Originally published in the 2026 DRC Homecomer
Take a moment to picture your “support system.” Maybe that support system is made up of family, friends, teammates or colleagues, or even trusted neighbors. Now, take a moment and imagine what your days would look like without those special people. Is there anyone left that cares for you? What about a special animal?
DRC Solutions isn’t new to who or what supports clients during their experience with unsheltered homelessness. Animals, all kinds, play a very meaningful role in the day-to-day lives of those surviving outdoors. Whether they provide companionship, protection, or daily responsibilities for clients, these pets are a huge benefit to their owners’ emotional and mental health during periods of homelessness.
Outdated misconceptions pair people experiencing homelessness with the inability to take care of themselves or anyone else, but that has never been the experience of DRC Solutions.
Homelessness is a breakdown of supports, but the DRC finds that animals are typically cared for before their owners care for themselves. Program staff interact with animals almost daily. Street Outreach enters homeless encampments protected by dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens.
The animals act as a doorbell for arrivals, and often alert their owners that DRC is here to check in with them. Before riding-out into the community, Street Outreach workers are able to equip themselves with hygiene kits and plenty of pet food, thanks to a generous monthly partnership withthe Humane Society of North Texas. Housing case managers are tasked with helping the entire household reach goals, which can include setting up veterinary appointments or finding different resources for pet care.
DRC Housing Case Manager, Johnetta Hudspeth, knows how much pets mean to a family as a “dog-mom” herself. To clients (and the DRC), pets are family and important members of the household. James was a new client on her caseload, but not to the DRC. James, in his late 60s, survived outside for many years with one special friend named Deuce. A Boxer-mix, Deuce experienced Christmas early last year when James was matched with a housing voucher two days before Christmas Eve. DRC Solutions was happy to get them both inside since the weather was colder than normal with a dangerous freeze on the way.
Johnetta and James instantly bonded over their shared love of trash talking, sports, and love for Deuce. As more time passed with James and Deuce enjoying their home, Johnetta noticed small wins for their overall well-being. James was socializing more with neighbors around his complex, joking more with his doctors and nurses, and finding a playmate for Deuce who lived just down the hall.
A few months ago, James was told tragic news: Deuce didn’t have much longer to live. James was also then shocked to learn that pet cremation and interment were very expensive, but had saved up enough to participate in a group cremation. Johnnetta was also devastated to hear this during her weekly home visit. As Johnetta sat and listened to James plan Deuce’s final days, her mind started to wander. She had seen the happiness, love, and purpose Deuce brought to James every day. She and the rest of the DRC staff had seen the companionship James brought Deuce, too. Johnetta returned to the office that day with an idea to memorialize Deuce in a way that better reflected his close bond with James. Through the help of an anonymous donor, Johnetta was able to arrange that Deuce would receive a private cremation that would include a final nose print for James to keep. Johnetta still worried about James as a case manager and supportive friend, though. Would his newer home still feel like home without his best friend? Then, there came a knock at the door.
James’s neighbor, Deuce’s playmate’s owner, was visiting with some potentially interesting news. She would need to move to Hawaii in the next few weeks and was overwhelmed with the logistics. After hearing she would have to quarantine her dog, Frank Sinatra, for 30+ days, she made the hard decision to give him to a loved one instead of risking his health and life in confinement. She knew James missed Deuce, and she would certainly miss Frank, but would James like to be Frank’s new owner?
Today, Johnetta sees James and “Frankie” weekly. The duo are inseparable and already have a great bond, supporting each other through these big life changes. They “talk” on their walks, and remember the neighbor and Deuce who brought them together. James loves to show Frankie off and any new trick he’s learned since the last time Johnetta was in. Johnetta loves to see the continued growth, love, and support in James’s life. Frankie loves to see if Johnetta brought any treats, but is a good boy no matter what. And although James and Frankie are a family in transition, they’ve found home with the help of DRC Solutions, their departed loved ones, and each other.
