>

IDK bruh I tried housing more homeless people than adopted animals in my life.
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My parents brought in a lady who had accidentally burned down her apartment (fell asleep with a candle lit) when I was a kid. 
She brought her cat to live with us too, and I remember us spending a lot of time in the backyard listening to and talking about birds.
She died less than a year later from a combo of cancer and pneumonia, my parents later told me that she refused chemo treatment.
Overall, I think she was just grateful to have a safe space to spend the last little bit of her life. >

The amount of people who can afford a cat > the amount of people who can afford a fully grown human
Crazy huh >

I'd be very interested to see the math on this >

Cat = 10
Human = 20
20-10=10
Human is 100% more expensive. >

This made me laugh a lot harder than I think it probably should have >

I'm pleased it made you laugh; and also possibly a little insulted lol
Regardless, you can't deny the math checks out. >

r/TheyDidTheMath >

Happy cake day >

Thank you! >

You're welcome >

I actually did this once. Took in a guy, gave him a bed. Helped him get up on his feet. 
He's doing well now, has a place and got custody of his son. We're good mates. 
Homeless people are still people. >

Congrats. I’m glad it worked out. 
I helped out an old friend who was at risk of homelessness due to some (we didn’t know about) mental health issues. 
We got him in touch with social workers and a jobs program and a temporary housing program. 
Turns out he was taking the paperwork I helped him with and throwing it out in the bin out back instead of handing it in. He was convinced it was signing him up for organ harvesting or something. 
He made a huge mess, was really difficult to live with and after almost 3 months when I said he’d have to explore other options for where to stay, he called me a “little bitch” and stole $8k worth of electronics. 
Last I heard he had assaulted a social worker who tried to get him housing assistance and who had arranged mental health treatment options and was in an encampment and on some kind of drugs.
1/10 Definitely wouldn’t do again. >

Stray dogs don't have tenant's rights. >

Stray dogs also don’t steal $8K worth of electronics. >

Or call you lil bitch... cause I mean,  that was the worst part for me.  
... im Mr big bitch silly dog! >

I took in a homeless person once. I got robbed as a thank you. Animals don't pull that shit. >

When a stray dog bites you, you don’t get mad as that’s what dogs do >

I think stray dogs biting you is exactly why most people don’t take in stray dogs >

You don’t have to let ‘em in your house 
I took in a stray and they just lived in the yard >

Probably isn’t socially acceptable to move the homeless from the street to your yard though >

What about a reinforced soundproof basement with a steel door >

I’m calling the police.. >

No no no. It was just a social experiment! >

Oh, in that case, here's your Netflix documentary. >

Not against it. HOWEVER (The reason behind it not being popular could be)… strays, typically, don’t possess the mental health and drug difficulties someone adopting a homeless would probably encounter. Less potential issues to remedy. >

A lot of stray dogs do have severe mental health issues, but the ways we are allowed to handle - and get rid of - dogs are a lot more permissive. And as you say there’s less in their lives to take care of >

I work in a shelter. Outside the shelter are the homeless who enjoy homelessness. I use "enjoy" lightly, but then again, they never seek actual help. Some are foster kids who are aged out of foster care. That's the saddest situation because the only care they received was from the foster system, and now they are in a place where they have no one, and it quickly leads to addiction. >

That’s right, because adopting a stray cat or dog is much simpler than adopting a homeless person. 
Take in a stray animal, patch it up and let it get comfortable in a happy warm house filled with food and attention if they want it and the pet will likely warm up and if not just live with you like a demanding roommate. I have some cats that were abused and or starved before I got them, some days are a struggle but I have the tools to help them out. 
Take in a homeless person and discover why they are homeless, it’s not because someone threw them out of the house because they were allergic. They probably have mental health issues and or addictions issues. A can of tuna, space and a bit of time will not help, these folks need resources for addictions recovery, trauma therapy and a feasible way to find their own housing and a stable job. They also have to want to get better. This is on top of dealing with what can be extremely disruptive and destructive behaviour of the folks on myself and my family as they sort themselves out. 
The primary support network for people who are at risk of homelessness is family, then friends and finally a very imperfect community funded social support system. If you want to help people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness donate money to your local charities which are focused on this, vote for people who have feasible homeless mitigation ideas in their platform. Don’t vote for people who say there is an easy solution or that homeless people deserve it or it’s hopeless so why bother. >

Could not agree more. Most communities aren’t willing to tackle the root causes of homelessness. >

Most communities don't seem to even give a fuck. That mentality of 'they are homeless for a reason'...I have met some homeless people in Chicago though, that enjoy being homeless >

