Local charity offers support and hope to people experiencing homelessness and their dogs in Exeter

Exeter Temporary Accommodation and Assessment Service (ETAAS) known locally as Prospects House is, a new project supporting and accommodating people across Exeter who have experienced street homelessness and their dogs, has been endorsed as dog-friendly by the Dogs Trust Together Through Homelessness scheme.

This endorsement, given to homelessness services which go above and beyond to help people and their dogs stay together, highlights the brilliant work done by ETAAS across the community.

The rough sleeping snapshot, conducted by the Government each year, found that on a single night in Autumn 2023, 23 people were found to be sleeping rough in Exeter. However, this snapshot doesn't paint the full picture of street homelessness in Exeter, and is likely to be an underestimate of rough sleeping in the city as it doesn’t take into account those sleeping in hidden or unchecked locations. This snapshot also doesn’t represent statutory homelessness in the area, such as people living in temporary accommodation or sofa-surfing.

The rough sleeping snapshot revealed that across the UK, the number of people sleeping rough is now over 60% higher than it was a decade ago, with the biggest rise seen amongst women sleeping rough.

To support the local community, Prospects House provides 19 rooms for people in need of support and uniquely offers additional accommodation space for dog friendly emergency placements. The service can currently support up to three dogs at one time, with the dogs having access to communal areas available and being encouraged to feel at home, including having naps on the sofa.

The space offers residents rooms with an en-suite, laundry facilities, communal living areas, and plenty of outdoor space.

Abigail Owens, Pets and Housing Senior Regional Engagement Officer at Dogs Trust said:

“The space set up by Exeter Temporary Accommodation and Assessment Service known locally as Prospects House is lovely, and from speaking to the staff, I felt a sense of genuine care and passion for the services they provide.

“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 access the services they need.

“Prospects House wants to make the environment as inclusive and welcoming as possible, for people from all walks of life. It is clear they have their residents’ wellbeing at the heart of their decisions, and I’m delighted to endorse this project and have the chance to work with them on implementing dog friendly procedures.”

Calvin Thain, Client Services Manager at Prospects House said:

“The ability to enable our customers to bring the one friend that has stayed by their side through their homeless period is amazing. Working with Dogs Trust has empowered us to be person-centred and dog-centred for the fur friends that support our emotional wellbeing.

‘’This has also enabled customers that would decline support and housing from other providers because they would have to find someone to either foster or take on their dogs. This barrier has now been removed.”

The dog friendly services provided by Prospects House will make a big difference to those experiencing homelessness in Exeter. In a recent survey of professionals supporting those experiencing homelessness, 70% told Dogs Trust that their clients had experienced barriers to accessing homelessness services because they have a dog.  

Further to this, 84% were aware of one or more cases where someone had refused an offer of temporary or emergency accommodation as it would have meant giving up their dog. 

Just 51% of the homelessness services that responded to the Dogs Trust survey said that their services were dog friendly. 

Dogs Trust’s Together Through Homelessness project works directly with homelessness services to help them become dog friendly, offering bespoke support and ongoing advice on everything from dog friendly policies to behaviour resources. The project also provides free veterinary treatment to dogs whose owners are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, an online directory of dog friendly homeless services in the UK and a Christmas parcel service for dog owners supported by homelessness services during the festive period.

To find out more about the Dogs Trust Together Through Homelessness free endorsement scheme and how we may be able to support your homelessness service to become dog-friendly, have a look at our dedicated webpage.