Meet Donald and his dog Vegas! Most of us want to believe we’d do anything for our pets, but would we go so far as being homeless? Rather than giving up his dog, one man chose giving up affordable housing instead. This person has since found a rooming house that allows his dog, but after paying rent his disability income leaves less than $200 a month to live on. 

In response to such devotion, friends and volunteers of Animal Rescue Konnection (ARK) have set up an Amazon wish list where donors can choose an item to help Donald and his dog Vegas with necessities we take for granted. You’d be helping a person who is reluctant to take anything for himself, but sets aside pride for Vegas, a person who feeds his dog before himself. 

Animal shelters and rescues like ARK get lots of pleas from dog owners trying to rehome an animal they can no longer keep, but ARK recently intervened in a case that was much different from any ordinary plea. 

This story highlights one man’s heart-wrenching testimonial about the importance of training and socializing your dog. Donald has a disabling illness and lives off Supplemental Security Income (SSI). He has little means but is rich in one thing – friendship. His dog Vegas has been his constant companion for several years. He and Vegas have been through it all: sickness, poverty, apartment break-ins, court-mandated eviction, and homelessness. Some of these hardships have caused Vegas to be overprotective of his owner, but that loyalty can be unhealthy. Without training and socialization skills, Vegas is intimidating and does not want people coming near Donald. 

Neighbors in his subsidized housing complex complained about Vegas and after several warnings to get rid of his dog, Donald received an eviction notice. About this time the right people learned of Donald’s situation and one of them contacted ARK for help. As a rescue specializing in re-homing hard-to-place dogs, often with emotional or behavioral issues, ARK hired a trainer to assess Vegas. The goal was to define Vegas’ behavior for two scenarios. One, to re-home Vegas, or two, to provide Donald with leverage with the housing authority and court in hopes he could keep both his home and dog. Though Vegas is manageable when Donald is not around, he goes into guarding mode when Donald is with him. Unfortunately, the trainer determined Vegas too aggressive to evaluate and there was not enough time to rehabilitate Vegas to be safely re-homed or to be in a better state to appease the court. 

Donald’s court date did arrive and the judge rightfully determined that Donald must relinquish Vegas to animal control for euthanasia to remain in housing, he must. Donald chose to be homeless because euthanizing Vegas was out of the question. So the two lived in a tent while Donald searched for housing with no breed restrictions. Vegas is a pit bull, one of many marginalized breeds a zero tolerance.* They soon found a place in a rooming house in Stoughton, MA where they live on $190 per month after rent. The room is not government subsidized and rents at market rate. 

Donald and Vegas are doing well and so far there have been no complaints at his new residence. Plans are being made to provide Vegas with professional dog training. People close to his situation have donated food and supplies, but there’s much more the dog owner community can do to show how much we admire their loyalty to one another. 

* Most well-known animal welfare organizations and all shelters and rescues prefer judging dogs as individuals rather than banning entire breeds. Breed restrictions are taken too far in most cases, making it difficult for owners to get housing or afford insurance. People with little means like Donald are most affected. 

by Diane Swift