LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — As the Las Vegas summer sets in, pet owners experiencing homelessness struggle to find accommodations and relief from the intense heat.
Helen Young, said she has experienced homelessness for nearly a decade. She added that the heat does not get easier for her or her dog, Tiger.
“I give him lots of water, and we try to find cool places. He loves ice, so I just try to keep him wet and happy,” Young said, adding that her first summer in Las Vegas was shocking.
“I almost passed out, and I had to throw water on myself every day to just cool off,” Young said.
City and County officials say they are working to help people stay out of the heat. There are 42 cooling centers across the Las Vegas valley, all of which accept animals, provided they are leashed or in a kennel.
Some say they have struggled to find resources for themselves and their pets.
“The shelters are not really accommodating when it comes to dogs,” said D, who lives on the streets of the Historic Westside, adding that cooling sites prove difficult to manage as there are other animals around. D said she tries to do the best she can for herself and her dog Milo during the summer heat.
“If I can cool him off three times a day, that helps a lot, and he also wears shoes,” D said.
The Animal Foundation, NSPCA, and organizations like the Vegas Pet Rescue Project and Street Dogz help provide leashes, kennels, food, and water, but ask for donations from those who can help.
