The Salvation Army has opened its Tucson cooling center to pets in hopes of getting more people experiencing homelessness out of Tucson’s dangerous summer heat.
The pet-friendly cooling center services are available at its Hospitality House at 1002 N. Main Ave., near West Speedway.
Martin Cruz feeds his dog, Unique, pieces of chicken at the Salvation Army Hospitality House, 1002 N. Main Ave. Tuesday. Cruz says he’s been homeless for a month and is grateful that he can bring his dog into the center to stay with him.
The pet-friendly policy will bring more people to the center who “don’t wanna leave (pets) outside,” said Christopher Kim, who leads the Salvation Army’s Tucson programs.
“The owner stays outside whether it’s hot or cold,” Kim said, adding that he hopes donations will allow the center to eventually have kennels with misters and weekly veterinarian services.
People often turn away services if their pets can’t come inside, he said.
“They will literally walk away,” he said. “If we can offer a kennel, we will have more beds full.”
In 2020, the City of Tucson reported 581 unused temporary shelter beds in Tucson/Pima County, despite having a dramatic increase in the number of unsheltered people. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, part of the reason could be that some people reject the help if they can’t bring their pets with them.
“A significant number of people experiencing homelessness own pets,” the organization reported in a recent study that stressed that animal companionship “is fortifying and contributes to the emotional well-being of people experiencing homelessness. … Still, many pet-owning individuals and families face limited access to shelter, services and housing.”
On Tuesday afternoon when the temperature was inching towards the day’s 107 high, Martin Cruz walked in with his 3-year-old Australian Blue Heeler pup, Unique.
Cruz has had her since she was 9 months old. He named Unique after the marking that looks like an exclamation point stretching from her back to her tail. Before coming to the Hospitality House, Cruz, who said he was newly homeless, was staying in a truck with Unique.
“I was very grateful, very grateful,” he said, of finding the Hospitality House. “I’m not leaving her, never.”
“I’m not leaving her behind. She’s my little daughter.”
