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Puppies paired with panhandlers in S.F. to curb homelessness
LA Times ^ | June 14, 2012 | Maria L. LaGanga

Posted on 06/16/2012 8:39:11 PM PDT by Innovative

A new program in San Francisco will pair carefully selected dogs from shelters with panhandlers in an effort to steer the latter away from asking for money on the streets and keep the animals from being euthanized.

The temporary guardians (the words "pet" and "owner" are frowned upon in San Francisco) will receive weekly stipends of $50 to $75 and must agree to jettison their cardboard signs in the pilot project believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

The program, scheduled to start in August, is called WOOF, short for Wonderful Opportunities for Occupants and Fidos. The animals will eventually be placed in permanent homes.

"I can't make panhandling go away," said Bevan Dufty, one of the plan's architects. "But I can make a better offer."

(Excerpt) Read more at latimesblogs.latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; US: California
KEYWORDS: doggieping; dogs; homeless; napl; panhandlers; penhandlers; puppies; sanfrancisco; verybadidea; woof
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To: Innovative

Those poor dogs have already had it rough, and now the liberals are going to do this to them. How sad.


41 posted on 06/16/2012 10:48:06 PM PDT by pallis
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To: Innovative

Photo of dog with sign propped up against it that reads “give me your spare change or the dog gets it” coming up in 24 hours or less.


42 posted on 06/17/2012 12:29:58 AM PDT by ArmstedFragg (hoaxy dopey changey)
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To: Innovative

The reason people are chronically homeless is because in some way they are rejecting societal norms in a dysfunctional way. We have a large homeless population where I live. There ARE hard workers temporarily homeless, and it is shocking and upsetting. They probably have their own dogs they are worried about caring for.

The chronically homeless fight, are drunk/stoned, and/or mentally ill. (My fave here has a sign, “Why lie? I need a drink”) To put some poor dog out on the street with them would be a disaster.


43 posted on 06/17/2012 1:28:59 AM PDT by I still care (I miss my friends, bagels, and the NYC skyline - but not the taxes. I love the South.)
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To: I still care

The insanity never ends with the libs. I can tell you which “homeless” person owns which intersection on the Las Vegas strip. Now in San Fran. they’re going to pan handle for a dog, too? Or will the dog be used to drive the point home it’s their intersection? Seriously, I think someone is putting drugs in my water.


44 posted on 06/17/2012 1:42:14 AM PDT by pops88 (Standing with Breitbart for truth.)
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To: Innovative
I live in a very small town/ city. several times a month I see a couple with the skinniest @ss dog I have ever seen near the Walmart entrance or by the I81 with a sign saying "Homeless, won't you help?"

They have a great scam going.

45 posted on 06/17/2012 3:45:08 AM PDT by verga (Party like it is 1773)
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To: Slings and Arrows
On the face of it, this is an absurd idea.

OTOH, I understand that these are *formerly* homeless people, who would be getting the dogs. Perhaps this will be the only *love* these people ever know.

What kind of a hideous *agency/bureaucracy* is going to be created to monitor this program? Oi!

46 posted on 06/17/2012 4:01:08 AM PDT by Daffynition (Our forefathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: Innovative

ROFL...money to spend on drugs, booze whatever...and starving pups on the street. Oh yeah, this has SUCCESS written all over it /s. I’m still laughing.


47 posted on 06/17/2012 4:07:02 AM PDT by Conservative4Ever (The Obamas = rude, crude and socially unacceptable)
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To: Daffynition

The dogs might love the people, but will the love be reciprocated? Given my experience with human nature and bureaucracies, I can’t imagine this will end well.


48 posted on 06/17/2012 4:12:31 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: Innovative
"they just want the money and will probably starve the dogs."

They actually learned something from Florida. Now they have the Terry Schiavo answer to their pound problem.

49 posted on 06/17/2012 4:21:00 AM PDT by mazda77 (and I am a Native Texan)
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To: 2111USMC

Having a parade where they walk around with each other on a leash is perfectly acceptable in SF.

You’re right.

They’re nuts.


50 posted on 06/17/2012 4:22:57 AM PDT by IMR 4350
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To: Slings and Arrows

They aren’t pairing panhandlers up with well-behaved animals, either. Giving mentally ill or addicted people who are struggling to manage their own lives the fearful and “rowdy” pups probably won’t end well for some of them.


51 posted on 06/17/2012 4:38:43 AM PDT by Nickname
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To: Nickname

Good point. This program is a bad idea on more levels than I can count.


52 posted on 06/17/2012 4:43:20 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: Slings and Arrows
I agree. It's another LIEberal idea destined for disaster. A part of me, always *feels* for someone homeless. In a country full of social programs, I always wonder what was the *tipping point* for someone who is homeless....and *where* was the safety net that would have helped that person. Now the homeless can come to Rhode Island which has passed a bill to guarantee *rights of homeless people*. Heaven save us!

Roughly 643,000 people are homeless on any given night in the United States, experts say.

53 posted on 06/17/2012 4:45:21 AM PDT by Daffynition (Our forefathers would be shooting by now.)
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To: Daffynition

If I had to guess, I would say that photo is staged.
For one, his beard is very neatly trimmed although it appears to have one day stubble beyond the trim.
His outer clothes are dirty but his white undershirt appears brand new.
His hands aren’t weathered, and look like an office worker’s hands.


54 posted on 06/17/2012 4:52:32 AM PDT by visualops (artlife.us)
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To: Innovative
These beggars will take the dogs, to get the weekly money, then sell them on CraigsList.
55 posted on 06/17/2012 4:53:35 AM PDT by varon (The Patriots stand watch!)
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To: Innovative

Hey, hey buddy, you got pay to pet my dog...I take likker, dime bags, and half eaten sandwiches...


56 posted on 06/17/2012 5:03:29 AM PDT by Molon Labbie (Prep. Now. Live Healthy, take your Shooting Iron daily.)
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To: Innovative

“Wonderful Opportunities for Occupants and Fidos”

Um, you’re doing it wrong.


57 posted on 06/17/2012 5:05:46 AM PDT by servo1969
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To: Innovative

This is a funny way to stop panhandling, I am always more inclined to give money to a bum with a dog than a bum by himself.


58 posted on 06/17/2012 6:29:54 AM PDT by Ditter
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To: Nervous Tick
yup... and lucky if the dogs don't starve to death
59 posted on 06/17/2012 6:41:31 AM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: re_nortex
California is the Cereal State: The Land of Fruits, Nuts and Flakes.it. We should encourage it to secede.
60 posted on 06/17/2012 7:32:32 AM PDT by Monkey Face (Be yourself. Everyone else is taken!)
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