More Than a Photoshoot: Honoring the Bond Between People and Pets

The holiday season is often filled with joy, warmth, and togetherness. But for many people experiencing homelessness, this time of year can bring added stress and difficult decisions. On Saturday, December 6, the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless hosted its annual People and Pets Holiday Photoshoot, an event that brings the community together while shining a light on the realities faced by unhoused pet owners.

The photoshoot invited pet parents and their fur-babies for festive holiday photos, creating a welcoming and joyful space. At the same time, it served as a reminder that for many people experiencing homelessness, pets are not just companions. They are family.

Bringing the Community Together Through Pets

The People and Pets Holiday Photoshoot is about more than taking pictures. It is an opportunity to celebrate the powerful bond between people and their pets while starting meaningful conversations about homelessness.

With three holiday-themed backgrounds, the atmosphere was full of smiles, wagging tails, and joyful moments. But behind each photo is a deeper story. For people experiencing homelessness, pets often provide comfort, stability, and unconditional love during incredibly challenging times.

Many unhoused pet owners make daily sacrifices to keep their animals safe, fed, and protected. This event helped highlight that reality and reminded our community that pets are a vital source of emotional support and connection, especially for those facing housing insecurity.

The Reality Behind the Smiles

While the photos captured holiday cheer, they also reflected a harder truth. Having a pet can make navigating homelessness even more difficult. Many shelters and transitional housing programs are not pet-friendly, forcing people to choose between their own safety and staying with their animals.

These impossible choices are a reality for countless individuals. By centering people and their pets together, this event helped bring attention to the need for pet-inclusive services and housing options that keep families, including their pets, intact.

Why This Matters: By the Numbers

• According to the National Coalition for the Homeless 10 to 25% of unhoused individuals nationally are pet owners.

• 50% of domestic violence survivors said they would not enter a shelter if their pets could not come along (Urban Resource Institute & Domestic Violence Hotline, 2021)

  
  

How Events Like This Make a Difference

Events like the People and Pets Holiday Photoshoot create space for connection, understanding, and awareness. They allow community members to engage with the issue of homelessness in a way that is personal and human, rather than abstract.

By celebrating the bond between people and pets, the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless continues to advocate for compassionate solutions that recognize the full picture of someone’s life, including the animals they love.

The Spirit of the Season in Action

This event captured what the holiday season is truly about: love, companionship, and community. It served as a reminder that everyone deserves dignity, stability, and the chance to stay with the ones who matter most to them.

When we support people and their pets together, we take meaningful steps toward a more inclusive and compassionate community.