Empowering the Victoria community to care for animals: Addressing the gaps in services for pet guardians experiencing poverty and homelessness
Date
2026
Authors
Hamill, Emma
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Abstract
Victoria, BC has one of Canada’s highest per-capita homelessness populations. With visible pet ownership among this group, their experience is intensified by rising living costs, scarce affordable and pet friendly housing and limited access to animal-related supports. Partnering with the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA) as it shifts toward a community-care model, this project examined how local services can better support vulnerable guardians, reduce stigma, and strengthen supports. Using a mixed-methods design, data was collected in the Spring of 2025 from 33 service users and 8 service providers through trauma informed, accessible questionnaires, supplemented by publicly available organizational information. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis, resulting in 11 themes and 10 subthemes that highlighted strong emotional bonds and reciprocal relationships, substantial structural barriers particularly veterinary costs and access and widespread appreciation for low-barrier compassionate services. Service providers reported diverse offerings but faced chronic limitations including funding shortages, veterinary capacity constraints, foster shortages, and geographic barriers. These findings led to the development of the Victoria Pet Survival Guide. This guide is purposefully written in plain language, intended to be available digitally and physically accessible as a resource consolidating information on veterinary care, pet-friendly housing, emergency boarding, food banks, and lost and found supports. The project identifies opportunities for expanded services, cross-sector collaboration, mobile and low-cost veterinary initiatives, and broader advocacy to reduce systemic barriers. Together, this work provides a practical tool and strategic direction for improving community-based animal welfare supports and helping keep people and their pets together.
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homelessness, pet guardianship, companion animals, human-animal bonds, housing, vet access, animal welfare, community services, one-health, poverty and homelessness, gaps analysis, Victoria, BC