Howe, Lara and Easterbrook, Matthew J (2018) The perceived costs and benefits of pet ownership for homeless people in the UK: practical costs, psychological benefits and vulnerability. Journal of Poverty, 22 (6). pp. 486-499. ISSN 1087-5549

PDF - Accepted Version Download (226kB)

Abstract

We sought to understand why many homeless people own pets despite the associated costs. Thematic analyses of interviews with seven homeless pet-owners indicated that interviewees perceived—not always accurately—that their pets limited their mobility and access to services. However, this was seen as a worthwhile cost for the companionship and sense of responsibility their pets provided, which increased resilience and enabled a reduction in substance abuse. Pet ownership also rendered interviewees psychologically vulnerable as the loss of a pet was highly traumatic and ignited coping mechanisms. We discuss the implications for homeless support services in the UK.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Homelessness; Pets; Rough Sleepers; Psychological support, Vulnerability
Schools and Departments:	School of Psychology > Psychology
Depositing User:	Ellena Adams
Date Deposited:	21 Mar 2018 11:14
Last Modified:	20 Oct 2019 01:00
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/74580

View download statistics for this item

📧 Request an update