Everyone says its better to get a shelter dog. People who get shelter dogs are heros they say. But when i go to the women's shelter to find a girlfriend....
(Paraphrased kyle kinane) >

You can't own a person and have power of attorney over them and have them obey all your commands and give you all of their love and attention while having them be absolutely loyal to you. >

THANK YOU — I was in this thread looking for someone to be like ‘… because you can’t own a grown-ass human & control their every waking moment?’ >

That's cuz it's a coin flip.
50% chance of getting a friend for life.
50% chance of getting robbed or assaulted.
I'm as empathetic as the next guy, more so even...
But I don't like those odds. >

They tend to object when you take them to the vet for the spay/neuter, and their leash manners are terrible.  Makes it difficult to bond. >

The thought of letting a stranger live in my house makes me way too anxious, homeless or not. Can't trust someone I've never met. >

A minority of homeless people are violent bastards. It is a major reason why being homeless is so unpleasant. >

same is true for strays >

Stray cats are some of the most brutal animals I’ve seen
Some of the big males looking like they hit the gym daily >

Excuse me,,,,,I have had male ferals. In fact Wally is my favorite cat. He has been in a fight or two. He is also kind and gentle. Too old to neuter. There is no such thing as a brutal or bad cat.Just misunderstood. I never met a cat I didn’t love. I am the neighborhood cat lady!!! Yep the older woman surrounded by cats 24/7. >

I mean, the cost is pretty different. As is the space they take up. It’s pretty reasonable. Plus, it’d be weird to have a human as a pet >

Twilight Zone. “ Stopover in a Quiet Town”.1964. Two humans captured by aliens to be pets to a colossal little girl. >

Adopting a stray cat won't result in your TV being sold at the nearest pawn shop >

Stray pets won’t steal your valuables, leave needles on the floor, or assault you in a drunken rampage. >

Or make you pass out, only to awaken stripped to your underwear next to an alley. >

Dry specific >

It beats being wet and specific. >

I don't know anyone who had that happen, it's just a joke from someone I know irl. >

I’m sympathetic to the homeless, but taking one into your home is incredibly dangerous. The vast majority of homeless people in the US are either mentally ill or suffering addiction. It’s the government’s job to help them, not common citizens. >

The SAMHSA disagrees based on their factual findings. They found that 30% had severe mental health issues and 50% had substance abuse issues. >

Not far off from what I said. Did you read the entire findings? 
It is a risk factor, and homelessness CAUSES both, so you're confounding variables. 
It is still not a significant cause of homelessness. Places with abundant affordable housing, that have the same rates of mental health and substance abuse issues have substantially lower rates of homelessness. >

The thing is, regardless of which factor causes the other, addiction and mental health issues will not just disappear the second you give someone a home. Therefore, they will be dealing with these things while they are in your house, which can be quite dangerous, especially if you do not know the extent of them >

Well adopting an animal is more popular than adopting a child. >

Let a homeless dude stay. He assaulted me in my own bed. F**ker. I am not traumatized. Just angry >

Fundamentally, our culture has become far more sensitized to dogs and animals than humans.
If you read 2 news stories where in one, a person was murdered and in the other, a dog was killed, people will aaaw all over the latter and never think twice about the death of a person. >

This is true. I will actually check first if the dog/cat/kid character will survive in the movie as I dont feel like bawling my eyes out. >

A dog doesn’t have a chance of stealing my shit, killing me, or being high/drunk off their ass. I would love to give help like that to someone, but I also understand the risks. I’m not capable of taking that risk. >

Just like more people adopt kittens and puppies than adult animals, more people wanna raise children than bring home a homeless person. 
Besides, homeless people don't really need to be "adopted" so much as given the resources they need to actually survive. >

A homeless what?
Honey, don't get mad but I found another homeless billionaire. Can we keep him, pleeease?! >

Very true. Most adults that want children and could easily and cheaply adopt through foster care choose not to, many of them spending thousands or tens of thousands on ivf and other methods. >

Most kids in foster care are not up for adoption. And even if they are, it’s not an easy process. >

Not what I've heard from people that have adopted multiple kids through foster. >

A stray isn’t gonna do meth in my kitchen and rip out the copper wires in my garage for drug money. >

