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Like their masters, dogs of the homeless do not have an easy life and often struggle to get adequate nutritious food, medical care and a sheltered place to sleep. But now it’s easier, as the Street Dog Project sets up at 4 p.m. every Friday afternoon at Ashland’s Pioneer Hall on Winburn Way, serving up high-quality dog food, chew-bones, vouchers for vaccinations, leashes, harnesses, dog coats, collapsible water bowls and, a top priority, getting dogs on track for free spay-neutering. “The vast majority of the homeless love and take good care of their dogs, but food is expensive and health care costs are outrageous,” says Laurie Cuddy, director of the Street Dog Project. “The homeless care deeply and pretty much every one of them will feed their animal before they feed themselves.” The program is run by volunteers of Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) and, she adds, they’ve had to work to build up trust with the homeless community, some of who are resistant to releasing their four-legged companions to be snipped. A woman in a wheelchair calling herself Gummy Bear appears with her pit bull and chihuahua, whom she’s had for four years, noting, “They’re my service dogs and help with my bad depression and anxiety. They (volunteers) love my dogs and helped me fix them. I wouldn’t have healthy food for them if they didn’t do this.” Grant Winters arrives with his black-mouth cur (a breed of hunting and cattle dog), noting, “They give extremely sensitive care. It’s such a breath of fresh air. Some days I wake up and my dog is starving and coming here is such a relief.” Usually, people show up with street dogs at Pioneer Hall about the same time the Friday community meal is held at the same location. It’s across the road from Lithia Park. Keeping homeless dog population under control is critical, says volunteer Sudee Jacquot, as “We’re here to help the animals, not the people. They have other programs for that. People with snipped dogs can go more places, the animals are better behaved and you have fewer unwanted puppies. They get lots of love as puppies, but a lot are euthanized.” The group has facilitated neutering more than 500 animals so far. It is also there to help if a homeless person finds dog care too much to handle and wants to surrender the animal without fee at the shelter. They also foster some dogs. If you wonder why dogs are such a “thing” among the homeless, Cuddy speculates, “First, it’s for companionship. A lot of people are extremely lonely. People don’t even look at them, just pass them by. Dogs are often their main connection to another being — and it facilitates people talking to them. A lot say it’s for protection. Some think it’s a way to make money by breeding them, which is not going to happen.” If you wonder if the homeless know how to train a dog, Cuddy says, “Overall, the dogs we meet are incredibly well-trained because they’re with them 24/7. There’s something to be said for that, when you look at dogs of people with homes and jobs, who leave dogs alone all day. The dogs of the homeless are usually well-socialized and well-behaved.” The 5-year-old program was started by Nancy and J.W. Lyon. It also works in Medford with St. Vincent de Paul and Tailgate Ministries and partners with the national Pets of the Homeless, located in Carson City, Nevada, with local connections at Ashland Community Resource Center , next to Safeway. Donations of dog equipment and food can be dropped at 611 Siskiyou Blvd, No. 4. Donations can be made at fotas.org but must be specified for the Street Dog Project. Their Facebook page name is streetdogproject . They can be reached at 541-816-6374 or 541-816-6035. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected] .