Pets of the homeless

Homeless people have pets.  Or is it that the animals in crisis gravitate to the homeless people as there is a connection of souls that need each other. When I started this project in the 1990’s the encampments that I visited were rather large. Just about every day dogs and cats were dropped off because someone didn’t want them and it became the responsibility of the homeless people to see that the animals ate.  Sadly the pets were not spayed or neutered and there were endless litters of puppies and kittens.  Also in the camps were ducks and chickens that the dogs and cats seem to ignore. Chickens are popular in Miami for fresh eggs and they are a common sight around the city.  

Homeless people with pets know that they can't take them everywhere.  The owner may need to go off to eat at a shelter or meet with social workers. When ever they leave a pet even for a short period they need to trust that someone will look after it in their absence or they risk losing that companion.

The saddest most confusing experience I witnessed during this project was when  the encampments were being closed down and strangers appeared to decide the fate of the pets. Animal control came and gathered up pets to take off to the pound. Concerned citizens came to lay claim on a few puppies and kittens. None of them took into account that the animal they were taking belonged to someone.  Not only were the residents of the camp losing their shanties, their pets were being taken away as if they were neglectful caretakers.

One man had a dog (See the photo above) that went almost everywhere with him. The dog was always on a leash. On eviction day he left the dog at his shanty and went on an errand. While he gone his dog was taken away to the pound. Even if he wanted his friend back he didn’t have the transportation or the money to retrieve his beloved dog. It broke my heart because I imagined how I would feel if it happened to me.

There is certainly a gray area of what is right and what is wrong.  Just because a human is homeless does that mean they do not have the right to have a dog or a cat? From the reactions of the stranger that day I almost felt they were more concerned for the animals than the people. I was trying my best to observe and stay neutral but I had a hard time watching the homeless man I knew grieving for his dog.

Encampment residents that refused to accept “treatment” must now become wanders without shelter and the talk I heard all around me on eviction day was what about the homeless pets? I like animals a lot but what about the people?  What is going to happen to them? The answer was that treatment was offered. They have the right to refuse treatment. Outreach workers are not responsible for people that refuse treatment. I heard sorrow for the pets because the pets did not choose this existence but the people did. Is homelessness a choice? Do pets have more rights than the people? I ask this knowing that the pets in the animal shelter if not adopted will more than likely be euthanized.

I agree the majority of homeless people I photographed appeared to have substance abuse issues. But it was not true for all of them. There was not a social program for every problem there was only a list a programs dealing mostly with drugs and alcohol adiction. Regardless of why the resident was homeless the ultimatum was simple: accept a program or not. Either way, this shack will be demolished on this date and if you do not hide your pet you will be permanently separated from it.

At the camp of sex offenders (Bookville) in 2010 there were a lot of cats but no dogs. The cats were good at keeping down the rodent population however they often sprayed their territory and you could smell their presence.  Residents learned to keep valuables like spare shoes away from the prowling felines who would certainly mark them.

The sex offenders were middle class citizens unable to move home with their families due to laws prohibiting it. They were homeless by force and not homeless by choice. They wore leg monitors to assure they check into the camp under the bridge each night.  Sleeping under a bridge was not a place they wanted to call home. The residents agreed not to bring dogs there because they liked dogs and didn’t want to see the animals suffer in anyway.  When strays wandered into the camp they would find it a good home.

Is it right for homeless people to have pets when by society’s standards they are not even capable of taking care of themselves?  Or is possible that pets in their lives are sources of unconditional love that the individual may need? Regardless of the reason that a person is in a chronically homeless situation it may be nice to believe that a pet could encourage a positive transformation. Receiving unconditional love may be healing feeling even if it comes from an animal.

Here is a link to a story in Los Angeles about a dog that touched the hearts of people living on skid row: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-dietrich-dog-skid-row-20120820,0,6492641.story

Please check out my website for this project at http://www.marylou.us/chaos .  I also have a facebook presence at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Photographer-MaryLou-Uttermohlen/201723200603?ref=hl . This part of the project was made possible by an individual artist fellowhip of $5,000 from the State of Florida. 

Establishing MUTUAL TRUST

Not only did I have to earn their trust, they had to earn mine!

I am working alone as I shoot and going inside these wooden boxes is sort of a requirement so I had to get over my fear and decide that I can trust some people.

My first day shooting alone was sort of scary.  I really wanted to move this series along which means I needed to convince people to let me in their homes. But once inside the best shots will be a mixture of artificial and natural light from the door so I need to be standing deep inside the room and they needed to be close to a door or window.

Ok, lets think about this. I am a girl alone with thousands of dollars of camera equipment and I am asking people (mostly men) to go inside their shanty and have them block the entrance?  Yes!  Indeed this sounds insane! But if I want to do this project then this is how it has to be done.

Title: Jerome's Porn Http://www.marylou.us/chaos

So here I am alone in a camp with a lot of people around. Some people like me and some do not. Some I have already photographed. I need to meet someone new and see if I can get them to let me take a portrait inside their home.

Before long I met a big dark skinned black guy named Jerome.  He was from Jamaica with a bit of an accent. Says he is in college and lives in the camp. Wow was he ever big. He was 6’3” at least and weighed about 240 pounds. He said he wanted to show me something inside his house. I wasn’t sure if I should be thrilled that I found someone to photograph or freaked out that this guy could hurt me.

I guess I was more fearful than I would admit because I didn’t want to go past his front door. If I were to get in a battle with this guy I would not win. He says “ You can’t see it from there. Come in and sit on my bed.” I was getting scared. This was so dumb. I should not go in. This guy could totally hurt me. Jerome started to pick up on my apprehension and says “Are you scared?  I won’t hurt you.  I promise. Please.” Great that comment just made my fears worse.

I was scared because people in my personal life were telling me to be scared and to stop this project but my gut said that I needed to do this documentary and whimping out was not an option. Besides, I was the one who decided the best shots were from the inside. I needed to have faith that I was there that day for a reason.   I went in and set on the bed.

When I looked up at what he wanted me to see so badly I started to laugh uncontrollably. Jerome said “ See I told you had nothing to worry about with me.” God was he ever right about that. What he wanted me to see was his collage of naked men with all their male glory. Yes indeed it was  male Porn. No,  Jerome was not interested in me at all!

So much for the great light from the doorway. There was not enough light inside to make a photograph of the porn without a flash. Early on in those days I was just working with an off camera strobe. Now I have battery operated studio strobes.

Not only did I feel relaxed enough to photograph Jerome but he brought me into his world of men dealing with their sexuality.  The island had a subculture of transvestites, transexuals and male protitutes. This is a world that lived outside the vision of my catholic upbringing in the foothills of Appalachia.

Please check out my website for this project at http://www.marylou.us/chaos .  I also have a facebook presence at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Photographer-MaryLou-Uttermohlen/201723200603?ref=hl . This part of the project was made possible by an individual artist fellowhip of $5,000 from the State of Florida.