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VET SOS Partner

Partners in Helping People Keep Their Pets!

Paula Benton Dog Training is proud and deeply honored to partner with Veterinary Street Outreach Services (VET SOS) in helping people keep their pets. PBDT provides free animal training and behavior counseling at 12 VET SOS clinics annually throughout San Francisco.

VET SOS is an innovative outreach project which addresses the unique problems of homeless individuals with companion animals. It is a project of the Street Outreach Services (SOS) program at the San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium (SFCCC).

Services are provided by volunteer veterinarians and veterinary technicians through the use of a specially equipped mobile outreach van. VET SOS provides free:
* veterinary exams
* basic veterinary procedures
* vaccinations
* microchipping
* referrals & transportation for free spay/neuter surgery
* information about service animals in rental housing
* information about responsible pet ownership
* health care information & referrals to their homeless humans

12 mobile clinics are conducted in selected areas of San Francisco that are inhabited by homeless individuals with companion animals. VET SOS visits the Castro/Mission, China Basin, Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury and Bayview-Hunter's Point neighborhoods. Additionally, they provide services at San Francisco’s Project Homeless Connect events as well as at the Homeless Youth Alliance.

More than 6,500 homeless people were identified during San Francisco's 2009 biennial homeless count. VET SOS recognizes that keeping the pets of homeless people healthy sustains the physical and mental well-being of their human owners. Often, these pets serve as a sole source of emotional support, promote responsibility, and act as social catalysts for interactions with other people. By combining the efforts of animal health care providers and human health care providers to reach out to this often-wary population, VET SOS builds trust, enabling further outreach and education.

2014 Schedule

Fri. Jan. 10 Bayview's "Tire Beach" 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Fri. Jan. 24 Homeless Youth Alliance 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Thu. Feb. 20 SOMA 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Wed. Mar. 5 Project Homeless Connect 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Fri. Apr. 4 Bayview's "Tire Beach" 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Thu. May 15 SOMA 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Wed. Jun. 11 Project Homeless Connect 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Fri. Jun. 27 Homeless Youth Alliance 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Fri. Jul. 11 Bayview's "Tire Beach" 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Wed. Oct. 8 Project Homeless Connect 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Thu. Nov. 20 SOMA 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Wed. Dec. 10 Project Homeless Connect 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

NOTE: All attendees needing services must arrive to each clinic by 11 a.m.