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Innovative Shelter Rescues Homeless Humans & Pets

Written by: Scott H
Scott Haiduc is the Director of Publishing for iHeartDogs, iHeartCats and The Hero Company. When not working, Scott spends his time on the farm, taking care of his animals and crops.Read more
| Published on June 12, 2017

Professional journalist Glenn Greenwald of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, saw something special between the city’s homeless dogs and humans. To share with the world what he could so clearly see, he produced two short films showcasing the tenderness and attention that homeless humans are able to give to the stray and sick animals they live with.

In doing this, he came up with a unique idea. Along with his husband, David Miranda, a new type of animal shelter was born: a shelter where all of the human employees came from the streets themselves. (You can view the article on his films, “How Dogs Forge a Bond with Rio’s Homeless That Is Life-Saving for Both,” on The Intercept.)

This shelter has two goals: to offer the homeless real, paying work taking care of animals, and to provide the city’s stray animals with much needed care.

They have partnered with a local charity that provides the homeless employees temporary shelter, clothing, and counseling to help stabilize their lives, open a bank account, and a transition to permanent employment. With the financial crisis Brazil is facing, more and more people are finding themselves homeless and in need of a program just like this one. This has also creating financing difficulties for the shelter, so they have reached out on GoFundMe to keep their project afloat.

There’s no question that this is a fantastic idea. A shelter like this serves to improve the health and well-being of the people and animals who need it most, and will likely result in permanent homes for both parties.

Glenn Greenwald and David Miranda are, without question, amazingly compassionate and we hope that this concept takes on in every city, everywhere.

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