[Arbud]

Every time I leave my village area at Buenos Aries and 441 on one of the corners is this woman and her dog.
She obviously has had some issues in her life and may still have them. She is a panhandler. Which I dont have a problem with. I am not going to give her money.
My issue is that she has a bigger dog with her. It is always with her out in the hottest sun, usually under an umbrella. In 95 degrees i am not sure how much help the umbrella is.
Yesterday I saw them setting up shop and a man was carrying the dog. I feel I am just watching this dog slowly die.
I cant adopt it so that is out of the question. Not that they would let that happen because her sign even says " homeless with dog". She uses the dog as a ploy for help.
The Police have run her from one corner to across the street at the BJs and Lowes entrance.
So is there anyone I can call to have the dog taken from them and maybe nurtured back to health and adopted by a good home.
They live in the woods in back of the flooring store on 441 past Stonecrest. I just happened to see them going in the woods one day.
Sorry to seem so obsessed with this woman and her dog, but I see them sometimes 3 or 4 times a day. No I cant just look the other way.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by Arbud

Every time I leave my village area at Buenos Aries and 441 on one of the corners is this woman and her dog.
She obviously has had some issues in her life and may still have them. She is a panhandler. Which I dont have a problem with. I am not going to give her money.
My issue is that she has a bigger dog with her. It is always with her out in the hottest sun, usually under an umbrella. In 95 degrees i am not sure how much help the umbrella is.
Yesterday I saw them setting up shop and a man was carrying the dog. I feel I am just watching this dog slowly die.
I cant adopt it so that is out of the question. Not that they would let that happen because her sign even says " homeless with dog". She uses the dog as a ploy for help.
The Police have run her from one corner to across the street at the BJs and Lowes entrance.
So is there anyone I can call to have the dog taken from them and maybe nurtured back to health and adopted by a good home.
They live in the woods in back of the flooring store on 441 past Stonecrest. I just happened to see them going in the woods one day.
Sorry to seem so obsessed with this woman and her dog, but I see them sometimes 3 or 4 times a day. No I cant just look the other way.

Bring food and water....for the dog since that seems to be your biggest concern in the equation. Not sure LEO or the county is going to do a well being check on the animal....or forcibly remove it from its owner. The scenario is not ideal but unless there are outward signs of abuse....don’t exacerbate the situation. In the homeless community, your observations (while sad) are not an anomaly.

[Normal]

Originally Posted by Arbud

Every time I leave my village area at Buenos Aries and 441 on one of the corners is this woman and her dog.
She obviously has had some issues in her life and may still have them. She is a panhandler. Which I dont have a problem with. I am not going to give her money.
My issue is that she has a bigger dog with her. It is always with her out in the hottest sun, usually under an umbrella. In 95 degrees i am not sure how much help the umbrella is.
Yesterday I saw them setting up shop and a man was carrying the dog. I feel I am just watching this dog slowly die.
I cant adopt it so that is out of the question. Not that they would let that happen because her sign even says " homeless with dog". She uses the dog as a ploy for help.
The Police have run her from one corner to across the street at the BJs and Lowes entrance.
So is there anyone I can call to have the dog taken from them and maybe nurtured back to health and adopted by a good home.
They live in the woods in back of the flooring store on 441 past Stonecrest. I just happened to see them going in the woods one day.
Sorry to seem so obsessed with this woman and her dog, but I see them sometimes 3 or 4 times a day. No I cant just look the other way.

It’s kind of like the ASPCA (Corrected thanks to 4Sale) )leaving dogs on spiked chains and in emaciated conditions so they can film for their handouts on commercials. They are just working on a larger scale.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I see that woman all the time too. But since I've never spoken with her, I don't know what her situation is. She could be "using" the dog to garner pity-donations. Or it could be a service animal, if she's a mental health patient. When I first saw her at the light between Sonic and Walmart, the situation with a woman named Manda popped in my head.

Manda was homeless, living under a bridge in a tiny tent community she built out west. She had multiple brain injuries that make it hard for her to control her emotional expressions, and that made it hard for her to hold a job. Last I heard she's got an apartment and a part-time job (since that's all she's capable of working), the taxpayer dollars help cover her expenses but she is able to cover the rest with her job. And she had Rowan, her service dog to assist her when she has breakdowns (truly psychotic, she filmed one, it was pretty scary and I can't imagine BEING the person having that breakdown - just watching it was horrifying).

She had a blog on facebook and became an advocate for homeless people. She's pretty inspiring. Hasn't posted since January though and I don't follow her on other social media so no idea what she's up to now.

Log into Facebook | Facebook is her website, for anyone who cares to learn more about homelessness and advocacy.

[PootleK]

Maybe her dog is literally the only thing she has left in her life, someone to talk to, someone to cuddle up with, someone to alert her when people are around at night. Lots of homeless people have dogs for this reason. Sounds like she's providing for the dog as best she can, even keeping him under an umbrella. Does he have water and food?

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I see that woman all the time too. But since I've never spoken with her, I don't know what her situation is. She could be "using" the dog to garner pity-donations. Or it could be a service animal, if she's a mental health patient. When I first saw her at the light between Sonic and Walmart, the situation with a woman named Manda popped in my head.

Manda was homeless, living under a bridge in a tiny tent community she built out west. She had multiple brain injuries that make it hard for her to control her emotional expressions, and that made it hard for her to hold a job. Last I heard she's got an apartment and a part-time job (since that's all she's capable of working), the taxpayer dollars help cover her expenses but she is able to cover the rest with her job. And she had Rowan, her service dog to assist her when she has breakdowns (truly psychotic, she filmed one, it was pretty scary and I can't imagine BEING the person having that breakdown - just watching it was horrifying).

