Brighton charity and Together Through Homelessness offer hope to people experiencing homelessness and their dogs

A Brighton charity which supports people experiencing homelessness is celebrating being endorsed under the Together Through Homelessness endorsement scheme. This endorsement is given to homelessness services that strive to keep people experiencing homelessness and their dogs together and work with Dogs Trust to do so safely and responsibly. 

The Seagull Project offers a safe and stable temporary home for people experiencing homelessness. It has seven houses located across Brighton and Hove which provide shared accommodation for single adults.  

To allow more people to access this vital support, the charity offers pet-friendly temporary accommodation and welcomes owners experiencing homelessness to bring their dogs with them.  

 The Seagull Project’s dog-friendly policies are great news for dog owners experiencing homelessness in Brighton. In a recent survey of professionals, supporting those experiencing homelessness, 70% told Dogs Trust that their clients had experienced barriers for accessing homelessness services because they have a dog.     

To ensure its pet-friendly policies are implemented with due care and attention to both the owner and the animal, the Seagull Project has worked with the Together Through Homelessness endorsement scheme at Dogs Trust. The project works directly with homelessness services to support them to become dog-friendly by providing bespoke support and ongoing advice on everything from dog-friendly policies to behaviour resources. The project also provides starter packs of dog items to help new dogs feel welcome at homelessness services.

 Sarah and Abigail 

Sarah Lobo, Seagull Project Manager, says:  

“We are delighted to be endorsed by Dogs Trust under their Together Through Homelessness scheme. Our team is committed to creating and providing a person-centred, supportive environment, and we appreciate that dogs can play a major role in the lives of people accessing our services. We are so appreciative to Dogs Trust for collaborating with us in this project and ensuring that our clients can maintain a special bond with their dogs.” 

Abigail Owens from Together Through Homelessness says: 

“It’s great news that Seagull Project is providing pet friendly accommodation for people experiencing homelessness. It’s already having a positive impact on the people accessing these services, and it is a great example of how being dog-friendly can be achieved in a safe, responsible, and homely way.    

“For most dog owners, being separated from their dog is no different from being separated from a family member. Many dog owners experiencing homelessness are forced to make the heart-breaking decision to give up their beloved pets just so they can have somewhere safe and secure to sleep.   

“We don’t think anyone should have to choose between a bed or their faithful friend, and we work with many temporary accommodation providers, to successfully offer dog-friendly support.    

“It’s incredibly important that pet-friendly housing is available at every step of someone’s housing pathway, and we’re keen to work with as many homelessness services as possible so that we can help keep people and their pets together.” 

To find out more about the Together Through Homelessness endorsement scheme and support available to dog owners experiencing or at risk of homelessness, please visit this page.