Invisible needy

[sweetana3]

We have an animal advocacy group here helping our city animal control officers with the huge backlog they have. The volunteers make visits on low priority animal welfare calls. (they also run the pet food monthly pantry that provides over 3 tons of food a month)

What they are starting to find is humans needing help. One woman was living on a relative's porch with her pitbull in 95 degree heat. Another older homeless man, in addition to help for his two starving dogs, needed help himself. It is a very sad job. The animals in need had been called in as needing help but the owners themselves needed as much help.

Another find is our volunteer group started talking to each person bringing in animals to the pound. They have found some just need to access resources/knowledge to save the animals. Many families have saved their family pets with the help and information given.

[Yppej]

What a good organization.

[razz]

Sounds like a wonderful community response, listening and responding to the need rather than a hierarchy of an organization.

[happystuff]

So is this organization for needy pets also helping the needy humans? Is the woman still living on the porch? Is the man still homeless? Are other organizations being bought into the fold to help all? Just wondering about how the administration for the help has changed in response to what the "needy pet" organization is finding.

[sweetana3]

They can give referral information and contact other organizations but that is the limit of their ability. Because what is there on the scene are two VOLUNTEERs who are ordinary citizens with an interest in helping answer animal welfare calls. It is also a private charitable group receiving zero public funds. They have no financial resources to provide immediate direct help. Referral is all they can do. I do not know whether the official animal control officers do more.

They do have access to several very active organizations for the homeless here but it still takes some form of action by the individuals when given the info or action by the other organizations. The homeless man was well known by the police and other organizations as are many in our downtown area. These organizations probably are the ones calling Animal Control about the animals involved.

My post is how so many are pretty invisible to the general population, like me, but such sad situations exist. These VOLUNTEERS did not go out expecting to find humans in as much need as their animals. It is a new program for this group. They do a big animal food pantry and survey low income districts for animals in need of fencing to get them off chains. If you want to read the stories it is: Friends of Indianapolis Dogs Outside (FIDO) on Facebook.

[JaneV2.0]

I'm impressed and grateful for such people, sweetana.

[razz]

Each of use can do similar invisible activities if we choose. There may be isolated individuals who need simple daily contact to ensure that they feel validated, others need a ride to outings occasionally or bringing them books etc from the local library. We just need to look.

The saddest stories are when a news report explains that a body was found months later, decomposed, because their bills were on auto-pay and no one knew that they were dead or even missing,

[sweetana3]

Razz, something similiar to that happened at my motherinlaw's senior community. A man was found dead in his apartment and had been dead for a number of days. So they all had a meeting to discuss what they can do to prevent this and many formed "watch out for neighbors" groups. I know mom was saved because her neighbors did not see her and kept knocking until she opened the door. They immediately got her to the hospital. (should have called 911 but they know now to do that). It is dangerous for the introverted isolated individuals that seldom leave their apartments.

[JaneV2.0]

Maybe I should wear a toe tag for just this eventuality...

[Teacher Terry]

When I lived in a condo the old lady above me died but her brother in law and sister lived above her so they noticed. Then the other sister died and Ted was alone. I saw Ted on his birthday and he was headed to a casino alone for his free meal. He was such a nice guy. A few weeks later his relatives call me because he was supposed to be in Florida but never arrived. I checked the parking lot and his car was there. I pounded on the door and no answer so I call the police. Ted had died like a week before.