She had a blog on facebook and became an advocate for homeless people. She's pretty inspiring. Hasn't posted since January though and I don't follow her on other social media so no idea what she's up to now.

Log into Facebook | Facebook is her website, for anyone who cares to learn more about homelessness and advocacy.

"She could be "using" the dog to garner pity-donations."

Not unheard-of.

Visiting Thailand awhile back my wife and I saw a woman with a young child lying in the grass near one of the skytrain stations in Bangkok. She had a jar in which there was some money. My wife is ethnic Thai so we stopped to chat with the woman. She said she was from Isaan (upcountry), and had an accident about a year back that left her crippled. She couldn't make ends meet in Bangkok so she was raising money to go back home so she and her child could live with relatives. I gave her 100 baht for which she thanked me profusely. We left on the skytrain and came back to the station a couple of hours later to find the woman and child gone. We asked the skytrain cop what had happened to her. He laughed and said her boyfriend came and picked her and the child up, as they do every day apparently. The woman wasn't crippled, and the baby wasn't hers. Turns out there are places in Bangkok where you can rent babies for just this purpose.

Maybe there are dog-rental places around here? Who knows. Pity is a great motivator.

[4$ALE]

Originally Posted by Normal

It’s kind of like the USPCA leaving dogs on spiked chains and in emaciated conditions so they can film for their handouts on commercials. They are just working on a larger scale.

Possibly you meant the ASPCA?

[shut the front door]

I've come across many beggars who bring a dog or children along to gain sympathy. I once offered on of them $50 for the dog. They declined. I went up to $100 and they still said no. It's a bait dog. Don't fall for the scam.

[Pugchief]

I know nothing about this particular woman or her dog, but I can tell you that in the UpNorth suburb I spend 6 months living in there are well known panhandlers at certain intersections asking for money when the long light turns red. They always have a dog or young children and a cardboard sign about being hungry. Apparently, they park their Lexus/BMW/Cadillac down the street, out of sight. The word is you can make close to $100,000 / year panhandling like this (tax free!!) while simultaneously getting EBT, section 8 and other govt benefits.

No, I have no proof, no I don't know if it applies to this woman, and yes I know there are many people in legit need of help. However, IMO, if you really need help, panhandling is not your best option. People often end up like this bc they choose to.

If your concern is for the dog, bring the dog some dry dog food and perhaps a bottle of water.

[Pugchief]

On a related note, on a trip to New Orleans a few years ago, we wandered around the French Quarter and were mystified by multiple panhandlers and their dogs sitting on the street, literally underneath a help wanted sign. Draw you own conclusions.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

I know nothing about this particular woman or her dog, but I can tell you that in the UpNorth suburb I spend 6 months living in there are well known panhandlers at certain intersections asking for money when the long light turns red. They always have a dog or young children and a cardboard sign about being hungry. Apparently, they park their Lexus/BMW/Cadillac down the street, out of sight. The word is you can make close to $100,000 / year panhandling like this (tax free!!) while simultaneously getting EBT, section 8 and other govt benefits.

No, I have no proof, no I don't know if it applies to this woman, and yes I know there are many people in legit need of help. However, IMO, if you really need help, panhandling is not your best option. People often end up like this bc they choose to.

If your concern is for the dog, bring the dog some dry dog food and perhaps a bottle of water.

“No, I have no proof......”

[Pugchief]

Originally Posted by Shipping up to Boston

“No, I have no proof......”

Yep, I knew someone would snark that, so I stated it in advance. Doesn't mean it's not true, only that I didn't personally follow them home.

Do you own due diligence, as always. Things are not as they seem, as always. And feel free to infer whatever you want from the anecdote, or not. Gaslighting has become a multi million dollar business, and it's not just the media and the pols doing it. Fake panhandlers can gaslight, too.

[FredMitchell]

I find it sad that you could be more concerned about the condition of a dog than a human being.

Try talking to the woman next time you see her. Learn her story. It probably is not a good one. Put yourself in homeless shoes and whatever the rest of her condition might be. What would you do in those circumstances? What would you think about a person that came up and cared more for your dog, which might be protecting you, than you?

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by FredMitchell

I find it sad that you could be more concerned about the condition of a dog than a human being.

Try talking to the woman next time you see her. Learn her story. It probably is not a good one. Put yourself in homeless shoes and whatever the rest of her condition might be. What would you do in those circumstances? What would you think about a person that came up and cared more for your dog, which might be protecting you, than you?

I recall an Orlando teacher voluntarily lived with the homeless for months to get a sense of what they went through. It was eye- opening. This was quite a while ago though but I think I posted about it on Talk of the Villages.

Thomas Rebman is the man.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

Yep, I knew someone would snark that, so I stated it in advance. Doesn't mean it's not true, only that I didn't personally follow them home.

Do you own due diligence, as always. Things are not as they seem, as always. And feel free to infer whatever you want from the anecdote, or not. Gaslighting has become a multi million dollar business, and it's not just the media and the pols doing it. Fake panhandlers can gaslight, too.

Just because one ‘states in advance’ that you ‘have no proof’ about what you’re about to post....doesn’t absolve you from making non credible statements. To say that ‘you were told’ that panhandlers up north are pulling in 100K a year and exiting their ‘workplace’ in BMW, Cadillacs.....without personal knowledge of such...is irresponsible. That is my point. Drug dealers, pimps would’ve been a more credible premise...even without the receipts!