A photo project that reveals life with pets

In a new study, people experiencing homelessness with their pets document their lives in photographs and participate in interviews to reveal their experiences and inform support efforts. It may be possible. Jemina Garland-Lewis of the University of Washington in Seattle and her colleagues are publishing the project in an open access journal. Pro Swan March 13, 2024.

Owning a pet while experiencing homelessness can improve physical and mental health and provide social benefits. However, facilities with restricted pet access can present unique challenges, including difficulty accessing medical care, shelter, and other services. Owners often choose to forego services in order to live with and care for their pets, but many face harassment from people who consider them “unfit” to have pets. Masu.

Proposed initiatives to address these barriers argue for the importance of changing public perceptions of this population. To explore how such changes can be made, Garland-Lewis and colleagues conducted the PhotoVoice Project. This is a research method that asks community members to take photos that can help better understand a particular issue and promote change. They recruited pet owners experiencing homelessness in the Seattle area. A total of 19 participants of various ages, genders, and living situations recorded their daily lives in his more than 900 images.

After reviewing the photos and interviewing participants, the researchers identified key themes. These are the physical and mental health benefits of the human-animal bond, the importance and strength of the bond itself, and how it motivates daily activities and positive changes. Things like staying sober and finding housing.

The project also reaffirmed the known challenges facing this population. Participants shared their own recommendations for improving services and policies, such as increasing public education about pet food banks and service animal laws.

The photos were shown to more than 500 people, including policy makers, service providers and the general public. Some Housing viewers reported a positive change in attitudes towards homeless community members with pets.

Researchers say the project increases empathy and increases the potential for efforts to help people experiencing homelessness and their pets, particularly around health and housing.

The authors add: “Participants who experienced homelessness with pets created more than 900 photographs during this study. Their images, stories, and themes taken together provide a deeper understanding of homelessness with pets, and the need for housing. It increases empathy and potential for policies that benefit the health of people and pets in times of uncertainty.”

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When reporting, please use this URL to access the article, which is available for free. Pro Swan: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295588

Quote: Garland-Lewis G, Scott E, Ramirez V, Rabinowitz P (2024) Shifting the Focus: A Photovoice exploration of the benefits and obstacles of owning a pet while experiencing homelessness. PLoS ONE 19(3): e0295588. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295588

Author's country: united states of america

Funding: This study was funded by a pilot project grant from the University of Washington Population Health Initiative (https://www.washington.edu/populationhealth/). Author Recipient Peter Rabinowitz. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.