There’s nothing more upsetting than seeing a homeless person and their homeless pets on the streets.
The things we take for granted with our pets, such as food, water, and veterinary services, is an everyday struggle for somebody who doesn’t have a home. They will do everything they can to provide for their fur baby, often putting their pet before themselves.
So imagine if you were living on the streets and your only companion fell ill. It would undoubtedly be a terrifying moment as you can’t just hop in the car and drive to the vet’s office.
One amazing veterinarian realized this, and he decided instead of waiting for these people to come to him, he would go to them.
Dr. Kwane Stewart is a 49-year-old veterinary practitioner from California who truly cares about every animal. In fact, he loves animals so much that before he became a vet, he used to make it his mission to try and save every stray animal.
Kwane has been a regular vet for over 20 years, but one day in 2007, he realized that there was a heart-breakingly huge amount of animals who couldn’t receive treatment.
Dr. Kwane told CNN:
“I’d been practicing high-end medicine for clients who could pay for everything. But suddenly I was thrown into this economic war and people couldn’t even afford to help their pets.”
In 2011, determined to make a positive change, Kwane started by setting up a soup kitchen for the homeless offering free checkups of their pets, and he was blown away by the response.
He realized that there was such a high demand for his services that he committed to walking around the streets each weekend offering to help.
Speaking about his soup kitchen, Kwane said:
“Before I knew it, I had a whole line. There was something about it that I loved. I did it one more time before I decided to just take it to the street and walk to homeless people instead of waiting for them to walk up to me.”
Kwane quickly became known as “The Street Vet,” and people from all areas of the city came to visit him with their pets.
Many injuries and conditions can be treated on the spot, but if Kwane’s clients need some extra love and attention, then Kwane even offers to pay for the medical bills to provide the treatment for the animal in need.
What a selfless man.
Amazingly, Kwane actually pays for most of his services out of his own pocket, but if the treatment is very expensive then he asks for help via his GoFundMe page.
So far, in the nine years he has worked as a street vet, Dr. Kwane has provided his services to around 400 animals and now has his own TV show, “Dr. Kwane: The Street Vet.”
Homeless people can often face a lot of judgment, but Kwane wants people to change their perspective, telling CNN:
“These homeless people take care of their pets even better than we do. When they own a pet, it engenders this generosity. They always make sure their pet is fed. Medically is where they need help.”
Rightly said! Nobody deserves to lose their beloved pet simply because they can’t afford to get help. Dr. Kwane is a truly amazing man and we’re sure his services are appreciated by all in the California region.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