But it will ruin a nice pair of slippers! >

I adopted an African-American family of 5 in transitional housing that was on the verge of homelessness during COVID. They were living in a "pay by the week" furnished hotel, overpriced but accessible to a family with a past eviction and no job. It was supposed to just be until the husband's unemployment came in, but it wound up being for like 3 months, because the unemployment system was so screwed up, and they found jobs before they could get the COVID money.  
I invested about $4000 in helping them - sometimes by sending groceries via Aldi's online ordering system - I'd take their shopping list and buy them what they needed, but mostly via direct transfers via PayPal. At the time, I was feeling very isolated, and I had some federal money coming in that I didn't feel that I really "needed", so I sought out someone who was struggling to get their COVID unemployment and shared the wealth.  
I also helped them find a rental that didn't care about their past evictions, in a nearby neighborhood that had a good school district, so that their three kids could get back into classes after the summer. And I helped the husband of the family with a pro bono lawyer, who got a judge to turn his marijuana bench warrant into a $50/month for 10 months fine. Then I followed up with them for 10 months to make sure they had enough money to pay the fine every month.   
I've lost touch with them more recently, but last I heard, both parents were working, and they were able to save some money. I haven't asked them to pay me back, because let's be real - $4000 is a tough sum to scrape together when you have 3 kids and no savings. And it wasn't really "my" money in the first place, you know? I should check in with them and let them know I have a good job (and a wife and a baby of my own), and they don't need to pay me back. It's probably a subtle psychological stress for them, because we called it a loan, and I never officially told them it's a gift... >

Apparently you are a compassionate person. Bodhisattva. >

That's because the government should be responsible for taking care of homeless people. Taking care as in helping and providing resources to get them back on their feet, not using cops to beat the shit out of them because some snobby suburbanite had the displeasure of seeing them. >

Maybe religions that ramble on about helping those less fortunate should be putting their tax exempt money where their mouths are.
Some do of course. They all should though. Make them more useful >

I think most people in general talk about helping the poor more than they do it >

My dyslexia reading this made me think of a neat phrase that I think fits this situation well: “homeless, not helpless” >

Pets talk back less. Sure, they can make noise, but they're generally less articulate with their complaints. >

This is a massive red flag >

I adopted a homeless once. He's doing great now. Sometimes, all people need is a chance. >

That's awesome, unfortunately sometimes they also do stuff like shit themselves on a 10 minute car ride forcing you to wet vac your back seat for like 3 hours straight only to give up and pay hundreds for professional cleaning to get rid of most of the smell and stain >

Holy shit, literally. That sounds awful. Of course, everyone is going to have a different experience, and unfortunately, more people may have one like you did as opposed to mine. I wouldn't recommend anyone to give strangers a ride because they just might shit in your car or let them live in your house. I know of one family that tried to help a young homeless man, and the wife ran off with him. 
The kid I helped was young and living in a field in the Canadian winter. He asked me if I could buy him food at a drive thru and I couldn't get the thought of him sleeping outside in the cold out of my head so I went back, put him in an airbnb for a week and helped him find a room to rent. He still messages me periodically to let me know that he's doing well, but I would probably never do it again. >

Yeah lol, it could have been worse at least it was an old shitty car haha  she obviously had some mental issues, I dropped her at the shelter and stifled my gagging the rest of the way home.  It was a harrowing experience lol.  It's almost funny looking back on it but at the moment I was just in a frenzy of omg I gotta get this shit out of here, is my car ruined???  I eventually basically just soaked the back seat in febreeze and put one of those tough canvas dog proof seat covers on the back lol.  The car went kaput like a year later anyway.
I've had many other experiences helping people that were perfectly fine.  There's a lot of folks out there that are just in a bad way and don't have the resources and support to get properly back on their feet.  Your story is much better than any of mine, glad everything worked out for him
I just had to share that cus OPs comment about adopting a cat or dog was so braindead lol.  I've also taken in strays and it's not always some walk in the park either but you generally have an easier time knowing what your getting into.  Guarantee OP hasn't spent any time around the homeless or even semi homeless people. >

During my time in the, for lack of better words. Commune, we would regularly take homeless at risk folks. Generally lgbt kids who at 18 got kicked out by parents.  Some not even lgbt, just liked Metallica,  so therefor were the devil. They would stay in our common area till we could help them get job, money saved, and a place of their own. Also people who fell on hard times. We had couple, they saved their daughters life but the cancer debt destroyed theirs they lost their home and everything. The state took their kid. We got them back up, they got a place.. been years, they are still fighting for their kid last I heard but by now the kid near 18 I'd imagine.  Lots of people surfed our couches. There were other communes in the networks so they did the same. >

What is the Commune? >

It's where a whole bunch of people live and work together to assist each other. Communal living. Etc >

