The Street Dog Coalition is a Colorado-based nonprofit founded by veterinarian Jon Geller whose mission is to provide free veterinary care and related services to pets of people affected by homelessness. Dr. Geller began providing care through street clinics in Ft. Collins in 2015 and has since expanded to mentor and provide supplies to licensed, volunteer veterinarians willing to lead clinics in their communities. The Street Dog Coalition partnered with the AVMA in July for a clinic at the Denver convention in July, read more about it at https://www.avma.org/News/JAVMANews/Pages/180901a.aspx.
The Honolulu Street Dog Coalition clinics are led by Aleisha Swartz, DVM and Jerrisa Ching, DVM, who have started providing veterinary care, such as vaccinations, parasite control and treatment of minor medical concerns for pets in houseless communities. Previously at the Punawai Rest Stop in Iwilei, the Honolulu Street Dog Coalition currently hosts clinics at the St. Augustine Church in Waikiki. The Honolulu Street Dog Coalition is collaborating with the Hawaii H.O.M.E. Project and other partners to provide these services in O’ahu.
According to the 2022 Point-In-Time Count, there’s approximately 4,000 people experiencing homelessness in the state of Hawaii. Among this group, 28% of this population owns one or more pets.
If you are interested in more information on how to support this effort, volunteering at the Honolulu clinics, or starting a clinic on a neighbor island, contact Aleisha or Jerrisa at honolulu@thestreetdogcoalition.org. Support staff are welcome to volunteer. For more information about The Street Dog Coalition, visit their website https://www.thestreetdogcoalition.org/.