless is challenging, too.

"They are not the most trusting," she said. "There is a lot of paranoia concerning personal issues. You have to develop that trust by following through. Things don't always pan out for them. They believe it when they see it."

Martin said part of their mission is to educate the homeless about caring for animals. Such as, "It's not that scary to neuter your pet," she said.

She also tries to convince them they need to take care of themselves.

"Instead of buying them the premium best dog food, share your food" with your animals, Martin said.

She said pet supplies come from customers of local veterinarians who return medicines their own pets don't finish. Still, sometimes Covenant Creatures doesn't have enough to go around.

"You triage until you run out and tell the others they have to come back," Martin said.

A personal connection

Johnson said she started Covenant Creatures because she wanted to connect with the community. But she also did it for a personal reason. "I had, as a child, lived through a time where all I personally possessed was a dog," Johnson said. "This dog and I lived in a pretty horrendous situation. She was my lifeline to love and hope. She was what I would cling to for balance and security." The homeless feel the same way about their pets, Johnson said. "They will cling to these animals," she said. "They depend on these animals like you wouldn't understand unless you've been there."

<< Previous page