Street Dawg Crew Supports Utah Homeless by Feeding Their Pets | The Animal Rescue Site
Every other Sunday in Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Park, a quiet act of compassion unfolds. A large white van arrives, packed with thousands of pounds of pet food, and is met by a line of people and their pets—dogs of every size and breed, and often a few cats, too. For many of these individuals, their pets are not just companions but lifelines. This is the work of the Street Dawg Crew of Utah, a nonprofit pet food pantry that supports people experiencing homelessness or living on low incomes by making sure their animals are fed and cared for.
As homelessness in Utah continues to rise, the role of organizations like the Street Dawg Crew has become increasingly vital. The group’s outreach events provide not only food and supplies for pets but also a sense of dignity and support for their owners. On a sunny September afternoon, five volunteers kept the operation running smoothly, distributing essentials like dry and wet food, treats, and cat litter to dozens of grateful recipients.
Laurie Christi, one of the volunteers, has been with the group for less than a year. She spends her Sundays asking clients about the size and number of their pets to determine how much food and supplies they need. “I find out how many large, medium or small dogs they have, if they have cats, and then how much dry food we give them,” she explained. “And how many cans, how many treats, and if we give them litter or not.”
The emotional bond between people and their pets is a central theme in the work of the Street Dawg Crew. Christi said her own love for dogs inspired her to get involved. “Imagine your own children and not having enough food for them,” she said. “For some of these people, these are their children.” I found this detail striking—it underscores how deeply pets are woven into the fabric of their owners’ emotional and daily lives.
Robyn Davis, who made the trip from Grantsville to Salt Lake City, brought her huskies, Chummer and Allora, to the outreach event. She described them as her emotional support animals and said she couldn’t imagine life without them. “I rescued these babies; they’re my emotional support,” she said. “There's no way I'd be without them.”
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