The man was sitting in a chair, reading a Stuart Woods novel.  A thought flickered through my mind: it’s odd he isn’t taking it home to read.  He was thin, middle aged, and wore  a sweater and jeans.  A stubble of beard was no different than many who wear them.  I went on to the stacks, taking my time to find something my husband would enjoy.  Every once in awhile, I sat down and looked over my choices.  Finally, I found 4 good ones, checked them out. It was raining; I hurried to my car and sat for a few moments to catch my breath.  That’s when I saw  a homeless man & his dog at the  library.

I recognized the Stuart Woods fan, now wearing a jacket and stocking cap.  At first, I thought he’d probably left his dog in the car, and was  taking it for a little walk.  But they were standing behind some bushes,  under an alcove.   He huddled in a corner of the building, shielding the dog with an umbrella.  That’s when I saw his telltale black  backpack, and realized he probably didn’t have a car at all.  Or a home.

I sat there for a few minutes, feeling  confused. .  How could a homeless man care for a dog?  And why would he want one in the first place?  Where were they going?  How long would they stand out in the rain?  The questions piled up in my head.

It’s hard for me to see a homeless person without wanting to fix things.  Since I couldn’t do that, I wanted to understand the situation.  As soon as I got in the house, I turned on my computer and keyed in the question: Should a homeless person own a dog?  I was sure the search would turn up empty.  And yet, there were several links to the topic.

Statistically, 5% of all homeless people own a pet.  At first, it seems wrong.  Why keep an animal outside all day and night? .  And what if you can’t afford to feed it?  Where does it poop?  If I were an animal, would I want my owner to be a homeless person?

Apparently, there are many positives.  An animal gives his owner love and companionship.  There are  cases where a dog has given a  homeless person enough hope to work their way back into normal society.  Animals can easily adapt to living outside in the elements.  It’s their nature.  Dogs also provide protection on the streets and in tents and other places where the homeless congregate.  And so, the next time you see a homeless person with a dog,  you might say a  prayer that they find their way home..