Forced to live in car with dogs

 I HAVE been there. I found a place to stay with my son and my dogs within a matter of a few days. These were acquaintences, not even close friends. I kept working. The main thing is to keep working. Even if you have to change jobs, keep working. Go on overdrive and find a safe place to be by all possible means.

Plus, I had a broken foot (bad boyfriend, I ended up homeless because "home" wasn't safe). I would have started looking for women's shelters if I hadn't found another place.

Too many people play games the way that woman in the article is doing. Won't ask kids for help? BS BS BS

She doesn't need to be whining! She needs to stop the pity party and use the resources she has. 

You have to be PRACTICAL. You take charge and take care of yourself. Work your a** off!

Not every homeless person is capable of this. People who are disabled, mentally ill etc. NEED help and can't step up and work their way out of it. These are the folks that break my heart! 

ok, given that she HAS a vehicle, and can afford the gas for it at the moment (i mean, all she's paying for basically is food, right?) she needs to drive to a town with a LOWER COST OF LIVING and get an apartment there. Work at McDonald's in the meantime. Something. Fast food places are always hiring and they're going to pay at least $7 an hour. How is cooking your dogs in the car called compassionate?  This woman has options, she just wants to live in a city where it is obnoxiously expensive. Yes, it sucks that she had a good job and now she'll have to work crappy ones, but I think making your dog live in your car on this long term basis is ridiculous.

Suzzie

 she needs to drive to a town with a LOWER COST OF LIVING and get an apartment there.   This woman has options, she just wants to live in a city where it is obnoxiously expensive.

Umm.  She's living in CA.  There's no such thing as a "lower cost of living" here.  There are only some places where it's even more ridiculously expensive than others.  She could get on a waiting list (and wait and wait and wait) for subsidized housing, but until then she won't find an apartment for much under $1,000 a month. That $7.00 an hour is going to be much less when taxes, SS, etc. are taken out and before she can get in anywhere she'll need to come up with first, last and deposit - not to mention finding a place that will take dogs - and if she's lucky enough to find one that does, she'll have to pay a hefty pet deposit, too.

Joyce

Cook.MN

Gizmo83036

fitzfids

I would do it too in a heartbeat rather than give my dogs up.  Almost "been there" once or twice.

 

I wouldn't. It isn't fair to the dogs. Most people here preach about exercise, mental and physical stimulation, not getting a dog if you can't afford one, etc... These situations contradict everything about giving a dog a proper home. It's admirable that people try to keep their animals, but honestly, it's no life for the dogs. Those dogs stay in the car all day - and the weather is getting hot!

In some cases I think people need to get themselves back on their feet so they and their pets can be comfortable instead of subjecting their pets to that kind of life.

And I have been there. Fortunately I was able to give the pets to family who either still have them, or gave them back to me when I was stable again. It's sad because in some cases those pets may be all that person has... but the pets shouldn't have to suffer for it.

 

While I do agree with the fact that getting a dog when you can barely afford yourself, this is why shelters are seeing such an influx of companion animals recently.  So I would rather sleep in the car with my dog then have her go to a shelter and possibly be put down because there are just too many companion animals needing homes. 

 

I would live under a rock before I would give up my dogs.  The only way I would part with them is if I could no longer feed them or pay their medical costs.  There are ways to keep the hot sun from frying you or the dogs (solar cover, about $80, covers the whole vehicle and keeps it 15 degrees cooler - I use at seminars when my dogs are crated in the vehicle).  When the powers that be realize that people will refuse housing due to animals, maybe they will relax their arbitrary rules about animals in housing! 
 

I dont think its that horrible. I bet if the dog had a chance to speak he'd say he rather stick with her. The dog is not being abused by any means and it sounds like the lady is doing the best she can, who's to say putting the dog in a shelter would be better for either party involved and I also think just because this lady fell on hard times dosnt mean we have the rigth to say she should give the dog up.

Unconditional love is a rare thing in life and maybe the dogs gives her hope. I've also witnessed a few times over that homeless peopel care for their dogs better then they care for themselves.

 i'm sorry, i was under the assumption that her car could drive further than california. And as others mentioned - she could cash the thing in, buy something less expensive (and that uses less gas) and there is some instant cash too. She was paying a million bucks to live at her current place - how could she afford to stay in CA making $8 an hour? It sounds more like she selfishly wants to stay somewhere she can't afford (the article mentions how she doesn't have enough "yet" for an apartment) rather than go somewhere in her new price range. Nobody wants to uproot, but sometimes life's circumstances change things like that.

no one can tell me that it's "so hard" to do what I'm suggesting - because I used to make that much, and you can live on it. Was it hard? Yes. Did my dogs have to live in a car? No. Did I have taxes et al taken out of my check? Yes. And amazingly, I made it through. I had some times of Ramen Noodles and Pork and beans, but I did it. PLUS she is getting social security benefits! One of my friends got social security and she had a part time job at a pet store making minimum wage, and she made out fine. And pet deposits are dependent upon where you rent from - I've seen as much as $250, but I've seen as little as $100. These are the sacrifices we make for our dogs. Right now she's not making any, it's her dogs who are sacrificing.

A solar cover keeps it 15 degrees cooler, okay, I will allow that... so when it's baking in the summer sun, that means it'll only be 120 degrees inside the car? It's funny how most of you will later complain about someone leaving their dog in a car for ten minutes on a hot day; she's leaving them in there all day.

