Friends in need

From across the street, it looks like a family reunion - except it's in a parking lot behind a bus station. There are men, women, babies, children and older folks, some in wheelchairs. Missing is the smell of barbecue. Instead, this "family," which on this day numbers about 60, is gathered around vans and a trailer.

Volunteers with City Gates Ministries are passing out items to the homeless.

There also are all kinds of dogs: pit bulls, a German shepherd, a Chihuahua, some mixed breeds - and some cats.

They are the pets of the homeless, and they need food and supplies, too.

That’s where Covenant Creatures comes in. The Rev. Leanne Johnson’s nonprofit provides the homeless with things they need for their pets.

For some homeless, those cherished animals have become their family.

"Many of them are estranged from their families or have no family," Johnson said. "These pets give them a reason to get up every morning."

Sacrificing for a friend

Every Thursday night, Covenant Creatures gives away pet food and supplies. The nonprofit also hopes by this fall to have a free pet clinic downtown. Organizers are aiming to raise $12,000 this summer.

Johnson said the homeless often take better care of pets than others do.

"They can live better lives than pets tied up in the backyard because they get more attention," she said.

It even can reach an unhealthy level.

"Think about their world," Johnson said of homeless people. "They can be frantic if something happens to their animal because they have nothing else."

Some of the homeless even give up shelter so they can keep their pets.

"I've seen that a number of times," said Dylan Snyder, an advocate at Bread & Roses, which provides shelter and services for the homeless.

That shelter accepts cats but not dogs, and The Salvation Army, which also provides a homeless shelter, does not allow any pets. That means the homeless with pets often sleep on the streets or in the woods. Covenant Creatures helps by making it so the homeless can spend money on themselves rather than their pets. "They're not taking food out of their own mouths to feed their dogs," Johnson said. Martin said some of the homeless used to be paying customers. "It just goes to show you we are all just a paycheck or two away from homelessness," she said.

Supporting the cause

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."