Why did you make it seem like you were using a code word? >

When you say commune people can have totally made up bullshit about what that actually means. So why if there was another word that wouldn't cause issues I would use it. But alas it is what it is. >

Heeey, I listened to a podcast today about a woman who took in a homeless man! 
It got her killed. >

Feel like adopting people full stop isn’t as popular as adopting animals >

I think most people think of adopting a cat or dog as 'cool, a free cat/dog'. They don't see a homeless person and think 'cool, I can have a new best friend' >

we tried.  We really did.  After 6+ years of process and run around we abandoned the adoption process because an atheist and a jew who are in a committed relationship but not married don't qualify to adopt. >

I tried that once and it was awful. Both a homeless and a stray. >

A big portion of homeless people put themselves in those situations. Animals don't. >

yes, we also care much more in movies or games bout pets or strays dying over a human dying. "oh so 300 people died in a trench while being blown up? who cares" OH MA GOD PRINCE TIBBLES GOT A PAPERCUT CALL THE MILITARY!!!! >

I know it sounds shitty but I have more sympathy for animals because of how helplessly ignorant they are compared to your average homeless person. 
Animals just seem so innocent compared to people, even violent predators that play with their kills. They are too ignorant for me to not want them to be comfortable and safe. If they knew what humans did and still did those things I'd be upset with them for sure.
When I see a dog on the street suffering I think about how society has betrayed them. When I see a homeless person on the street suffering I still feel sympathy but I think of all the potential ways they might have deserved their suffering because of evil or stupid shit they could have done >

I understand what you're saying, but I urge you to try to change your perspective on homeless people. Coming from someone who was homeless three times due to things totally out of my control. (mainly, not having a support system of any kind, moving out at 17, my parents losing all of my identifying documents, amongst other things). I've known many homeless people who were in similar positions to me and it's important to know that a lot of the time, society failed us too, and we are suffering, and just trying to survive and get back on our feet while in a position thats nearly impossible to wiggle your way out of. >

I getcha. It's not even a thing I have with a homeless people but with people in general. Like when I see a puppy get hit because it was on the road I tend to feel worse than when I see a human get hit. If someone is kicking a person to death I feel less sad than when someone is kicking a dog to death. Idk >

how often do you see people and animals get kicked… to death ? >

Not so often for dogs. Pretty often for people on some subs I lurk in (they tend to get banned after a few months so gotta find new alts all the time but essentially watchpeipledie stuff >

You... lurk in... snuff subs....?
Certified 14yo edgelord (or severely mentally ill 20something, or middle aged serial killer I guess) >

There's a reason those subs keep rising and then being killed by reddit. I'm 26 and I am not a serial killer I promise. I don't have any diagnosed mental issues either. Maybe it sounded from my comment like I get off on it and spend tons of time on it, it's just one of the many sub themes I enjoy. I also like /awww and /animalsbeingbros. I guess I'm just bored more than anything. It doesn't mean I have any urges. Seeing someone get killed in public through the internet has a way of making you appreciate life more too. YMMV
It can also help alleviate PTSD symptoms, or it can make it much worse, depends. >

I know this is a sub for stupid ideas but this is really moronic and basically has no point >

"A homeless"
They're homeless people. People without a home. They're not "a homeless". >

You mean a homeless person? Why don’t you go ahead and do that I’ll take the cat >

Just a shower thought my guy, don’t take it too hard >

Don't be so sensitive >

lol i love a good “no, you!” response. >

Seeing from the comments here, people can't even be bothered to think about how the homeless person feels so idek if I'd trust those people with a stray cat. >

Let a homeless girl sleep in my apartment one night. Stole my wallet. Yeah fuck em >

IDK bruh I tried housing more homeless people than adopted animals in my life. >

How did it turn out? >

cackles
I'd definitely take in multiple animals or have 20 more children of my own than ever take in another homeless stranger. (I do want several more children along with my first born, she's the most amazing human ever.)
And that's not because I think all homeless people deserve to be homeless or are drug addicts or whatever... Hell I was homeless well before and years after I took in like.... 5 or 6 homeless people who treated me like shit. Not all of them are bad or selfish though, once I took in 8, one year. 11 total. All of whom I helped long before I was homeless and had absolutely NOBODY to help me. It was kind of ironic. Like. I helped all those people and then no one was there to help me when I needed them. Shit. 12 or 13 if you count the short term homeless stays of people I helped(the ones that stood with me only a week to a month), 16 if you count the ones I took in when I lived with one of my 2 ex's that would let me help other people as my form of self care.
And 0 of them were there to help when I needed help back. :)
And only 6 of them had addiction issues. :)