Puppies paired with panhandlers in S.F. to curb homelessness

I lived in San Francisco in the 60’s, then visited frequently until the mid 80’s. In 95, I went back for a few days, went over to Powell and Market to catch a cablecar, and was literally mobbed by about fifty homeless demanding money. Pretty sad what it’s come to, used to be a great place.

Not judging, just making a calculated observation. That is one of those dog lovers photos that gets passed around facebook/interwebs. I just think it’s unlikely to be candid.

That said, saddling a panhandler with a dog seems to me to be another one of those well-intentioned but stupid ideas. Panhandlers work the street and giving them a dog and rather a lot of money to supposedly care for the dog/gain a friend(?) is not going to turn out like they plan. They may have a couple of success stories, but it’s far more likely IMHO that the money will primarily not be spent on the dog, and the dog will be a prop at best.

If you are having trouble taking care of yourself, do you really need/want the responsibility of an animal as well? Especially if you may not have a home? Couldn’t that money be better spent on coping skills training, job training, food, clothing, medication, mentoring, whatever?
Especially since often shelter dogs have behavior problems, are of indeterminate temperament, etc etc. I think they may have said puppies but that makes even less sense to me.

I agree...giving panhandlers a living creature to care for is stupidity beyond the limits of stupid.

I’ve seen too many panhandlers close up, having worked in downtown Las Vegas, and I learned quickly not to carry cash. If I were having a bad day, it was not uncommon for me to tell them to “get a job.” Of course, THAT got some colorful responses!

I am getting extremely ticked off at these liberal creeps. First the moochbots (”occupiers”) put their pets in harm’s way by taking them to ows flops & riots, now this. No question it works (to have a dog or 2 with them) to get people to give money to panhandlers. I am furious at the pre-meditated exploitation of these animals.
It just doesn’t get a lot sicker than this. “Afterwards” give them a home? What. They hadn’t been through enough?

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