Suzzie

no one can tell me that it's "so hard" to do what I'm suggesting

Well, it is hard.  Not impossible, but most likely extremely difficult.  She's an older woman.  We don't know what her former job was or what job skills she has. Employers aren't lining up to hire people in her age bracket.  If she needs  to take some classes to hone her job skills, she'll have to save up for that.  She may not be driving her  car at all except to go in and out of the locked parking area. Social Security is nice bit of extra cash, but no way is enough to live on, even with a minimum wage job. It's possible that she was born in CA or has been here most of her life.  Where else would she go? Would she even be able to afford the gas to leave the state? Is her car in good enough condition to make the trip?  It's quite a drive from Santa Barbara to OR, AZ or NV and when she got there she'd still be living in her car but possibly without the security of a safe place to sleep at night. I don't know about other states, but I've seen pet deposits on apartments here as high as $500+.  My guess is that she'd need anywhere from $3,000 to $3,500 just to get into an apartment. I'm thinking that at some point things will start to fall into place for her, but in the meantime she's probably better off staying right where she is. Solutions are never quite as easy as they sound.

Joyce

fuzzy_dogs_mom

I'm thinking that at some point things will start to fall into place for her, but in the meantime she's probably better off staying right where she is. Solutions are never quite as easy as they sound.

Joyce

I completely agree with you Joyce. As bad as the economy is and as devastating as it must be to have to live in your car, I'm glad that they at least have set up something where these women can feel safe at night. As someone born and raised in California, I honestly can't imagine packing up and starting over somewhere else. I truly hope that the economy takes a turn for the better soon. So many people are suffering right now. I just heard on the nightly national news that gas could easily be $5 or $6 by the end of summer

Well, if we're not anything else, us dog people are a practical group, are we not?  Her dogs are not hurting...look at the Golden closest to the photographer, a freshly shaven forearm means the dog has been to the vet at least, very recently.  Perhaps the vet is the one who called the reporters to begin with and got the article started? 

I agree with the poster who stated I would still not put my dogs into the already overburdened shelter system.  Also, not everyone has goldens or even a breed with a rescue.  Sadly, two of my four dogs would likely be PTS due to breed prejudice in half the counties in America if put into a general shelter.  This is the reality of where most dogs would end up, not breed rescue. 

AuroraLove

I dont think its that horrible. I bet if the dog had a chance to speak he'd say he rather stick with her. The dog is not being abused by any means and it sounds like the lady is doing the best she can, who's to say putting the dog in a shelter would be better for either party involved and I also think just because this lady fell on hard times dosnt mean we have the rigth to say she should give the dog up.

Unconditional love is a rare thing in life and maybe the dogs gives her hope. I've also witnessed a few times over that homeless peopel care for their dogs better then they care for themselves.

I totally agree with this.  I think that both of my dogs would rather be with their "pack" than split up and stuffed into a kennel at a shelter, where Sally would likely be euthed due to her timidness and breed and Jack would likely be euthed due to the care he requires for his elbow dysplasia.  Personally, I think both of them would prefer living in a car with us to spending their last days in a noisy, scary shelter separated from everyone that is familiar to them.  

I had also noticed the shaved leg and figured the dog had been to the vet recently.  I have golden s and I know they are such PEOPLE dogs, that given a choice these two would rather stay with her in the car than in a shelter.  However I do worry about them in summer heat.  Never been to that area so have no idea just how hot it does get.  Hopefully things will get better for her in a hurry.

It had also crossed my mind about her moving to another state, then thought that very possibily she doesn't have the money .  At least she has a job where she is.  If she moved, she would have to find a safe place to park and live in with  her and also find a job.  I also considered about her trading in her vehicle and getting a small car.  But then where would she and the dogs sleep?Maybe she is scared to leave some place she has always known, scared of what a new place would be like.  If she had funds to get there, would she be able to find a job, would she find a safe place to park and live with her dogs.  Jut so much uncertainlty.

She may not be able to get another car. Even if your car is no more than a few years old, you won't get more than a few grand trade-in and you will end up owing payments. That leaves the option of selling to a private party. Where do you keep the dogs while trying to sell the car and then find a used, smaller car? If her car is paid for, she might best off leaving it as it is, for now.

As for driving out of state, fine. Anyone one care to chip in for gas to get her as far as even Texas? (deafening silence punctuated by the chirping of crickets was the reply.) On average, I think it gets hotter in the deep South, including Texas than it does on the West Coast, primarily due to the flow of humidity from the Gulf of Mexico.

OTOH, DW's daughter, hubbie, and new baby seem to live well on not a lot by living in Oregon. Anyone want to help her get to Oregon? Start an account just for gas money and send her an ATM card she can use just for the gas purchases? How are she and the dogs going to eat on the way? (More crickets.)

I think she's doing as well as any of us could do in similar circumstances.

     I agree it is a sad situation, but how can a person approaching retirement age continue to live in a place that takes 3/4 of her income?  She had to know she was living on the edge. To me the saddest thing is being too proud to ask for help! That is part of the joy of family and friends, the knowledge that if things go wrong, somebodies got your back.

     My husband and I work construction, and we constantly keep in touch with our most vunerable people. If they get laid off, we try to help find another job. If they are short of cash, we give them a loan until payday. In short, it becomes an extension of family.

     Imagine!  Parking lots full of people, all alone in their misery!  Why don't they make friends, pool their resources, and try to change their living conditions!

 Great points, dstull.

 Is this woman mental? WHY does she not ask her family for help?

 I've been there, you HAVE to ask for help. This is not a time to be stiff-necked.

Is she waiting for a bunch of lawsuit money or something? You have to wonder...